Temporary Block on State Department Reorganization

By Daniel Wiessner

(Reuters) – A federal judge in California temporarily blocked the U.S. State Department from implementing a reorganization plan that includes 2,000 layoffs.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston, during a virtual hearing in San Francisco, stated that her May ruling, which barred federal agencies from executing mass layoffs at President Donald Trump’s direction, applies to the State Department’s planned overhaul announced last month.

In response, U.S. Department of Justice lawyer Alexander Resar indicated that the State Department would refrain from issuing layoff notices that were scheduled for Saturday.

The State Department had claimed that its reorganization plan, submitted to Congress last month, predated a February executive order and a subsequent White House memo directing mass layoffs, thereby placing it outside the scope of Illston’s decision.

This ruling arose from a lawsuit filed by a coalition of unions, nonprofits, and municipalities.