Judge Blocks Trump's Federal Workers' Buyout Program Hours Before Decision Deadline

A federal judge has issued a temporary block on the Trump administration's controversial buyout program for federal workers, delaying its implementation until at least Monday.

Over 60,000 employees had already accepted the offer before the halt, which came amid workers' Thursday night deadline.

U.S. District Judge George A. O'Toole Jr., during a brief Thursday hearing, blocked the program to allow more time for legal arguments. A full hearing is scheduled for Monday at 2 p.m. to determine whether the halt should be extended, per NBC News.

The buyout program, announced in a Jan. 28 email titled "Fork in the Road," is part of the Trump administration's sweeping effort to reduce the federal workforce by 5% to 10%. If fully implemented, it could become the largest layoff in U.S. history, surpassing IBM's record 60,000 job cuts in 1993, per Forbes. Billionaire Elon Musk, appointed by Trump to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE,) led the cuts, including shutting down the U.S. Agency for International Development and halting work at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The vast majority of civilian federal employees are eligible for the buyouts. Military personnel, U.S. Postal Service employees, immigration enforcement officers, national security workers, and public safety employees are exempt. Agency heads can also designate exemptions within their departments, according to an Office of Personnel Management fact sheet.

Emails sent to federal employees included a "deferred resignation letter" allowing workers to retain pay and benefits while being exempt from in-person work requirements until September 30. The email instructed employees on how to accept the offer: "If you wish to resign: Select 'Reply' to this email. You must reply from your government account. Type the word 'Resign' into the body of this email and hit 'send."

Trump's Justice Department has also agreed to temporary restrictions on the Department of Government Efficiency's access to the Treasury Department's payment system. A hearing on that matter is set for February 24, per NBC News. The fate of the buyout program and its impact on federal employees now hinges on the upcoming court proceedings.