Trump Administration Proposes Buyouts for Almost All Federal Employees

January 28, 2025 TruthUSA

Federal employees are being presented with buyout options through a newly launched ‘deferred resignation’ program, enabling them to resign while receiving compensation until September.

Federal workers are being given buyout opportunities under the Trump administration’s latest “deferred resignation” initiative, with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) set to distribute emails detailing the offer, as stated by Katie Miller, a member of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

“This email is being sent to over TWO MILLION federal employees,” Miller posted on X on January 28, sharing a link to an Axios report indicating that the Trump administration will continue to compensate eligible federal employees through the end of September, provided they submit their resignations by February 6.

An OPM memo circulated on January 28 that supports the information reported by Axios and shared by Miller gives further insights into the deferred resignation initiative, but does not specify when the proposal emails will be sent to federal workers.

The White House has not provided additional information regarding this initiative. One of DOGE’s goals is to decrease the size of the federal workforce as part of a broader effort to improve government efficiency.

The OPM memo notes that this voluntary program is available to all full-time federal employees, with the exception of military personnel, U.S. Postal Service employees, immigration enforcement agents, national security personnel, or any roles specifically excluded by the employing agency.

“Deferred resignation exempts employees opting for it from return-to-office mandates,” the memo states, adding that employees who agree to the deferred resignation should have their responsibilities reassigned or eliminated without delay and be placed on administrative leave until September 30.

Employees will continue to accrue retirement benefits during the deferred resignation period, and those who fail to meet the February 6 resignation deadline due to circumstances such as being on leave may be eligible for an extension, according to the memo. Employees also have the option to move their resignation date to an earlier time than September 30; however, extensions beyond that date will not be permitted.

The buyout proposal has faced backlash from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest union representing federal workers.

“The number of civil servants hasn’t significantly changed since 1970, yet more Americans than ever depend on government services,” stated AFGE National President Everett Kelley in a statement. “Removing dedicated career civil servants from the federal government will have serious, unintended consequences, leading to chaos for those who rely on an effective federal system.

“This offer should not be considered voluntary,” Kelley continued. “With a series of anti-worker executive orders and policies, it’s evident that the Trump administration aims to transform the federal workplace into one where employees find it impossible to remain, regardless of their desire to do so.”

The buyout plan seems part of the administration’s strategy to push federal workers back into onsite operations, as directed by President Donald Trump in a January 20 memorandum that instructs agency heads to end remote work arrangements, with limited exceptions.

“Heads of all departments and agencies in the executive branch shall take all necessary actions as soon as practicable to end remote work arrangements and require employees to return to their duty stations full-time, while allowing for exemptions as deemed necessary by the department and agency heads,” the memo states.

Following Trump’s directive, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and OPM published a joint memo on January 27, instructing agency heads to prepare detailed plans ensuring adherence to the return-to-office mandate. This memo requires agency heads to produce implementation strategies for Trump’s order and submit them by February 7, just after the February 6 resignation window for employees seeking to take the buyout.

Moreover, the return-to-office strategies that agency heads must develop should include steps to update telework agreements, establish timelines for employees to transition back to in-person work, and define processes for managing exceptions based on health or other compelling factors. Agencies are also tasked with identifying any risks or barriers that could impede a smooth transition to in-person operations.

As of August 2024, about 54 percent of the 2.28 million civilian federal workers were fully onsite in positions that cannot be executed remotely, according to an OMB report. Meanwhile, 10 percent of the total 2.8 million employees—or 228,000 workers—were in remote roles with no expectations of in-office obligations, as noted in the report.

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