Despite court order, federal employee from Minnesota included in layoffs says it is unclear if he will return to work
A Minnesota man who was fired from his federal job as part of President Trump's federal layoffs should get his job back because of a new federal court order.
Thousands of former federal employees are in limbo as numerous court appeals work their way through the system. Chris Wicker is one of those employees who could go back to work as soon as Monday.
A federal judge in Maryland issued a ruling Thursday night in response to a lawsuit filed by 19 states and the District of Columbia challenging the mass firings of probationary government workers.
Chris Wicker, a six-year Air Force veteran, was fired last month from his job as Deputy Director of the Small Business Administration in Minneapolis.
Under the Maryland temporary restraining order, Wicker says he should get his job back this week, but he says it's not clear if or when the Trump administration will follow the court's directive.
"So the government had all day on Friday to respond to this order. Nobody has been in contact with me. It's my understanding they have until noon central on Monday to reinstate me, but what that means — I don't know," Wicker said. "I could be put on administrative leave, I could come back to work, but like all things throughout this process, I have heard nothing and know nothing."
Wicker says the last few weeks have been a nightmare of confusion. He was actually fired last month via email. He was rehired two days later and was then fired again the day after that.
Wicker joined a class action lawsuit that argued the layoffs are invalid under federal law because there was no cause given, no notice and no severance.
"One of the biggest concerns for me, personally, is the colleagues I have had here," he said.
Wicker says co-workers are also devastated and some are in rough financial shape, not knowing how they will pay mortgages and other bills. He says he considered himself fortunate. His only child, an adult son, is in the military and is self-sufficient.
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