SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge in San Francisco on Thursday found that the mass firings of probationary employees were likely unlawful, granting temporary relief to a coalition of labor unions and organizations that has sued to stop the Trump administration’s massive dismantling of the federal workforce.

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Federal workers are rushing to a little-known and understaffed office to try to save their jobs from President Donald Trump’s mass government layoffs, in hopes that it will be a bulwark against the president and Elon Musk as they push for more cuts.

Federal employees are finding openings to overturn Trump administration terminations after a judge questioned the legality of the government’s firing memos and an independent board ordered some agencies to temporarily reinstate several workers.

Thousands of workers have been fired by the Trump administration as part of its effort to slash the federal workforce.

He ordered the Office of Personnel Management to tell certain federal agencies it couldn't order the firings of probationary employees, including at the Defense Department.

A San Francisco judge slammed the Office of Personnel Management over its demand for various department agencies to cut probationary workers.