The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit will reconsider its decision to overturn a lower court order preventing the Trump administration from firing Consumer Financial Protection Bureau staff while the courts consider the legality of the terminations.
The National Treasury Employees Union – which represents CFPB staff – filed a lawsuit earlier this year over what it said was the administration’s unlawful attempts to dismantle the bureau by laying off much of its staff. A federal court in D.C. granted the union a preliminary injunction temporarily preventing the firings, but that order was overturned in August by the appeals court in a 2-1 decision made by a three-judge panel.
The entire appeals court announced yesterday that it will rehear the case, with the court’s 11 judges to decide whether to overturn the 2-1 decision. As a result, the August order to overturn the injunction has been vacated until a decision is reached.
