Judge Pauses Trump Administration's Buyout Offer for Federal Workers Amid Legal Challenge
A U.S. District Judge in Boston, George O'Toole, issued a temporary restraining order on Thursday, pausing the Trump administration’s deadline for more than 2 million federal employees to decide whether to accept a buyout offer or resign from their jobs. The decision came just hours before the end-of-day deadline, allowing labor unions time to challenge the legality of the plan.
The Trump administration had set the deadline for federal workers to either leave their positions or take the buyout offer, which promised eight months of pay and benefits through September. Lawyers for the administration argued that extending the deadline would disrupt the federal workforce’s expectations and complicate the reform efforts. They emphasized that numerous workers had already taken advantage of the offer.
However, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to the ruling, expressing gratitude for the extension, stating that it would allow more workers "who refuse to show up to the office" to accept the administration’s "generous, once-in-a-lifetime offer."
Unions representing federal workers have strongly criticized the buyout, accusing the Trump administration of violating the law. Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, vowed to defend the rights of union members and questioned the legality of the offer, which they argue did not adhere to federal procedures for workforce reductions.
The administration’s plan, which was announced with just over a week’s notice, has drawn concerns from unions, who warned that federal employees were not given enough details regarding the implications of accepting the buyout. These details include whether workers could still be required to work for the government or pursue private sector employment while receiving federal pay, as well as potential impacts on their pensions and benefits.
Critics argue that the buyout offer is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to shrink the size of the federal government and replace bureaucrats perceived as hostile to the president's agenda with loyalists. The buyout offer has also sparked fears that the administration is intentionally making federal employment undesirable to drive workers out.
As of Thursday morning, approximately 40,000 federal workers, or about 2% of the workforce, had accepted the buyout, well below the White House’s target of 5-10%. Unions have continued to raise concerns over the plan's legality and its long-term impact on federal workers.
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