Judge Extends Pause On USDA Employee Relocations

A federal judge in California has extended a temporary pause on USDA employee relocations while he considers whether to block the moves indefinitely.

U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria extended the administrative stay through Tuesday October 13th.  The pause affects deadlines for USDA employees who have received orders to relocate as part of the Department’s reorganization.  The USDA plan calls for relocating about 2,600 employees currently based in the Washington, D.C., area to agency hubs around the country.

During a recent hearing, Chhabria questioned whether USDA has the authority to carry out the reorganizations without approval from congressional appropriations committees.  USDA maintains it has legal authority to reorganize and says the changes are intended to deliver services more effectively.

Federal employee unions challenging the plan argue the relocations could lead to significant employee losses and violate congressional restrictions.

The judge is considering a preliminary injunction that could keep the relocations on hold while the case proceeds.

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