Trump’s federal severance program goes on after leash victory

The Trump administration moved Wednesday to close records to the deferred resignation of federal workers and continue to the next step after the consent of a federal judge.

The court’s victory allowed the White House to promote a crucial part of its plan to reduce the federal workforce through mass payment offers.

In a decision denying a request to stop the plan, Judge George A. O’TOOLE JR., an American district judge in the District of Massachusetts, weighed on the legality of the program. The judge wrote that the plaintiffs who included unions representing federal workers were not directly influenced by the incentive plan, known as “Fork on the road“And lacked standing to challenge it.

“The unions do not have the required direct share in the fork directive,” wrote Judge O’Toole, adding that they “challenged a policy that affects other, specifically performing branch employees.”

“This is not sufficient” to stand, he wrote in his Five-page decision.

The unions that challenged the plan had sought a temporary restriction order to block the plan from continuing. In his decision, Judge O’Toole added that precedent from previous cases showed that the court had not subject to jurisdiction to consider unions’ claims.

The decision was a victory for the Trump administration, which has been stymed by a number of other court decisions in recent days that have slowed the efforts to freeze federal expenses and put a significant number of employees on leave.

A deadline last week to accept resignation was extended while the judge was considering the case. About 75,000 workers accepted the offers according to Office of Personal Management.

”From 1 p.m. 19 Tonight, the program is now closed, ”said McLaurine Pinover, a spokeswoman for Office of Personal Management, Wednesday. “There is no longer any doubt: The program postponed resignation was both legal and a valuable opportunity for federal employees.”

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man who has led an aggressive attempt to shrink and reshape federal government institutions with the approval of President Trump, had pushed employees to take off incentive offer that promised wages through September.

Critics had claimed that the offer was not reliable, especially because Congress had not funded any part of the federal government last 14 March.

The case to stop the program filed by the liberal nonprofit group democracy spikes as well as three government associations – American Federation of Government -Employees, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Artical and the National Association of Government staff – argued that the offer was illegal , partly because Congress had not already allocated the funds needed to compensate the workers who took the offer.

In a statement, the leader of the departure, the largest federal staff association, noted that the order did not deal with the legality of resignation, and said the union’s attorneys considered their next step.

“Today’s decision is a setback in the struggle for dignity and justice for public employees,” said Everett Kelley, the union’s president.

The 75,000 government employees who volunteered for the severance program represent approx. 3 percent of civil federal workforce.

It is less than the Trump administration’s stated goal of drastically reducing the size of the federal workforce. In a given year, more than 5 percent of federal workers will either retire or finish their jobs, According to data from the federal government.

Still, mass -duty of tens of thousands of state employees could have far -reaching effects on American society.

Routine activities such as traveling, renewal of passports or filing for a tax return may be delayed or disturbed. The operation of national parks and museums and the administration of benefits such as Social Security, Medicare, Veterans’ care And food stamps could also be affected. Supervisory authorities and inspectors for foodwater, medicine and Workplace Safety Could also leave the government.

Michael C. Bender contributed with reporting.