A United States federal judge has lifted a temporary restraining order on former President Donald Trump’s controversial plan to encourage mass resignations of federal workers through a deferred buyout program. This decision allows the administration’s “Fork in the Road” initiative to move forward despite strong opposition from labor unions.
The ruling, delivered by U.S. District Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. in Boston, dissolved the freeze placed on the program, stating that the unions who sued the administration lacked the necessary legal standing to challenge the policy.
“The plaintiffs here are not directly impacted by the directive. Instead, they allege that the directive subjects them to upstream effects including a diversion of resources to answer members’ questions about the directive, a potential loss of membership, and possible reputational harm,” O’Toole wrote in his ruling. “This is not sufficient.”
The Office of Personnel Management initially introduced the mass resignation offer on January 28, branding it as a cost-saving measure aimed at reducing federal employment expenses. According to administration sources, an estimated 5% to 10% of the federal workforce was expected to accept the offer, potentially saving the government up to $100 billion.
However, labor unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), challenged the move, arguing that the Trump administration lacked the authority to make such an offer. AFGE President Everett Kelley called the ruling “a setback in the fight for dignity and fairness for public servants,” but affirmed that legal challenges would continue. “AFGE’s lawyers are evaluating the decision and assessing next steps,” Kelley stated.
Legal experts remain divided over the program’s legitimacy. While Judge O’Toole’s ruling dismissed the unions’ legal standing, it did not directly address whether the policy itself is lawful.
Some concerns have emerged regarding the buyout plan’s reliability. Employees at the Department of Education were reportedly warned that the administration could retract the offer at any time, leaving those who accepted the deal without the expected financial benefits.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt welcomed the ruling, stating, “This Boston Buyout Ruling is the first of many legal wins for the President. This goes to show that lawfare will not ultimately prevail over the will of 77 million Americans who supported President Trump and his priorities.”
While the program is open to most full-time federal employees, key exceptions apply to military personnel, U.S. Postal Service employees, and workers involved in immigration enforcement and national security roles.
So far, over 60,000 federal employees have accepted the buyout offer.
The decision to proceed with the initiative is expected to trigger further legal battles as unions and advocacy groups explore additional avenues to challenge it.
This report is brought to you by Newspot Nigeria.
Source: CBS News
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