A US federal judge has temporarily delayed the deadline for federal employees to decide on the Trump administration’s deferred resignation offer, which was originally set for February 6.
The deadline has now been extended to Monday, following a lawsuit filed by several federal unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).
The court-ordered delay was communicated to federal employees via email just after 5 PM ET. However, the email did not mention the possibility of further delays, which could be considered during a Monday afternoon hearing.
Legal Challenge Against the “Fork Directive”
Before the judge’s intervention, eligible federal employees had until 11:59 PM ET on Thursday to accept the offer, allowing them to resign while still receiving pay through September. However, the AFGE, AFSCME, and the National Association of Government Employees filed a lawsuit in the US District Court in Massachusetts on Tuesday, seeking a temporary restraining order to block the “Fork Directive” deadline.
The unions argued that the directive was an unlawful and arbitrary ultimatum, pressuring workers into a decision they might later be unable to enforce. They demanded that the government establish a clear and lawful policy rather than imposing a rushed, legally questionable mandate.
According to AFGE, the “Fork Directive” is part of the Trump-Vance administration’s broader Project 2025 agenda, which aims to replace career public service employees with partisan loyalists. The directive, they claim, forces federal workers to resign now or risk termination without compensation in the near future.
Judge Orders Temporary Halt
US District Judge George O’Toole, appointed by President Bill Clinton, issued the ruling after a brief hearing, stating he would pause implementation of the plan while reviewing further details on whether it should be permanently blocked.
Federal unions have strongly advised employees not to accept the offer, citing concerns over its legality and the administration’s ability to uphold its promises.
Despite the legal uncertainty, at least 65,000 federal workers have already opted into the deferred resignation program, a White House official confirmed on Thursday.
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