PHOENIX – Attorney General Kris Mayes tonight joined a coalition of attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against numerous federal agencies for conducting illegal mass layoffs of federal probationary employees. These mass firings will cause irreparable burdens and expenses on the part of the states, both to support recently unemployed workers and to review and adjudicate claims of unemployment assistance. Moreover, the unlawful layoffs will harm state finances and undermine vital state-federal partnerships.
“These mass firings aren’t about performance—they’re about politics and ideology,” said Attorney General Mayes. “The Trump administration’s actions are reckless and illegal. Just yesterday, I heard from veterans, educators, and community leaders who are deeply concerned about how these terminations will disrupt families and critical services in Arizona. I will keep fighting to hold the Trump administration accountable and ensure they follow the law.”
In an effort to dramatically reduce the size of the federal government, the Trump administration initiated mass terminations of federal employees, ordering numerous federal agencies to fire thousands of probationary employees. These personnel are newly hired or have recently been promoted or changed offices, and they are generally subject to a probationary period of one or two years.
While federal agencies claimed, in the form of termination letters, that these probationary employees were fired for unsatisfactory performance or conduct, the firings were clearly part of the administration’s attempt to restructure and downsize the entire federal government.
In the lawsuit filed today, the coalition of attorneys general assert that the administration was therefore required to follow federal laws and regulations that govern large-scale federal “Reductions in Force” (RIF). These critical protections ensure that personnel such as military veterans are given preference in retaining their jobs.
When a RIF results in a layoff of 50 or more employees, the agency must generally give at least 60 days’ advance notice to state governments, so they can provide vital “rapid response” information, resources, and services to affected workers.
The federal agencies named in the lawsuit failed to provide any advance notice to Arizona causing significant expense and burden on the state as it scrambles to respond to the sudden mass layoffs of its residents. With the lawsuit filed today, Arizona is asking the court to:
- Rule that the mass firing of probationary employees is illegal;
- Reinstate unlawfully fired employees;
- Stop further similar terminations; and
Identify affected employees
Attorney General Mayes joins the attorneys general of Maryland, Minnesota, the District of Columbia, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai‛i, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
A copy of the complaint is available below.