Judge temporarily blocks Trump plan offering incentives for federal workers to resign

A federal judge temporarily blocked President Trump's move offering all federal workers, estimated at two million people, a severance package of eight months' pay and benefits to resign.

The ruling came hours before the midnight deadline for them to apply for the deferred waiver program. US District Judge George O'Toole Jr. in Boston ordered the Trump administration to extend that deadline until after a court hearing scheduled for Monday afternoon. O'Toole did not express an opinion on the legality of the program, which is being challenged by several unions, and said he would weigh the arguments next week.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said more than 40,000 federal workers have applied to leave in exchange for pay through Sept. 30.

In addition, Leavitt noted, "we encourage federal workers to accept the very generous offer." 

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), had already warned about this cut noting that "the majority of federal agencies are likely to be downsized through restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force."