WASHINGTON — The Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) recently issued a stay ordering the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reinstate almost 6,000 agency workers to their positions.

The order allows workers at the USDA to return for 45 days as an investigation into their termination continues. The stay is scheduled to be in effect until April 18. Cathy Harris wrote the order and is a member of the MSPB.

The US Office of Special Counsel (OSC) has been investigating the firings of probationary employees across the federal government which started in mid-February by the Trump administration.

According to information from the USDA given to the MSPB in the order, 5,950 employees were terminated by Feb. 18.

This order was filed on behalf of a forestry employee who was terminated during his probationary period. The person was listed as John Doe in the document.

“OSC asserts that, based on the evidence it has reviewed, including guidance from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), documents and interviews with agency officials, public statements, and the ‘mass termination notices’ that were issued to Mr. Doe and the other probationary employees since February 13, 2025, it has reasonable grounds to believe that the agency terminated probationary employees not to eliminate poor performers, but instead as part of a reorganization, which required the use of (reduction in force) procedures,” the order stated.

The OSC is not related to the special counsels often used by the Justic Department.

The order can be read here.