The Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) has granted a 45-day stay on the termination of six federal employees, following a request from the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. The MSPB, an independent federal agency, intervened after allegations of prohibited personnel practices by the six agencies involved.

The investigation by U.S. Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger revealed that the terminated employees, who were still in their probationary period, were let go without just cause. The agencies cited in the complaint, including the Departments of Education, Energy, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and the Office of Personnel Management, now have five days to demonstrate compliance with the MSPB’s order.

Dellinger’s investigation found no performance issues with the fired employees but suggested that the agencies misused their probationary status to downsize the workforce improperly. Legal advocacy groups representing the employees are pushing for relief on behalf of all similarly situated probationary employees.

Notably, the terminated individuals include disabled veterans who were entitled to preferential treatment in the event of a lawful mass layoff. Michelle Bercovici of the Alden Law Group emphasized the employees’ dedication to public service, stating, “They’re people who want to make this country better.”

Dellinger’s involvement in this case follows his own contentious dismissal by the Trump administration, leading to a legal battle over his removal as special counsel. As the investigation unfolds, the MSPB’s decision grants temporary reprieve to the affected employees while ensuring due process in addressing the alleged wrongful terminations.