ANKARA 

Employees of the US federal government have until 11.59 pm ET on Thursday (0459GMT Friday) to accept the Trump administration’s deferred resignation offer, which allows them to leave their jobs while still receiving full pay through September, press reports said.

An administration official confirmed that at least 40,000 employees have already opted in to the offer, part of a broader effort to cut the size of the federal workforce, according to CNN.

The White House has set a target of 5-10% of employees resigning.

The offer has sparked controversy, with unions challenging its legality and urging workers to reject it.

“The administration is planning widespread layoffs soon,” CNN quoted two officials as saying, adding that those who decline the package may face termination.

A spokesperson for the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) described the offer as “a rare, generous opportunity.”

However, federal employee unions argue that it is an attempt to weaken civil service protections and replace career staff with political appointees.

The Trump administration has stressed its intent to fill government positions with people loyal to Trump, but under the law, civil service employees are not supposed to be fired for political reasons.

- Court challenge to move

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and other unions filed a lawsuit seeking to halt the resignation deadline, calling it “an arbitrary, unlawful ultimatum.”

A hearing on the case is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

The resignation offer was sent via email on Jan. 28, with the subject line “Fork in the Road.”

The email reportedly resembled a message sent to employees of X after Elon Musk’s takeover.

Musk now leads the Department of Government Efficiency, an unofficial initiative spearheading efforts to downsize the federal workforce.

Critics charge Musk is an unelected, unappointed businessman lacking experience with government who is running roughshod over longstanding rules and laws.

The administration expects a surge in resignations in the final 24 to 48 hours before the deadline.

However, unions warn that reducing federal staffing could negatively impact public services such as veterans' benefits and Social Security processing.

The outcome of the legal challenge and the final number of accepted resignations are expected to shape the next phase of the administration’s workforce restructuring efforts.