Judge extends deadline for federal workers to accept Trump administration’s ‘buyout’ offer

A federal judge has for now extended a pause on the deadline set by the Trump administration for federal workers to accept a deferred resignation offer and temporarily prohibited the government from soliciting more so-called buyouts.

A federal judge has for now extended a pause on the deadline set by the Trump administration for federal workers to accept a deferred resignation offer and temporarily prohibited the government from soliciting more so-called buyouts. The temporary restraining order announced from the bench on Monday by US District Judge George O’Toole will remain in place until the judge decides whether he should indefinitely pause the offer’s deadline pending further court proceedings over the legality of the buyout program. Eligible federal workers had previously faced an 11:59 p.m. ET deadline last Thursday to accept the offer, which will generally allow them to leave their jobs but be paid through the end of September. But O’Toole, during a hastily scheduled hearing earlier that day, halted the deadline until late Monday to receive additional legal arguments in a case brought against the buyout program by the American Federation of Government Employees and several other unions. O’Toole, who was appointed to the bench by former President Bill Clinton, is continuing that earlier extension. The judge is likely to issue a written order in coming hours that more fully explains the terms of his order, but he did not say when that would come before leaving the bench Monday. This story is breaking and will be updated.