Trump administration ordered to reverse hundreds of shutdown layoffs

Context: The Trump administration said it planned to fire at least 4,100 employees across several agencies during the government shutdown, prompting several labor unions representing federal workers to sue.

Driving the news: Judge Susan Illston of the U.S. District Court for Northern California agreed with plaintiffs on rescinding reductions in force (RIFs) during the government shutdown — which occurred between Oct. 1 and Nov. 12 — with full back pay.

• Illston's ruling applies to laid-off employees at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Department of State, Department of Education, the General Services Administration (GSA), and Small Business Administration (SBA).
• The court also granted the plaintiff's request to pause the implementation of RIFs for OMB, OPM, the State Department and the Education Department through Jan. 30, when current government funding expires.

What's next: Agencies have a Dec. 23 deadline to reverse the RIFs, Illston wrote in her 27-page decision.

• Illston granted the extra time so the Department of Justice has time to consider an appeal.

What they're saying: "Today's decision is another victory for federal employees and for the rule of law," said Everett Kelley, national president for the American Federation of Government Employees.

• "When Congress voted to end the longest government shutdown in history, it spoke clearly and unambiguously that further reductions-in-force were prohibited."
• The White House did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

Go deeper: Documents reveal chaos and confusion behind government shutdown layoffs