By: Bayero Ade
A federal judge in Massachusetts has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s initiative to reduce the federal workforce by offering over two million employees the option to resign voluntarily in exchange for paid leave until September.
According to Afripost, The plan, introduced last month, involved sending emails to federal employees, urging them to accept the offer before the deadline of 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, according to The New York Times.
However, Judge George O’Toole Jr. issued a temporary restraining order, preventing the Office of Personnel Management from proceeding with the initiative until a hearing scheduled for Monday afternoon. He also instructed both the government and the plaintiffs to prepare for oral arguments.
“I enjoin the defendants from taking action to implement the so-called Fork directive, pending the completion of briefing and oral argument on the issues,” the judge ruled.
The decision follows a lawsuit filed by multiple government unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and the National Association of Government Employees. The unions argue that the plan is unlawful and infringes on workers’ rights.
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt disclosed that over 40,000 employees had already accepted the offer before the court’s decision. It remains uncertain how the ruling will affect those who have already agreed to resign under the program.
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