Trump offers all federal workers a buyout with 7 

months’ pay in effort to shrink size of 

government

 

A memo from the Office of Personnel Management, the government’s human resources agency, also said it would begin subjecting all federal employees to “enhanced standards of suitability and conduct” and ominously warned of future downsizing. The email sent to employees said those who leave their posts voluntarily will receive about seven months of salary, but they have to chose to do so by Feb 6. 

...the repercussions of so many government workers being invited to leave their jobs were difficult to calculate.

The federal government employs more than 3 million people, which makes it roughly the nation’s 15th largest workforce. The average tenure for a federal employee is nearly 12 years, according to an analysis by the Pew Research Center of data from OPM.

 Even a fraction of the workforce accepting buyouts could send shockwaves through the economy and trigger widespread disruptions throughout society as a whole, triggering wide-ranging — and as yet unknowable — implications for the delivery, timeliness and effectiveness of federal services across the nation. 

 Untold numbers of front-line health workers in the Veterans Affairs Department, officials who process loans for homebuyers or small businesses, and contractors who help procure the next generation of military weaponry could all head for the exits at once. It could also mean losing experienced food inspectors and scientists who test the water supply — while disrupting everything from air travel and consumer product protections.

...

 In its emailed memo detailing its plan, OPM lists four directives that it says Trump is mandating for the federal workforce going forward — including that most workers return to their offices full-time.

“The substantial majority of federal employees who have been working remotely since Covid will be required to return to their physical offices five days a week."

 The memo also says Trump “will insist on excellence at every level. ...“The majority of federal agencies are likely to be downsized.”

Finally, it says, the ”federal workforce should be comprised of employees who are reliable, loyal, trustworthy, and who strive for excellence in their daily work.” 

“Employees will be subject to enhanced standards of suitability and conduct as we move forward,” the memo reads. “Employees who engage in unlawful behavior or other misconduct will be prioritized for appropriate investigation and discipline, including termination.”

The emailed message includes a “deferred resignation letter” for federal employees wishing to participate in the buyout program.

“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,” it says. 

 The email even includes instructions on how to accept, stating: “If you wish to resign: Select ‘Reply’ to this email. You must reply from your government account.” It adds: “Type the word ‘Resign’ into the body of this email and hit ‘send.’”

...

 ...the Trump administration...swiftly moving to gut the federal workforce and leave employees with little recourse to protest firings or reassignments.