The Trump administration had given most federal employees in the country until 11:59 p.m. on Thursday to choose whether to accept a paid resignation through the end of September.
On Thursday afternoon, a federal judge in Massachusetts temporarily halted the deadline for the administration’s buyout program for federal workers. This decision came just two days after unions representing over 800,000 federal employees petitioned the court to stop the program, labeling it an “arbitrary, unlawful, short-fused ultimatum.” U.S. District Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. scheduled another hearing for Monday at 2 p.m. to hear full arguments on the matter. A lawyer representing the unions requested that the judge mandate the government to promptly inform federal workers about the pause. A government attorney appeared to concur with this request. Despite the ruling, the Trump administration maintains that agencies can still process resignations, according to a source familiar with internal discussions who requested anonymity due to lack of authorization to speak publicly. “No one in the program will be impacted," the source stated. “Resignations will continue to be processed.” As of Thursday, 50,000 individuals had accepted the deferred resignation offer, according to another source with knowledge of internal discussions who also spoke on condition of anonymity. The Office of Personnel Management plans to extend the deadline until Monday afternoon, coinciding with the scheduled hearing. “We are pleased that the court has temporarily paused this deadline while legal arguments regarding the deferred resignation program are considered,” stated Everett Kelley, National President of the American Federation of Government Employees. “We firmly believe this program is unlawful, and we will vigorously defend our members’ rights.” Initially, federal employees had until 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday to decide whether to accept the offer for a paid resignation through the end of September. The buyout program represents the administration’s most extensive attempt thus far to restructure and reduce the federal workforce, causing significant concern within the federal government and prompting some employees to hastily weigh their options while others encouraged colleagues to reject what they perceive as a deceptive offer.
Employees had only nine full days to respond after receiving an email on January 28 from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The email, titled “Fork in the Road,” detailed the administration’s plan to “reform” the federal workforce and initiated the decision-making process for the “deferred resignation program.” According to the White House, a majority of the 2.3 million federal employees qualify for the buyout. However, agency leaders may make exceptions, and military personnel, U.S. Postal Service workers, as well as individuals involved in immigration enforcement and national security are excluded, as stated by the OPM. Democratic members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform have urged President Donald Trump to retract the offer, labeling it a “scam” that could severely undermine civil service and inflict significant damage on the American public. As federal employees considered their choices in recent days, agencies communicated additional details about the program. One email titled “Final Day: Fork in the Road” appeared in staff inboxes around 1 a.m. Thursday. It stated, “There will NOT be an extension of this program.” (Employees who miss the deadline due to an approved absence may request an extension, according to the OPM website.) To accept the deferred resignation offer, eligible federal employees must respond from their government email account with the word “resign,” per OPM guidelines. However, on Wednesday, National Park Service employees received a warning indicating that further steps would be necessary. “Please be aware there is more to the process,” the email reviewed by The Washington Post stated. “Employees who accept the offer are not immediately approved to begin their leave; the National Park Service (NPS) still needs to accept their resignation/retirement.” Layoffs are “likely” if too few employees opt to resign, a supervisor at the General Services Administration informed staff earlier this week, according to an email obtained by The Post. Employees have received positive communications highlighting the program’s advantages, and Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” has described it as a chance to relax. “Take the vacation you’ve always wanted, or just watch movies and chill, while receiving your full government pay and benefits,” a post from the DOGE account on Musk’s social media platform X stated last week. The OPM has attempted to reassure employees about the legitimacy of the offer. On Tuesday, the agency released a memo asserting that separation agreements would be legally binding and that worries regarding legality were “misplaced.” This is an evolving story and will be updated.