A U.S. judge has temporarily halted President Donald Trump's scheme to offer incentives to federal workers to resign voluntarily before the Thursday midnight deadline.
The White House indicated that over 40,000 employees have accepted the offer, exchanging their resignation for pay until September 30th, while some employees were uncertain about the terms.
The ruling was made just hours before the expected deadline for federal workers to decide on the offer, with the Justice Department's lawyer mentioning that employees would be informed of the pause in the deadline.
Regarding the ongoing situation, the White House interpreted the temporary suspension as an opportunity to encourage more resignations. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed gratitude to the Judge for extending the deadline, inviting workers unwilling to report to offices to take advantage of the offer.
Pending the Monday hearing, an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) official confirmed that resignations would continue to be processed.
Democratic concerns emerged about the effects of the offer, warning of a potential "brain drain" that would impact various government operations. The American Federation of Government Employees filed a lawsuit arguing violations of the law and concerns about the funding and intent behind the initiative.
Moreover, questions have been raised surrounding the legitimacy of the resignation package and its potential impacts on national security, with reports of similar offers extended to staff in national security departments and concerns about budget and staffing reductions at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.