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As 'Fork' resignation deadline arrives, a federal judge will consider a stay
NPR ^ | February 6, 2025 | Andrea Hsu

Posted on 02/06/2025 9:55:39 AM PST by MinorityRepublican

With just hours remaining for federal workers to decide whether to take the Trump administration's offer to resign from their jobs now while keeping their pay and benefits through Sept. 30, a federal judge in Massachusetts will weigh a request from labor unions to issue a temporary restraining order and stay today's deadline.

U.S. District Judge George A. O'Toole Jr., a Clinton appointee, will preside over a virtual hearing scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.

The lawsuit, filed by the legal group Democracy Forward on behalf of unions representing more than 800,000 civil servants, alleges that the Trump administration's resignation offer is arbitrary and capricious as well as unlawful.

The unions argue that the offer fails to consider possible adverse consequences to the government's ability to function; sets an arbitrarily short deadline; and is pretext for removing and replacing workers on an ideological basis, among other things.

The union is also challenging whether the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which announced the offer through a Jan. 28 email titled "Fork in the Road," exceeded its authority in promising pay and benefits through the end of September, pointing out that funding for most federal agencies expires on March 14, 2025.

The Antideficiency Act prohibits federal agencies from obligating any spending that has yet to be approved by Congress.

(Excerpt) Read more at npr.org ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: clintonjudge; dmassachusetts; georgeaotoole; georgeaotoolejr; georgeotoole; georgeotoolejr; interference; judicial; politicaljudiciary; seniorjudge; unions; voicevote
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1 posted on 02/06/2025 9:55:39 AM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

That’s pretty much the same offer that my company gave to all the non union office personnel and managers when the company closed down.


2 posted on 02/06/2025 9:59:24 AM PST by Hot Tabasco
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To: MinorityRepublican

The good news is that Trump got all of these actions in place immediately, knowing that a lot of them would be challenged and partisan Lib judges would issue these restraining orders. Trump gave himself plenty of time for them to work through the appeals process quickly while he is still in office.


3 posted on 02/06/2025 9:59:40 AM PST by Opinionated Blowhard (When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.)
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To: MinorityRepublican
The unions argue that the offer fails to consider possible adverse consequences to the government's ability to function.

Such arrogance! The union's function is not to be arbiter of what constitutes "adverse consequences". That's the job of government oversight agencies like the Inspector General's office.

4 posted on 02/06/2025 10:02:30 AM PST by JesusIsLord
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To: Opinionated Blowhard

Good luck to the leftist judges trying to micro-manage government operations.

They can only work on the cases that are before them.

It is like trying to drive a car when the only pieces you have to work with is a rear view mirror and a passenger seat.

Lol.


5 posted on 02/06/2025 10:02:44 AM PST by cgbg (It is time to pull the Deep State out of the mass media--like ticks from a dog.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

It was JFK who instituted Federal Employee Unions via EO 10988. That puts them at the whim of Trump’s pen no matter what the court says; he can decertify them just as Reagan did with PATCO.


6 posted on 02/06/2025 10:06:12 AM PST by Carry_Okie (The tree of liberty needs a rope.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

They are going to regret not taking the deal when the government gets shutdown over the budget fight. We have not had an actual budget in decades and with the GOP running things now, you can shutdown the nasty crap while still paying grannie and the troops.


7 posted on 02/06/2025 10:08:46 AM PST by L,TOWM (An upraised middle finger is my virtue signal.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

If there is a govt shutdown, the white house can concede to the screams of Congress, and leave open the agencies that are created by the vote of Congress.


8 posted on 02/06/2025 10:20:43 AM PST by lurk (u)
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To: MinorityRepublican
The lawsuit, filed by the legal group Democracy Forward on behalf of unions representing more than 800,000 civil servants

I'm dead set against public sector labor unions.

A union is designed to protect workers from their bosses.

But, in government, the employees and managers are all on the same side.

Their real bosses are the taxpayers and public sector unions are protecting the employees/managers from the taxpayer.

9 posted on 02/06/2025 10:25:37 AM PST by Ol' Dan Tucker (For 'tis the sport to have the engineer hoist with his own petard., -- Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 4)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Rats would be further showing they are insane if they create a “government shutdown” with Trump in office. That would be a massive gift. Unlike days of old with spineless Rs, a shutdown would enable lots of restructuring work to happen without the discretionary personnel in the way. And, it would be awesome if right after the shutdown started, Trump announced there will be no back pay for time not worked.


10 posted on 02/06/2025 10:30:11 AM PST by rigelkentaurus
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To: MinorityRepublican

I SEE THE PROBLEM.....

IF 800,000 EMPLOYEES ARE RESIGNED-—THEY DO NOT HAVE TO PAY MONTHLY UNION DUES.

EVEN IF ONLY $10 a month—I THINK THAT is $8 MILLION IN LOST UNION $$$$$!!!!!!!!!

HA HA HA HA


11 posted on 02/06/2025 10:30:15 AM PST by ridesthemiles (not giving up on TRUMP---EVER)
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To: JesusIsLord

YOU referring to the 17 IG’s that got FIRED-— more are on the list: THOSE people???

73 IG’s total.

LOOKS TO ME LIKE 73 COMPLETE FAILURES.....GETTING PAID AN AVERAGE of $83,000 a year.


12 posted on 02/06/2025 10:32:44 AM PST by ridesthemiles (not giving up on TRUMP---EVER)
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To: ridesthemiles

The Biden IGs were not failures—they were intentionally preventing serious investigations.

This too shall be revealed...


13 posted on 02/06/2025 10:33:54 AM PST by cgbg (It is time to pull the Deep State out of the mass media--like ticks from a dog.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

IF TRUMP DOESN’T GET A DECENT BUDGET BY 3-14, HE CAN VETO ANYTHING THEY GIVE HIM. THEN THEY NEED ALOT OF VOTES TO OVER RIDE HIS VETO, RIGHT???


14 posted on 02/06/2025 10:41:38 AM PST by ridesthemiles (not giving up on TRUMP---EVER)
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To: MinorityRepublican

TBH, I think the goal trying to be achieved of thinning out the federal workforce would be better served if they were given a bit more time to decide.

I know a couple that work at the same DoD facility that would certainly love to early retire but they have many questions about the details regarding their separation that they can’t get answers to.....they said their HR department doesn’t know squat about what’s going on.

Also, I suspect that if the desired numbers aren’t achieved this time there will be another round of early retirement offered sometime down the road.


15 posted on 02/06/2025 10:44:37 AM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!ly)
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To: ridesthemiles
YOU referring to the 17 IG’s that got FIRED

No, I'm referring to the IG Office, which I hope Trump will staff with competent apolitical IGs. The main point I was trying to make is that the job of unions is not to determine if a gov agency is effective. That's the job of oversight agencies & Congress - not a union .

16 posted on 02/06/2025 10:48:23 AM PST by JesusIsLord
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To: Hot Tabasco

a federal judge will consider a stay“

That is code for a rat Judge will wait a bit to make it look good than issue the stay. He’s not considering anything he was ready the stay as soon as the union hacks asked for it.


17 posted on 02/06/2025 10:50:38 AM PST by iamgalt
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To: iamgalt

Per Fox news the judge just pushed the deadline to next Monday


18 posted on 02/06/2025 10:53:39 AM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!ly)
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To: ridesthemiles

2/3 of both the House & Senate. There is no way that will happen. Congress will have to play ball with Trump.


19 posted on 02/06/2025 10:57:30 AM PST by MCF (If my home can't be my Castle, then it will be my Alamo)
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To: V_TWIN

the judge just pushed the deadline to next Monday“

Again, trying to make it look good, watch what happens


20 posted on 02/06/2025 11:00:43 AM PST by iamgalt
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