layoffs

A federal judge in San Francisco has indefinitely halted thousands of layoffs of federal employees announced by the Trump administration since Oct. 1.

Roughly 1.4 million federal workers are going without pay due to the government shutdown. About half of them are furloughed, while the other half has been deemed essential and is working without pay.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency workers in Chicago — the headquarters of the region covering Michigan — are furloughed as the federal government shutdown continues.

The federal government shutdown is impacting Michigan’s national parks. A lack of funding is delaying maintenance and preservation projects, and workers have been furloughed or forced to work longer hours.

In a hearing on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said the layoffs have brought a human cost that cannot be tolerated.

In past government shutdowns, workers have been put on temporary furloughs until funding resumes. This time, the Trump White House is looking for bigger and more permanent cuts, a new memo shows.

It’s less than two weeks before the deadline for a state budget deal. If that doesn’t happen, there will be a partial state government shutdown and widespread government employee layoffs.

The United Auto Workers union is speaking out against federal job cuts at NIOSH saying the decision will harm workers, local communities, and efforts to prevent injuries and save lives.

Opponents of President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk rallied across the U.S. to protest the administration’s actions on government downsizing, the economy, human rights and other issues.

The Environmental Protection Agency recently laid off nearly 400 employees. Environmental workers and union leaders say fewer EPA staff and attorneys mean less support in holding polluters accountable and responding to environmental emergencies.