US judge allows Trump to proceed with government employee buyout

BOSTON, Feb 12 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Wednesday allowed Donald Trump's administration to carry out its federal worker buyout program as the Republican president moves to overhaul and downsize the U.S. government, handing a setback to unions seeking to stop the plan.

U.S. District Judge George O'Toole in Boston rejected a request by unions representing more than 800,000 federal employees for an order blocking implementation of the program. The unions have called the administration's "deferred resignation" offer to federal civilian employees unlawful.