Trump Offers Federal Workers Eight-Month Buyout to Resign by Feb. 6

Jan 28, 2025, 10:43 PM

President Donald Trump's administration is offering buyouts to all federal employees who do not want to return to in-person work, according to a memo expected to be sent by the White House on Tuesday. The "deferred resignation" program will allow federal workers who have completed at least 12 months of continuous service to resign by February 6 and continue to receive their pay and benefits—equivalent to approximately eight months' severance—through September 30. The initiative aims to reduce the number of remote workers, as only 6% of federal employees currently work full-time in the office. There are approximately two million federal employees, and the White House anticipates that 5-10% of the workforce may accept the offer, potentially leading to $100 billion in savings. A senior administration official stated, "We're five years past COVID and just 6% of federal employees work full-time in office. That is unacceptable."