WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court cleared the way Wednesday for President Donald Trump's administration to fire thousands of probationary workers, halting a judge’s order requiring them to be reinstated. A split panel for the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found the government will probably win by showing the mass firings must be appealed through a separate employment process rather than fought out in federal court. The decision in a case filed by nearly two dozen states in Maryland comes a day after the Supreme Court blocked a similar order from a judge in California. The Republican administration has already reinstated some 15,000 workers to full duty or paid leave, according to court documents. The states could seek further court review as the lawsuit continues to play out.