A U.S. judge on Wednesday allowed Donald Trump's administration to proceed with a buyout program for federal workers, aiming to reduce the U.S. civil service by potentially removing tens of thousands of employees from government payrolls.
U.S. District Judge George O'Toole in Boston ruled that the Deferred Resignation Program, which the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) described as a \"valuable option\" for federal employees, is legal. This decision paves the way for the administration to swiftly conclude the program after a six-day legal challenge.
As a result of the ruling, the buyout program is now closed to new applicants. Approximately 65,000 federal employees, about three percent of the total civilian workforce, have already signed up. The program offers employees their regular salaries and benefits until October, though there are concerns about funding beyond that date.
Labor unions that opposed the buyout have not yet announced whether they will appeal the decision. Judge O'Toole determined that the unions lacked standing to bring the lawsuit, as they would not be directly affected by the program.
Everett Kelly, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, described the ruling as a setback in advocating for the dignity and fairness of public servants.
The buyout initiative is one of several measures Trump is implementing to reduce the federal workforce of 2.3 million, which he has criticized as ineffective. In addition to the buyouts, Trump has directed government agencies to prepare for significant job cuts, with some already laying off recent hires.
Billionaire Elon Musk has been appointed to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, tasked with identifying budget cuts across federal agencies.
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U.S. judge allows Trump to proceed with government employee buyout
cgtn.com
