DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Laid-off federal employees in metro Atlanta are applauding a judge’s ruling that blocks mass layoffs at federal agencies, but they don’t know whether that means they can return to their jobs.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston barred several agencies from making drastic job cuts, saying the White House needs consent from Congress.
The ruling stems from a lawsuit by unions, nonprofits and local governments against the Trump administration for the drastic reduction in the workforce to downsize government. It names President Trump, Elon Musk and 21 federal agencies as defendants.
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“I’m hopeful,” said Summer Slaughter, a public health analyst for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who’s on administrative leave and set to be terminated June 2. “I’m not really sure what it all means and so I’m hoping we do get some guidance.”
Bree Danner, an injury and overdose prevention project officer for the CDC, told Channel 2’s Bryan Mims she lost her job in February.
“I’m trying not to get my hopes up about it, but we’re all just mission-driven folks and regardless still have a passion for the work we’re doing,” Danner said.
Both employees plan to continue looking for other jobs.
“I find myself in a position, wondering ‘Should I continue to do job searching?’ Because it could come out that we could still be separated June 2, so I don’t want to lose steam,” Slaughter said.
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The judge’s ruling stopped short of requiring agencies to bring back people who are already laid off or on administrative leave. The Trump administration appealed the ruling to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Friday, and it’s asking the court to pause the order pending the outcome of the appeal.
“Don’t celebrate too early just to be disappointed again,” Slaughter said. “I’m definitely happy to hear about the ruling, but still remaining cautious about getting my expectations too high.”
Brian Sutherland, a civil rights and employment discrimination attorney in Atlanta, said the ruling shows the checks and balances among the branches of government are working.
“The judges and our court system are very strong and are gonna look closely at this to find out whether or not the federal government went too far, did something that it wasn’t supposed to do,” he said.
He said the decision also shows that people have the power of the judicial branch to challenge a president’s actions.
“They can go to the federal court and ask the federal court to enjoin, or put a pause on whatever that action is in order to get a full hearing and analysis of whether or not it’s lawful for what the federal government is trying to do,” he said.
For now, CDC employees wait to learn how the ruling affects their job status, if at all.
“There’s been so much back and forth, it’s hard to know what it’s gonna mean in the end,” Danner said.
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