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In what could result in an unprecedented purge of the federal workforce, the Trump administration is offering a seven-month buyout to employees if they announce they’re quitting by next Thursday.
The White House’s Office of Personnel Management sent an email blast to federal government workers asking them to reply to an email if they want to take the offer, which will only be available until February 6. If they give up their jobs they’ll be paid until September 30.
The email states that a new federal workforce will be built around four pillars: Return to Office, performance culture, more streamlined and flexible workforce, and enhanced standards of conduct.
“If you choose to remain in your current position, we thank you for your renewed focus on serving the American people to the best of your abilities and look forward to working together as part of an improved federal workforce,” the email states.
There was no continuing job reassurance for those who choose to stay.
“At this time, we cannot give you full assurance regarding the certainty of your position or agency, but should your position be eliminated you will be treated with dignity and will be afforded,” the message noted.
Federal workers can opt out of their current positions through what the office calls a “deferred resignation program.” The program begins January 28 and will run until next week.
“If you resign under this program, you will retain all pay and benefits regardless of your daily workload and will be exempted from all applicable in-person work requirements until September 30, 2025 (or earlier if you choose to accelerate your resignation for any reason),” the email continues.
Employees were instructed to respond to the email from a government account, type “resign” in the body and hit send.
Not all employees will be eligible. Some exceptions will be up to agency heads to implement.
Carve outs exist for immigration officers, the Postal Service, armed forces and some in national security-focused roles.
The move is part of President Donald Trump’s agenda to eliminate large swaths of the federal workforce.
The administration reportedly expects at least five to 10 percent of the workforce to accept the offer, totaling potentially hundreds of thousands of people.
The administration projects the buyouts could ultimately save up to $100 billion a year. But the collapse of the workforce could gut the provision of public services and crush crackdowns on lawbreakers like tax cheats.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk and his now jettisoned DOGE ex-partner Vivik Ramaswamy appeared to be the first to float the idea of encouraging remote federal workers to voluntarily quit as a way to slash the federal workforce.
“Requiring federal employees to come to the office five days a week would result in a wave of voluntary terminations that we welcome,” the men wrote in an op ed in The Wall Street Journal in November they were named co-heads of the Department of Government Efficiency by Trump.
Source: independent.co.uk
