U.S. District Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s deferred resignation program. “I enjoined the defendants from taking any action to implement the so-called ‘Fork Directive’ pending the completion of briefing and oral argument on the issues,” said O’Toole. “I believe that’s as far as I want to go today.”
He has not issued a ruling on the legality of the program but instead said he would weigh the challenges next week. A hearing has been set for Monday, February 10 at 2 pm EST to consider labor union requests for a temporary restraining order to further block the program. Both sides will have until then to prepare their arguments.
American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley said in a statement:
“We are pleased the court temporarily paused this deadline while arguments are heard about the legality of the deferred resignation program. We continue to believe this program violates the law, and we will continue to aggressively defend our members’ rights.”
Varying reports put the number of employees that have accepted the deferred resignation offer between 40,000 and 60,000. Both figures account for less than the 5% to 10% acceptance rate the administration expected.
Regardless of the outcome, the looming pressure of workforce reductions remains, making it imperative for federal employees to understand their benefits, make informed decisions, and ensure they’re financially prepared. A Federal Retirement Consultant® can offer guidance in these uncertain times.
