By MICHAEL CASEY and CHRIS MEGERIAN, Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s plan to downsize the federal workforce remains on hold after a courtroom hearing on Monday afternoon.
It’s the latest example of how the Republican president’s ambitious plans have become ensnared in the judicial system.
U.S. District Judge George O’Toole Jr. had paused the deferred resignation program, commonly described as a buyout, last week.
On Monday, he said the stay would remain in place until he issues a ruling. It’s unclear when that could happen.
Trump wants to use financial incentives to encourage government employees to quit. According to the White House, 65,000 workers had taken the government up on its offer as of Friday.
Related Articles
National Politics | So long, penny! Trump orders US to ditch 1-cent coin after decades of complaints National Politics | Trump is expected to pardon ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich 5 years after commuting his sentence National Politics | Judge finds Trump administration hasn’t fully followed his order to unfreeze federal spending National Politics | Secrecy preceded the shutdown of the consumer protection agency’s Washington headquarters National Politics | USAID is stripped of its lease and staffers turned away from DC headquartersThe deferred resignation program has been spearheaded by Elon Musk, who is serving as Trump’s top adviser for reducing federal spending. Under the plan, employees can stop working and get paid until Sept. 30.
But labor unions said the plan is illegal. They asked for O’Toole to keep it on hold and prevent the Office of Personnel Management, or OPM, from soliciting more workers to sign up.
Elena Goldstein, speaking for the workers, said there were “serious questions” about the plan’s rationale and legality.
“OPM seems to making this up as they are going along,” she said.
She said the program was an “unprecedented action” on an “unprecedented timeline,” and she described it as a pretext to remove workers and replace them with people aligned with the administration.
Eric Hamilton, a Justice Department lawyer, called the plan a “humane off ramp” for federal employees who may have structured their lives around working remotely and have been ordered to return to government buildings.
Megerian reported from Washington, D.C.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( US judge keeps Trump plan to push out federal workers on hold )
Also on site :
- Martha Stewart, 83, Says She Loves This At-Home Laser That Boosts Collagen
- '90s Country Star, 54, Stuns Concert Goers with 'Epic Medley' of Classic Rock Tunes: 'Amazing'
- We have destroyed Iran’s air defenses, Israeli Army Chief announces