First, a federal judge in California blocked the State Department from laying off about 250 employees, many of them foreign service officers (FSOs).
Judge Susan Illston issued a temporary restraining order, saying the unions that filed suit were likely to prevail on their claim that the cuts violate federal law. The State Department originally announced the layoffs in July, but since FSOs are given a required 120 days’ notice, they were not let go during the shutdown. The State Department says the layoff protections only apply to notices that went out starting October 1, 2025.
https://www.fedmanager.com/news/workforce-updates-layoffs-halted-at-last-minute-telework-controversy-erupts