The Merit Systems Protection Board, an agency that hears appeals from federal employees when they are fired or disciplined, on March 5 told the USDA that it must temporarily reinstate nearly 6,000 probationary workers who were fired as part of President Donald Trump's cuts to the federal workforce.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a statement Tuesday, saying all USDA probationary employees that were terminated will be temporarily reinstated with b

The Agriculture Department says it will pay probationary employees fired last month back pay and work on a “phased plan” for their return to the office.

Wisconsin had 264 employees with the USDA who had served two years or less, according to federal data from September.The Office of Special Counsel had argued that the firings of probationary staff at the USDA violated regulations and laws that govern “reductions in force.”

A workers’ board is reinstating – at least temporarily – almost 6,000 fired probationary workers from the Department of Agriculture, according to a newly issued order obtained by CNN.

These Agriculture Department employees must be allowed back to their jobs for 45 days, as the Office of Special Counsel continues to investigate the Trump administration’s purge of recently hired, promoted or transferred federal employees.

A federal personnel board on Wednesday ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reinstate a fired worker, as well as "numerous" other probationary employees who were fired Feb. 13 and later. The Merit Systems Protection Board issued the ruling at the request of the Office of Special Counsel,