(NewsNation) — Nearly 2 million U.S. federal employees now have until the weekend to decide whether to accept a buyout offer from the Trump administration, which is seeking to dramatically reduce the federal workforce, after a judge delayed Thursday’s deadline.
The move coincides with President Donald Trump’s plan to cut staffing for U.S. aid projects worldwide as part of efforts to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development, leaving fewer than 300 workers of its current 10,000-employee workforce. These workers would be responsible for managing U.S. humanitarian efforts abroad. According to reports, only 12 staff members would oversee projects in Africa and eight in Asia.
A lawsuit filed by the American Foreign Service Association and the American Federation of Government Employees seeks a federal court order to stop the USAID cuts.
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Labor unions are fighting the buyouts for federal workers, arguing the plan is an illegal scam unauthorized by Congress and warning federal workers to read the fine print.
“What we’ve been urging is for people to look at these offers with caution because there’s legal uncertainty,” said John Hatton of the National Active and Retired Federal Employee Association. “We don’t know what that means in terms of, do you still lose your job, do you waive all legal rights under this offer as well.”
Buyout offer extended after judge’s ruling
Millions of U.S. government employees had been facing a Thursday deadline to decide whether to accept a buyout offer from the Trump administration. Those who choose to stay still risk being laid off.
U.S. District Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. ruled in favor of several labor unions that had requested a temporary restraining order against the plan spearheaded by Trump adviser Elon Musk. The judge did not express an opinion on the legality of the buyouts and directed administration officials to extend the deadline to apply until after a hearing scheduled for Monday.
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Trump’s push to reduce the size of the government is unprecedented, causing turmoil in Washington and triggering protests and union concerns over potential legal violations.
So far, more than 60,000 employees, about 2% of the federal civilian workforce, have accepted the buyout, with more expected to join. It remains unclear how many of the federal government’s 2.3 million civilian workers will ultimately agree to the offer.
What’s included in the buyout offer?
On the surface, the Office of Personnel Management’s offer seems straightforward: federal workers who resign will receive pay and benefits through September. However, the situation may not be that simple.
The deal limits employees’ ability to address any issues if things go wrong. Even after workers accept the buyout, the government still has the right to rescind the offer.
The buyout impacts not only employees at domestic agencies such as the Department of Labor, which has long drawn criticism from Trump’s supporters, but also those in intelligence agencies such as the CIA.
Unions and some lawmakers are urging federal workers to reject the buyout offer, cautioning that, with government funding set to expire in March, their pay and benefits could be at risk. The move has sparked protests in Washington and across the nation.
What happens if federal workers don’t accept the buyout offer?
Federal workers who do not accept the offer may face job losses and miss out on the pay and benefits offered by the buyout.
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The Office of Personnel Management has warned several federal agencies could downsize in the coming months, though this does not apply to military personnel or workers in immigration enforcement, national security and the U.S. Postal Service.
Tom Dempsey and Kellie Meyer contributed to this report.
