A U.S. federal judge has pressed pause ⏸️ on former President Trump's controversial plan to offer 2 million federal workers a 'buyout' package – again. The program, which promised seven months' salary for voluntary resignations, now faces extended legal limbo as courts debate its legitimacy.
Judge George A. O'Toole Jr. first halted the plan just hours before its February 6 deadline ⏰, after labor unions argued it could 'cripple government operations' and force rushed decisions. On Monday, he extended the freeze pending a final ruling.
Here's the tea ☕: The proposal allowed workers to resign but keep full pay/benefits until September 30, 2025 – even if they stopped working immediately. Over 60k employees (3% of eligible workers) had already accepted, per NBC News.
Unions call it a 'Trojan Horse' 🐴: 'Congress only funded agencies until March – how can they guarantee pay through 2025?' Others claim it's a rushed workforce reduction tactic that could leave critical services understaffed.
With the legal battle heating up ⚖️, millions of federal employees now wait to see if this becomes America's real-life 'Office Space' scenario – complete with corporate-style buyouts… but for public servants.
