Supreme Court Ruling Allows Trump Administration to Resume Federal Layoffs Across 17 Agencies

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a sweeping decision with national implications, the U.S. Supreme Court has given the green light for federal agencies to resume mass layoffs of government workers under President Donald Trump’s executive order, originally signed on February 11, 2025. The ruling lifts the largest remaining legal block on the administration’s controversial plan for massive federal workforce reductions, also known as Reductions in Force (RIFs).

While legal uncertainty still surrounds several agencies, 17 federal departments and offices are now authorized to move forward with layoffs, affecting potentially tens of thousands of employees.

🔍 Key Takeaways from the Supreme Court Ruling

• 8-1 ruling lifts a previous federal court injunction affecting 22 agencies.

• 17 federal agencies may now begin mass layoffs.

• Departments impacted include: Agriculture, Commerce, Energy, HUD, Interior, Labor, State, Treasury, Transportation, Veterans Affairs, and more.

• Agencies had been preparing RIF plans prior to April 14 and are now positioned to act quickly.

• Layoff notices could be reduced from 60 to just 30 days with a waiver.

🏛️ Which Agencies Can Proceed with Layoffs?

The Supreme Court decision affects the following 17 agencies, enabling them to immediately resume layoffs:

• Department of Agriculture

• Department of Commerce

• Department of Energy

• Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

• Department of the Interior

• Department of Labor

• Department of State

• Department of the Treasury

• Department of Transportation

• Department of Veterans Affairs

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• General Services Administration (GSA)

• National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

• National Science Foundation (NSF)

• Peace Corps

• Small Business Administration (SBA)

• Social Security Administration (SSA)

Agencies like the Department of Defense, Homeland Security, Education, and Justice are not affected by this ruling — although layoffs at the Department of Education have been separately halted by another court.

⚖️ What About the Remaining Legal Challenges?

While the high court’s decision clears the way for most RIFs, some injunctions remain in place, particularly at:

• Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): A court blocked the layoff of 10,000 workers.

• AmeriCorps: Layoffs of unionized staff are currently blocked by court order.

• Department of Education: An ongoing injunction prevents layoffs of 1,400 staff members.

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): A federal appeals court halted a plan that would impact 90% of staff.

• U.S. African Development Foundation & Inter-American Foundation: Terminations reversed due to illegal leadership appointments by Trump.

---

⚙️ What’s Next for Affected Agencies?

Most agencies had already compiled their RIF lists and reorganization plans by mid-April. With the injunction now lifted:

• Agencies may accelerate layoff timelines, some issuing just 30 days’ notice with a waiver.

• The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) are guiding implementation.

• Legal reviews of agency-specific reorganization plans are expected to follow.

Supreme Court Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor expressed skepticism about the legality of Trump’s restructuring but agreed the broader issues were not yet fully ripe for judgment.

---

📉 Broader Implications

This ruling significantly empowers the Trump administration to reshape the federal workforce and reduce headcount at dozens of agencies — a central campaign promise. However, courts will continue reviewing:

• Legality of specific reorganization plans

• Compliance with union agreements

• Adherence to federal notice and appeal procedures

 

Follow the Ridgewood blog has a brand-new new X account, we tweet good sh$t
https://twitter.com/TRBNJNews
https://truthsocial.com/@theridgewoodblog
https://mewe.com/jamesfoytlin.74/posts
#news #follow #media #trending #viral #newsupdate #currentaffairs #BergenCountyNews #NJBreakingNews #NJHeadlines #NJTopStories