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Unions Seek Emergency Court Order To Block About 1,300 State Department Layoffs

12:52 AM, 12/05/2025
Unions Seek Emergency Court Order To Block About 1,300 State Department Layoffs

Unions representing State Department staff have asked a federal judge to block roughly 1,300 planned layoffs, arguing they violate a continuing resolution that bars cuts through Jan. 30. The filing targets about 1,100 civil service and nearly 250 Foreign Service positions and requests an emergency order from U.S. District Judge Susan Illston to halt the action while litigation continues. A recent AFSA survey of roughly 2,000 members found morale at historic lows, with 98% reporting poor morale. The move follows earlier lawsuits and court rulings over shutdown-era layoffs.

Dec 4 (Reuters) - Unions representing U.S. State Department employees have asked a federal judge in San Francisco to stop the agency from carrying out planned layoffs of more than 1,300 workers this Friday, escalating legal opposition to mass job cuts under President Donald Trump's administration.

Unions Say Layoffs Violate Continuing Resolution

In a filing submitted Wednesday, the American Federation of Government Employees and the American Foreign Service Association argued the planned reductions — roughly 1,100 civil service positions and nearly 250 U.S. Foreign Service jobs — violate a continuing resolution Congress passed to end a 43-day government shutdown. That funding measure bars agencies from implementing layoffs through Jan. 30.

Administration’s Position

The Trump administration has told agencies it does not view that restriction as applying to cuts announced before the shutdown began on Oct. 1, including the State Department layoffs that were first announced in July. The unions say that interpretation is incorrect and asked U.S. District Judge Susan Illston for an emergency order by Friday morning to halt the layoffs while the case proceeds.

Effects on Morale and Previous Litigation

Morale within the U.S. Foreign Service is reportedly deteriorating. A recent American Foreign Service Association survey of about 2,000 respondents found 98% described morale as poor, and 86% said workplace changes since January had undermined their ability to conduct foreign policy; only 1% reported improvement.

"The unions contend the agency's reading of the law is wrong and seek immediate judicial relief to prevent the cuts from going forward," the filing said.

The unions' latest filing continues litigation they began in October seeking to block several federal agencies, including the State Department, from laying off more than 4,000 employees during the shutdown. Judge Illston previously ruled that implementing layoffs was not an essential function exempt from shutdown restrictions, a decision the government appealed. The U.S. Supreme Court stayed that earlier ruling in July, and the administration later reduced planned layoffs after thousands of employees accepted buyouts or retired early.

The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reporting by Daniel Wiessner in Albany, New York, and Humeyra Pamuk in Washington, D.C.; Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and David Gregorio.

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