WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, the Trump administration revealed a groundbreaking initiative aimed at reducing the size of the federal government rapidly by offering buyouts to all federal employees willing to resign by the following week. The directive was communicated through a memo from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which oversees human resources for the government. The memo highlighted that federal workers would now be subjected to stricter standards of suitability and conduct, while also hinting at future workforce reductions. For those choosing to leave voluntarily by February 6, a buyout equivalent to about eight months of salary will be granted.
President Trump’s ongoing commitment to disrupt established Washington protocols has been a hallmark of his political stance. He has expressed intentions to push his second term further than his first in terms of reshaping conventional political standards. However, the wider implications of a significant number of federal employees opting for buyouts remain uncertain and complex.
Katie Miller, a member of an advisory board for the Department of Government Efficiency, a newly formed department aimed at streamlining government operations and led by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, remarked on social media that the communication was sent to over two million federal workers. According to data from the Pew Research Center, the federal workforce numbered more than 3 million as of last November, making up close to 1.9% of the overall civilian workforce, with an average tenure nearing 12 years.
The possible fallout from even a small percentage of employees accepting these buyouts could have far-reaching effects on the economy and disrupt various sectors reliant on federal services. Many essential roles, from frontline health workers in the Veterans Affairs Department to those processing loans for homebuyers, might see mass departures. Additionally, this could lead to a loss of experienced professionals in critical areas such as food safety and public health, creating potential chaos in service delivery across the board.
In response, the American Federation of Government Employees, represented by President Everett Kelley, characterized the buyouts as less voluntary and more of a scheme to pressure staff members perceived as less loyal to the current administration to resign. Kelley warned that the removal of dedicated career federal employees would lead to significant, unintended consequences that could hinder the operations of the federal government, ultimately affecting millions of Americans.
The OPM memo specified four mandates that Trump is enforcing for the federal workforce moving forward, including a directive for most employees to return to their offices full-time. The communication emphasized that a considerable majority of federal employees, who had been working remotely during the pandemic, would now be required to report to their physical offices five days a week. This aligns with Trump’s earlier sentiment that stated, “You have to go to your office and work. Otherwise, you’re not going to have a job.”
Furthermore, the memo stated Trump’s demand for “excellence at every level,” suggesting that while certain sectors of the federal workforce might expand, the overall trend would be towards downsizing. The communication concluded by asserting that the federal workforce should consist of individuals who are trustworthy, reliable, and committed to excellence.
The email sent to employees included a template for a “deferred resignation letter,” allowing individuals to formally initiate their resignation under the buyout program. The provisions ensure that resigning employees retain their pay and benefits until the end of September, regardless of their daily responsibilities. Instructions were included on how to submit a resignation via email.
In addition, OPM provided guidance tied to an executive order signed by Trump on the first day of his second term, intending to replace the previously established Schedule F. This was an order aimed at reclassifying many federal employees into political appointments, stripping them of certain job security protections. Upon taking office in 2021, President Joe Biden quickly revoked this order and rolled out measures to better protect federal workers. His administration’s efforts were viewed as a safeguard against the potential impacts of a new Schedule F initiative.
Despite these protective measures, the Trump administration is moving swiftly to reshape the federal workforce and essentially eliminate avenues for employees to contest firings or relocations. New deadlines have been established for agencies to start identifying employees for reclassification, with instructions for agency heads to designate a point of contact for personnel recommendations.
The recent actions are even more striking as they annul the Biden administration’s proposed regulations designed to enhance protections for federal workers. The latest memo indicated that Trump’s new executive order utilized presidential authority to invalidate existing protections for federal employees.
