Deadline For Trump’s Federal Buyout Offer Extended By Court—As Over 40,000 Staff Agree To Leave: Here’s What To Know

Forbes via MSN ^ | 02/06/2025 | Sara Dorn

[SeekAndFind]

Topline

A federal judge temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s buyout offer to federal civilian employees from taking effect Thursday, hours before the deadline the administration set for more than 2 million employees to decide whether to take resignation packages with pay through September.

Timeline

Feb. 6: A federal judge in Massachusetts pushed back the deadline for employees to accept the offer, initially set for 11:59 p.m. Thursday, until at least Monday in response to a lawsuit filed by federal workers unions that argued the administration could not guarantee pay beyond March 14 expiration date for the existing budget.

Feb. 5: About 40,000 of the approximately 2.3 million employees eligible for the buyout offer have accepted it, according to NBC News and The Washington Post—after a figure of around 20,000 was reported a day earlier.

Feb. 4: Trump is reportedly planning mass layoffs among those who don’t take the buyouts, CNN reported Tuesday, citing two unnamed administration officials.

Feb. 4: The CIA—which was exempt from the initial offer—extended the buyout option to all of its employees on Tuesday and will also implement a hiring freeze, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Jan. 28: The Office of Personnel Management announced in a memo posted to its website and in a mass email to federal employees that all full-time federal civilian staffers had the option of taking buyouts by Feb. 6 that would allow them to be paid, with benefits, through Sept. 30.

"The majority of federal agencies are likely to be downsized through restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force,” the email stated, warning that a significant number of federal employees would be furloughed or reclassified to “at-will,” making them easier to fire.

How Many Federal Workers Are Taking Buyouts?

More than 40,000 workers have reportedly taken the offer and the number is growing...

[SeekAndFind]

The 40,000 workers represent roughly 2% of those who were offered the deal—a large job cut by any measure, but short of the White House’s reported goal of slashing between 5% and 10% of the federal workforce through buyouts.

Who Is Eligible For The Federal Buyouts? Which Employees Are Exempt From The Offer?

The vast majority of civilian staff are eligible for the buyouts. Military armed forces personnel, U.S. Postal Service employees, immigration enforcement and national security employees and workers related to public safety are exempt, according to an OPM fact sheet. Agency heads can also identify exemptions within their departments.

[MNJohnnie]

I curious did the Judge offer any reason for this judgement and present any evidence from the plaintiffs that the Executive Branch managing the work force of the Executive branch is some how suppose to be subject to the Judiciary arbitrary unlawful decisions?

Did the Judge explain how a Judge in MA has any standing to take this case since it involved the US Government and properly should be tired in the DC court?

[Vermont Lt]

It’s not really a buy out. They are merely resigning with an end date way into the future.

The positions are already funded through the end of the fiscal year. So, there is no “bonus” attached.

[rdcbn1]

The more the due process, the easier it is to stick it to the ones who don’t take the package.

[Skwor]

They judge shopped which is also illegal.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Every Feral Stooge in every court in America seems to be owned by the DemonRAT Party.

[bwest]

I’m OK with an extension as long as they don’t reverse the resignations already made.

[V_TWIN]

What Trump has done is drop the required time of service and age to retire.

Normally it’s 30 years but this action drops it to 20 and the age requirement depends other factors but has also been decreased as well.

[AF_Blue]

2% of the workforce taking the buyout in the first nine days?

It’s a good start. They’re the low-hanging fruit, like USAID.

[RightOnTheBorder]

I hope these rat partisans masquerading as judges are the next nails to meet the Trump hammer.

[usurper]

What Trump has done is drop the required time of service and age to retire.

I did not know that, I thought these were separations not retirements. I'm not happy about but it will still save money in the long run.

[V_TWIN]

It’s called a VERA “Voluntary Early Retirement Authority”

“To qualify for early retirement, a federal worker must be 50 years old with at least 20 years of service or have at least 25 years of service with no age requirement.”

https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/01/opm-will-grant-vera-authority-all-agencies-confusion-around-deferred-resignation-program-continues/402662/

I retired from the DoD in 2019.....this is a hell of a deal if you ask me.

[iamgalt]

So 2 of Trumps most important EO are tossed just like 16

[mykroar]

We are a kritarchy. (yes, I had to look it up)

[Fledermaus]

Ignore the judge. No authority.

[3RIVRS]

That’s not entirely accurate.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

This probably isn’t a bad result. More people will take the buyout.

[jeffc]

“Temporarily blocked”. What does this mean? Does it give Dems more time to find a favorable federal judge to stop it entirely (until SCOTUS slaps them down)?

[usurper]

I retired from the DoD in 2019.....this is a hell of a deal if you ask me.

Its sure is. The private sector would never offer such terms.