FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 6, 2025

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Democracy Forward: press@democracyforward.org

Breaking News: Judge Extends Deadline For Trump’s Federal Worker “Fork Directive”

Judge Orders Pause of Feb. 6 Deadline on Trump’s “Fork Directive,” Pausing Latest Attacks on Career Public Service Workers

Democracy Forward Filed Suit This Week On Behalf Of Federal Employee Unions AFGE, AFSCME, and NAGE

Massachusetts – Today, the Federal District Court in Massachusetts ordered the February 6 deadline for the Trump Administration’s “Fork Directive” program be extended, pending argument now scheduled for Monday, February 10. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is expected to notify all employees who originally received the offer of this extension.

Democracy Forward filed suit Tuesday on behalf of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), AFGE Local 3707, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, (AFSCME), and the National Association of Government Employees (NAGE). A request for a temporary restraining order, seeking a court order to pause and extend the deadline, was filed on February 5, 2025. 

“People and communities across the nation depend on a non-partisan, committed civil service and it is important that we all have their backs, which is why we filed suit on behalf of the American Federation of Government Employees, AFGE Local 3707, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees,  and the National Association of Government Employees,” said Democracy Forward President & CEO Skye Perryman. “We are pleased that the court has paused action on the so-called “fork in the road” offer and ordered the government to notify all civil service employees. We look forward to the court hearing more fulsome argument on Monday.”

The “Fork Directive” is the latest attempt by the Trump-Vance administration to implement Project 2025’s dangerous plans to remove career public service workers and replace them with partisan loyalists. The “Fork Directive” amounts to a clear ultimatum to a sweeping number of federal employees: resign now or face the possibility of job loss without compensation in the near future. Even so, as employees face threats from the OPM that failure to resign may result in being fired without compensation, workers are being offered a package that violates the law. For example, it is wholly unclear how the government can promise to pay workers for a deferred resignation when the funds to do so have not been appropriated. 

Read the motion asking for a temporary restraining order here. The original complaint is available here.

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Democracy Forward is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement. For more information, please visit www.democracyforward.org.