The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected an order that would have mandated thousands of federal employees fired by the Trump administration be allowed to return to work. 

The Supreme Court responded to an emergency appeal by the Trump administration after a federal judge in California ordered that 16,000 employees needed to be reinstated to their jobs, according to The Associated Press.

These employees were let go in the Trump administration's attempt to shrink the government.

Due to the court's order, the employees will remain on paid administrative leave.