Over 20,000 federal employees have opted to resign under a new arrangement crafted by the Trump administration, which lets them continue receiving their salaries until the end of September. According to a report on Tuesday, the number of workers accepting the offer is rising steadily.
This figure accounts for approximately 1% of the nation’s federal workforce and is part of a strategy led by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency. The plan aims to reduce the federal workforce by as much as 10%, Bloomberg reported.
Employees have until Thursday to make a final decision, and the administration expects a surge in participation as the deadline approaches.
The buyout initiative was introduced last week. Alongside this offer, the Office of Personnel Management, the federal government’s human resources division, issued a mass email detailing the proposal. The communication also outlined plans to apply stricter “suitability and conduct” standards across the board and warned of additional staffing cuts to come.
Achieving the 10% reduction may prove challenging, as roughly half of the federal government’s 2.3 million civilian employees are not eligible for the program. Those excluded from the offer include defense and intelligence personnel, postal service workers, law enforcement officers, and other staff in critical roles.
Federal employee unions are urging caution, advising their members to carefully evaluate the buyout terms. They emphasize that the proposal lacks guaranteed protections.
The National Treasury Employees Union has cautioned workers, stating the buyout is “designed to entice or scare you into resigning.” Similarly, the American Federation of Government Employees described the initiative as an effort to “turn the federal government into a toxic environment where workers cannot stay even if they want to.”
A group of 11 Democratic attorneys general has also sounded the alarm, warning workers across their states to be wary of the buyout program. On Tuesday, The Hill reported that these officials consider the plan to be deceptive.
Leading the coalition, New York Attorney General Letitia James criticized the proposal. “President Trump’s so-called buyout offers are nothing more than the latest attack on federal workers and the services they provide,” she asserted.
The coalition has advised federal workers to consult with their unions before making any decisions.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes referred to the offer as “completely unreliable,” while Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel advised employees to “read the fine print before signing.”
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin specifically called out Elon Musk for his involvement. “President Trump has allowed an unelected billionaire with no constitutional authority to intimidate the civil servants who keep our government running in an attempt to push them out of their jobs,” Platkin remarked. He also emphasized that the legal protections in place for federal workers remain unchanged, regardless of who holds the presidency.
{Matzav.com}
Trump offered buyout for Federal employers who can prove they didn’t have another job while they were employed with the US govt. 99% of 2 million apparently have another job during their employment with the US govt!