MSPB

Description

Merit Systems Protection Board, independent agency adjudicating federal employee appeals

Background

The Merit Systems Protection Board is an independent federal agency established by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 to adjudicate federal employees’ appeals of agency personnel actions, including removals, suspensions, and demotions. It has three presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed members serving seven-year staggered terms, removable only for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office. The MSPB also serves as one of the administrative bodies to which free speech and whistleblower complaints by federal employees are directed under the Civil Service Reform Act’s channeling provisions. Donald Trump’s firing of MSPB member Cathy Harris in February 2025 left the board without a quorum, preventing it from deciding cases during a period of mass federal workforce reductions.

Timeline Appearances

Event	Date	Category
Trump Fires Independent Agency Board Members	Feb 2025	Erosion of Democratic Norms
Immigration Judges Denied Free Speech	May 26, 2026	Erosion of Democratic Norms

Key Figures Associated

Person	Shared events
Donald Trump	2
Clarence Thomas	1
Amy Coney Barrett	1
Cathy Harris	1
Gwynne Wilcox	1

Sources Involving This Institution

Source	Type	Publisher
’Merit board’ chair was unlawfully fired by Trump - judge rules - keeping her on the job	news-reporting	CNN
Appeals court hands Trump a victory - OK’ing firings of two independent agency heads	news-reporting	NPR
Court sides with Trump administration in dispute over immigration judges - declines to hear Florida suit against other states over immigrant driver’s licenses	news-reporting	Scotus Blog
Knight Institute - Margolin v. National Association of Immigration Judges	news-reporting	Knight Institute
Supreme Court - Margolin v. NAIJ	court-document	SupremeCourt.gov
Supreme Court allows Trump to fire members of independent agency boards	news-reporting	NPR