A federal judge temporarily halted a plan by the Trump administration encouraging federal employees to resign voluntarily before a Thursday midnight deadline. The effort aimed to reduce the federal workforce by offering employees pay through September if they resigned. More than 40,000 workers had accepted the offer before the deadline was paused.
Federal Judge George O’Toole Jr issued the temporary pause following a lawsuit by federal employee unions. The unions argued that the plan violated federal law, lacked proper funding, and provided confusing guidance to employees. They warned the plan could dismantle civil service and replace experts with political appointees and contractors.
The White House welcomed the temporary extension, believing it would give more employees an opportunity to accept the offer. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration was “grateful” for the additional time and emphasized that the program was not canceled but merely extended until Monday.
Despite the pause, the Office of Personnel Management confirmed it would continue processing resignations. The administration initially aimed for 200,000 workers to accept the offer, predicting substantial savings for taxpayers. The American Federation of Government Employees praised the judge’s decision, saying it allowed time to assess the legality and fairness of the proposal.
Democrats raised concerns about the potential impact on government operations and national security. Lawmakers warned the plan could drain expertise from key federal agencies, including national security, weather services, and health care. The Central Intelligence Agency recently extended the offer to its staff, prompting concerns from intelligence officials about potential risks to national security.
Some employees described the resignation offer as sudden and confusing. The initial email sent to employees had the subject line “Fork in the Road,” leading some to believe it was spam. Critics within the government argue that this approach could weaken the civil service’s long-term effectiveness
