On April 10, 2025, a federal appeals court in Richmond ruled that the Trump administration can proceed with the termination of thousands of probationary federal workers. This decision overturned a previous ruling from a lower court in Maryland that had reinstated these employees. The appeals court's split panel indicated that the terminations should be addressed through a separate employment process rather than through federal court. The ruling allows 18 federal agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to re-fire probationary workers. Additionally, 19 states and Washington, D.C. had previously filed a request to pause the order, which was also rejected by the court. A full federal appeals court is expected to review claims from state attorneys general seeking to challenge the administration's actions regarding these terminations.