Washington, Feb 13 (V7N) – A federal judge in Massachusetts ruled on Wednesday to restore President Donald Trump's buyouts for federal employees, allowing the Trump administration to proceed with its plan to downsize the government. This decision comes as a setback for the unions opposing the buyout program.
 
U.S. District Court Judge George O'Toole ruled that the federal employee unions, which had sued to stop the buyouts, lacked standing to challenge the program and that his court did not have jurisdiction over the matter. O'Toole lifted the pause on the buyout program he had issued last week, enabling the administration to move forward.
 
As of 7:00 PM on Wednesday, the buyout offer was officially closed. McLaurine Pinover, a spokesperson for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, confirmed, "There is no longer any doubt: the Deferred Resignation Program was both legal and a valuable option for federal employees."
 
The "Fork in the Road" program, which aims to downsize the federal workforce, offered buyouts to nearly all 2.3 million federal employees. Those who resigned would receive eight months of pay and benefits. Federal workers initially had a February 6 deadline to make their decisions, but O'Toole paused the deadline last week to allow for litigation after the American Federation of Government Employees and other unions filed a lawsuit.
 
In his ruling, O'Toole stated that the unions did not have a direct stake in the buyout program and that their concerns were not enough to challenge the policy, which affects executive branch employees. The judge also clarified that the unions’ claims should be addressed through administrative channels, not federal district courts.
 
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt hailed the decision, stating, "This goes to show that lawfare will not ultimately prevail over the will of 77 million Americans who supported President Trump and his priorities."
 
As of last week, more than 60,000 workers had accepted the buyouts, which represents about 2.6% of the federal workforce. However, this figure falls short of the White House's projections of 5% to 10%. The Trump administration has warned that furloughs and layoffs may occur if enough employees do not accept the buyouts.
 
On Tuesday, President Trump signed an executive order requiring federal department and agency heads to plan for "large-scale reductions in force." Layoffs began Wednesday at the General Services Administration, which oversees the federal government's real estate portfolio.
 
The decision marks a rare legal victory for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, which has faced setbacks in efforts to reduce government spending and bureaucratic size. Despite this ruling, unions are still challenging the buyout program's legality, with Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), expressing that they will explore further legal options.
 
Kelley stated, "Today's ruling is a setback in the fight for dignity and fairness for public servants. But it's not the end of that fight." He emphasized that the unions continue to believe the buyout program is illegal, as it forces federal workers to make a quick decision without sufficient information.
 
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