(KNSI) – Twenty states have filed suit to halt mass federal government layoffs, and Minnesota is helping spearhead the effort.
Attorney General Keith Ellison is co-leading the coalition, which introduced the case in federal court in Maryland Thursday evening. The group says the unprecedented firings create an extraordinary burden on states through unemployment insurance and other benefits. They also argue that states are forced to step up and hire some of the workers unexpectedly, given their history in the public sector.
The lawsuit says any large-scale reduction in federal staff must comply with “Reductions in Force” regulations, also known as RIF. They contend that includes probationary employees, those hired within the past year. If a RIF affects over 50 employees, states need to get 60 days’ notice to help with the transition. It essentially functions as a public sector version of the WARN system.
Earlier in the week, Governor Tim Walz said he was prioritizing hiring some federal workers for roles in the Department of Natural Resources and other areas where there is an overlap in responsibilities between the two levels of government. Several other Midwestern states, including Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin, joined the unemployment lawsuit.
Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington already sued in a separate matter to get a temporary injunction against defunding transgender operations on minors.
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