1 week ago
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Tens of thousands of US federal workers have been cleared to take a buyout from the Trump administration after a federal judge ruled that the unprecedented downsizing effort could proceed. The decision, delivered on Wednesday by US District Judge George O’Toole in Boston, dismissed union objections and paved the way for the administration’s workforce reduction plan.
According to the US Office of Personnel Management, approximately 75,000 civil servants—roughly 3% of the federal civilian workforce—have opted into the buyout program. Under the plan, the government has promised to continue paying their salaries until October without requiring them to work, though unions have warned that the offer may not be reliable.
Labour unions representing federal workers had filed a lawsuit to halt the initiative, leading to a six-day delay in its implementation. However, Judge O’Toole ruled that the unions lacked the legal standing to challenge the program in court, stating that the issue must first be addressed through other channels before being litigated. Following the ruling, the administration confirmed that the program was now closed to new applicants.
“There is no longer any doubt: the Deferred Resignation Program was both legal and a valuable option for federal employees,” the Office of Personnel Management said in a statement.
The ruling dealt a blow to federal worker unions, which have been fighting the Trump administration’s broader efforts to shrink the government workforce. Everett Kelly, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents 800,000 federal workers, described the decision as a setback but vowed to continue challenging the administration’s policies.
“Today’s ruling is a setback in the fight for dignity and fairness for public servants. But it’s not the end of that fight,” Kelly said.
The buyout program is part of a larger strategy by Trump to cut the federal workforce, which he has repeatedly criticised as inefficient and biased against him. In addition to the buyouts, agencies have been directed to prepare for deep staff reductions, with some sources indicating that cuts of up to 70% could be implemented in certain departments. Several agencies have already begun laying off recent hires who do not have full job security.
Despite the administration’s assurances, concerns remain over whether the buyout’s financial commitments will hold. Current government spending laws expire on March 14, and there is no guarantee that salaries and benefits will continue to be funded beyond that date.
The US Department of Justice has defended the initiative, calling it a “humane off-ramp” for employees who are dissatisfied with Trump’s push to reduce the size of the federal government and limit remote work.
Unions, however, argue that the buyout program is “stunningly arbitrary” and could disrupt essential government services. They claim it violates federal laws that prevent agencies from exceeding Congress-approved budgets. The program notably excludes certain federal employees, including border guards and air traffic controllers, raising further concerns about workforce imbalances.
Wednesday’s ruling is just one of several legal battles unions and Democratic attorneys general have launched against Trump’s restructuring of the federal government. In a separate lawsuit filed the same day, five unions sought to block what they described as a potential mass firing of workers who refuse to accept the buyout offers.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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