Judge Clears Trump Administration’s Federal Worker Buyout Plan to Proceed

A U.S. district court judge gave the Trump administration the go-ahead to proceed with its federal worker buyout program, despite objections from labor unions. The unions, representing over 800,000 federal employees, had objected to the program as illegal and in violation of a federal law that bars government agencies from overspending.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM)-announced buyout plan allowed federal employees to resign voluntarily and keep their pay and benefits up to September 30. The unions complained the plan was capricious and could harm the government’s operations.

Although one judge originally delayed the program, he later decided that the unions had no grounds to oppose it. Tens of thousands of workers have already accepted the buyout, the White House stated. The unions are still able to appeal.