A U.S. judge on Thursday extended the deadline for federal workers to consider a buyout offer from the Trump administration, delaying the original midnight cutoff until at least Monday as labor unions urged employees to remain in their positions.
U.S. District Judge George O’Toole’s ruling in Boston marks a temporary victory for labor unions that have sued to block the buyout program entirely. A follow-up hearing is scheduled for Monday, where the deadline could be extended further.
The Trump administration has pushed for workers to accept the offer, which would provide payments through October, as part of an effort to significantly reduce the U.S. civil service.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said that more than 40,000 federal employees—about 2% of the government’s 2.3 million civilian workforce—have accepted the buyout so far. In a typical year, about 6% of federal employees retire or resign, according to the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service.
The administration warned earlier Thursday that employees who decline the buyout could still face job cuts.
