Trump admin government shutdown's firing threats challenged in court

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging that the president's threats to fire large numbers of federal employees if the federal government shuts down on October 1.

- By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO

Democratic Rep. Adriano Espailat speaks during a news conference of the government shutdown on Americans' health care at the Capitol in Washington. (Mariam Zuhaib/AP photo)

(Mariam Zuhaib/AP photo)

In their lawsuit, the unions argue that Trump's threats of mass firings both punish and traumatize federal workers.

Normally, “excepted” federal employees continue working without pay until government funding is restored during shutdowns, while “non-excepted” employees are furloughed and receive back pay at a later date.

In the lawsuit, the unions claim that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), led by Russ Vought, and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), led by Scott Kupor, have broken federal law by encouraging the dismissal of federal employees if “congressional Democrats” do not accept the Trump administration's budget proposals and the government shuts down.