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This morning, a federal judge from here in Northern California ordered the federal government to immediately rehire tens of thousands of probationary employees who were recently fired by the Trump administration, including dozens here in Humboldt County.

In his ruling, U.S. District Judge William Alsup described the administration’s justification as a “sham” aimed at avoiding statutory requirements.

“It is a sad day when our government would fire some good employee and say it was based on performance when they know good and well that’s a lie,” he said. 

Kate Howard, a wildlife biologist and soil conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office in Eureka, was among the workers laid off last month. She’d been in her position for nine years but was deemed “probationary” because, until two months ago, half of her salary was supplied by a conservation nonprofit via a contribution agreement with the federal government.

Reached this morning she said she’d heard the news and was waiting to hear official guidance from her agency.

Another recently fired local federal worker reached by the Outpost said she needed to get approval from her supervisor and her union before commenting on the record but described the development as “super exciting news.”

The preliminary injunction Judge Alsup issued this morning requires the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior and Treasury to rehire its terminated employees. However, Alsup also told attorneys representing the employee unions who challenged the legality of the firings that “reduction in force” orders being issued at several agencies are legal and can go forward.

Click here for links to numerous documents in the court docket for this case. More coverage on the rulings can be found in national outlets, such as Politico, CNN, the New York Times, the Washington Post and USA Today.