A federal judge in Boston has lifted the temporary freeze on the Trump administration’s offer for millions of federal workers to resign, known as the “fork in the road” program. The judge had temporarily halted the offer last week after labor unions filed suit, claiming the administration lacked the legal authority to make such buyout offers. However, the judge ruled that the unions did not have legal standing to bring the suit, allowing the program to proceed.
The White House praised the judge’s decision as a legal win and a victory for the 77 million Americans who support President Trump. The head of the American Federation of Government Employees, one of the unions involved in the suit, called the ruling a setback in the fight for fairness for public servants but noted that the underlying lawfulness of the program was not addressed in the decision. The ruling has not changed the concerns regarding the validity of the offer, with some legal experts questioning its legality.
The “Fork in the Road” program allows federal workers to resign but continue to be paid through September. Around 60,000 workers had accepted the deal before the temporary freeze was put in place. While most full-time federal employees are eligible for the offer, there are exceptions for certain categories of workers. The administration estimates that 5% to 10% of the federal workforce could potentially quit, leading to significant savings. Despite the judge’s ruling, the fight over the program’s legality is expected to continue through legal challenges.
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