According to a number of sources, the Trump administration is now reportedly offering all 2 million federal employees what is essentially a buyout if they do not plan to return to work in person later this year.
The emails, which tell federal employees that they may keep their benefits and get paid until September provided they submit their resignation by February 6th, are scheduled to be sent out starting Tuesday evening.
All full-time federal employees are eligible for the buyouts, with the exception of those in the armed forces, the US Postal Service, and jobs pertaining to national security and immigration enforcement.
Employee unions and some Democratic lawmakers expressed worry about the offer and advised against accepting a buyout.
According to two sources, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is anticipated to be the source of the emails.
President Trump has appointed Elon Musk to spearhead attempts to cut the government workforce. Last month, Musk posted on X that he had commissioned a sculpture called “A Fork in the Road.”
When urging staff members at what was then Twitter to quit or pledge to be “extremely hardcore,” he used the identical subject line in 2022.
A reference to other Trump initiatives to reduce the workforce, the email also stated that staying in service during the return to office work did not ensure employment.
The effort aims to reduce a federal workforce that has virtually been the same over the past 50 years, according to the Association of Federal Government Employees.
The text states that anyone who decides to quit will get a confirmation email within 48 hours. The decision to resign is entirely voluntary, and employees are not required to reply.
According to the agreement, those who decide to accept the buyout may decide to expedite their resignation and quit their position by the end of September.
After February 6, the buyout will no longer be accessible, though individuals who were on authorized leave prior to that date may be eligible for an exception.
The White House anticipates that between 5 and 10 percent of federal employees—or hundreds of thousands of workers—will accept the offer.
[READ MORE: Trump Offers Federal Workers A Buyout Package]
