A U.S. judge has temporarily halted the Trump administration's federal worker buyout program, delaying its implementation until at least Monday. Despite the pause, over 60,000 employees have already agreed to leave, raising concerns about job security and funding guarantees. The administration argues the buyout is necessary to reduce government inefficiency, but unions claim it lacks legal authority and adequate funding. Additionally, Trump has tasked Elon Musk with overseeing drastic workforce cuts, prompting further legal challenges over privacy and job protections. Federal employees now face uncertainty, caught between accepting an unreliable buyout or risking termination.
See "US Judge Blocks Trump Buyout Program as 60,000 Sign Up to Quit", Daniel Wiessner, Tim Reid, and Nathan Layne, Reuters, February 7, 2025