President Donald Trump has had his plan to buy out federal workers put on the back foot after a federal judge extended the restraining order issued last week.
According to Fox News, Judge George O’Toole extended the restraining order and said he has taken the matter under advisement but did not give any indication when a decision would be made.
The move comes after Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) headed by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, had indicated they would be cutting back on federal spending, and by extension, federal workers. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) had sent more than 2 million emails to federal employees, notifying them of the buyout plans to leave their jobs.
Elena Goldstein, lead attorney for a group currently suing the Trump administration, said she hopes the decision will provide federal workers with assurances that the “American people have their backs.”
“We are pleased that today the court continued his injunction from last week, continuing to enjoin OPM and defendants from implementing the fork in the road directive, the so-called bailout,” Goldstein said. “We hope that this decision today will provide civil service workers with the assurance that the American people have their backs. And we will continue to pursue all legal options to ensure that they are protected and that the law is upheld.”
Fox News further reported approximately 65,000 federal workers have accepted the Trump administration’s offer.
The National Federation of Federal Employees National President Randy Erwin said in a statement to Fox News last week that the offer should not be taken seriously.
“This offer from OPM should not be taken seriously,” Erwin said. “The offer is not bound by existing law or policy, nor is it funded by Congress. There is nothing to hold OPM or the White House accountable to the terms of their agreement.”
Erwin added that federal employees should not be “swayed” by Trump’s “phony ploy.”
“Federal employees will not give in to this shady tactic pressuring them to quit,” Erwin said. “Civil servants care way too much about their jobs, their agency missions, and their country to be swayed by this phony ploy. To all federal employees: Do not resign.”
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