The Supreme Court has blocked an order for the Trump administration to return to work thousands of federal employees who were let go in mass firings aimed at dramatically downsizing the federal government. The justices acted Tuesday in the Republican administration's emergency appeal of a ruling by a federal judge in California ordering that 16,000 probationary employees be reinstated while a lawsuit plays out because their firings didn't follow federal law. The effect of the high court's order will keep employees in six federal agencies on paid administrative leave for now. The coalition of organizations and labor unions that sued says it's disappointed with the court's order.
