An appeals court in California has refused to halt a judge’s order requiring the Trump administration to rehire thousands of federal workers who were let go in mass firings. A 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel turned back an emergency motion late Wednesday to pause the order from U.

A federal appeals court on Wednesday denied an attempt by the Trump administration to pause a lower court ruling forcing government agencies to reinstate thousands of employees who were fired last month.

The Evers administration says some of the fired employees worked in hard-to-fill roles, and the state needs their skills.