Fork in the Road? Federal Employees React to Donald Trump's Worker Buyout

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Some government employees received an email unexpectedly on Wednesday with a job offer - to voluntarily resign from their jobs in exchange for approximately eight months of back pay.

The email, received by more than 2 million federal government employees, was sent after the Trump administration proposed buying out federal jobs for those who chose to leave their positions by February 6.

The broad proposal to make significant changes to the United States government workforce has caused worry and uncertainty among workers, especially with the deadline to leave the job quickly approaching.

What To Know

The buyout program offers around eight months of severance pay to federal workers who choose to resign voluntarily. According to Axios, the administration anticipates that 5 to 10 percent of employees will accept the offer, which could result in the departure of several hundred workers.

The federal government has over 3 million employees, placing it as the 15th biggest workforce in the country.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) framed the offer as "administrative leave with pay and benefits" and distributed instructions via official government email accounts.

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The OPM memo outlining the buyout policy, titled "A Fork in the Road," guides eligible employees through the resignation process and explains changes in work protocols.

In his first week in office, President Trump issued several directives regarding the federal workforce. Among those instructions, the President instructed employees to return to in-person work, reinstated accountability for employees with policy-making authority, reinstated accountability for senior career executives, and revised the federal hiring process to prioritize qualifications. As a direct result of these orders, the overhaul of the federal workforce will be substantial.

The newly reorganized federal workforce will be centered around four main pillars:

1)	Returning to the Office: Most federal employees who have been working from home since the COVID-19 pandemic will be required to return to their regular office spaces five days a week. As we move forward, we anticipate that our physical offices will be reduced in number and possibly relocated, potentially affecting a number of federal workers.
2)	Performance culture: The federal workforce should be the cream of the crop in America. We will expect excellence throughout - our performance standards will be updated to recognize and promote those who go above and beyond expectations and deal fairly and transparently with those who do not meet the high standards that the people of this country have a right to expect.
3)	More streamlined and flexible workforce: Although some government agencies and departments of the military may increase their staffing, the majority of federal agencies are expected to be reduced in size through restructuring, redistribution, and layoffs. This is likely to involve more frequent temporary layoffs and changing the status of a significant number of federal employees to at-will employment.
4)	Key Expectations for Federal Employees: The federal workforce should consist of individuals who are dependable, dedicated, and truthful, aiming for superior performance in their daily duties. Moving forward, employees will be held to higher standards of suitability and conduct. Those who engage in illegal activities or other misconduct will be given priority for thorough investigation and disciplinary action, which may include job termination.

We will work on each of the pillars outlined above, while following the relevant laws, aligning with your agency's policies, and to the extent allowed by collective-bargaining agreements.

We appreciate your commitment to serving the American public and appreciate your efforts to continuously improve your work. If you decide to stay in your current position, we look forward to continuing to work together as part of a more effective federal workforce. However, we cannot provide certainty about the future of your position or agency. Should your position be eliminated, we will handle the situation with respect and ensure you receive the support and protections that are available.

If you don't continue in your current job in the US federal government, we appreciate your dedication to your country and we will handle your departure with respect and fairness through a deferred resignation program. This program starts on January 28 and is available to all federal employees until February 6. If you quit under this program, you will keep getting paid and your benefits, and you won't be required to come into the office, no matter how much work you have, until September 30, 2025 (or sooner if you decide to leave early for any reason). The details of this separation plan are listed below.

Thank you for your dedication to the United States of America, no matter the path you have chosen.

What Is Deferred Resignation?

Guidance is being sent to federal agencies to help them deal with the changes.

The letter from OPM Acting Director Charles Ezell states: "Employees who agree to defer their resignation should immediately have their tasks reassigned or eliminated and be placed on paid leave until the deferred resignation period ends."

The new resignation option lets workers quit the buyout program while still receiving their full pay and benefits until September 30.

How do Federal Employees Resign under the Revised Policy?

Employees interested in the buyout must reply to the official government email with "Resign". The response must come from their .gov or .mil email accounts to be processed.

After submitting their resignation, employees usually expect to receive confirmation of their decision and information about the timing of their severance payment.

When Can the Payments Be Expected to Bepleted?

Employees who leave the company under the program will receive their severance payments in separate installments, with the last payment finished by September 30, 2025.

Why It Matters

The Trump administration sees the buyouts as a means to simplify the government and reduce expenses, which may result in taxpayer savings.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt made a statement on Wednesday during a press briefing. She stated, "This is a suggestion to federal employees that they need to return to work. If they don't, then they have the option to resign. In this administration's view, they would be fairly compensated with an eight-month payment."

For some federal employees, the cuts are seen as a way to get rid of experienced employees from their positions.

Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, strongly criticized the plan, stating, "Removing dedicated career federal employees from the federal government will lead to chaos and have far-reaching, unforeseen consequences for the Americans who rely on the federal government."

stated that they would have to commit to a demanding work schedule or resign. The subject line of that email was: "A Fork in the Road."

What is the typical notice period to officially leave a job?

and stricter performance evaluation.

What People Are Saying

Trump is offering a fake 'buyout' to federal workers, but there's no assurance he won't backtrack on the deal as soon as they accept, likely replacing them with unqualified, inexperienced loyalists as soon as they're gone. This is a classic move straight from the pages of Project 2025.

They can do anything they want during the next 8 months and won't have to work at all if they choose that.

If you submit your resignation by next Friday, we'll ensure your pay goes through the end of September, regardless of whether you attend work...The president is unable to make that arrangement. There is no provision in the budget to compensate people who don't show up for their scheduled shifts.

President Trump is offering eight months of pay through September to federal employees who choose not to return to the office. This is a very kind offer compared to what's typically provided in the private sector.

What Happens Next

Federal employees are forced to make a decision as the resignation deadline looms. Nevertheless, the full effects of the policy change may only become clear in the coming months, as government agencies deal with staffing shortages under the Trump administration's second-term reforms.

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