By AFRO Staff
On Jan. 28 the 47th president of the United States offered federal workers the option to resign and continue to receive full pay and benefits until Sept. 30, 2025, even though many federal agencies – including the Social Security Administration, which processes Social Security applications – are facing staffing shortages. Further reducing staffing through the buyout programs could force seniors to wait longer to receive assistance and benefits.
According to an email issued by the Office of Personnel Management, the nation’s 2 million federal employees had a deadline of Feb. 6 to accept the deal. All they would have to do is reply to the OPM email from their government-issued accounts with the word “Resign” in the subject line.
The offer is part of the White House’s plans to tighten government spending, downsize federal agencies and to mold the federal workforce by pushing out those not loyal to Trump.
“If you choose not to continue in your current role in the federal workforce, we thank you for your service to your country and you will be provided with a dignified, fair departure from the federal government utilizing a deferred resignation program,” the email read. “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, 2025 (or earlier if you choose to accelerate your resignation for any reason).”
On Jan. 29, the OPM clarified that those who chose to resign would immediately be put on administrative leave and would no longer work.
Less certain is the fate of those employees who chose to stay. “We cannot give you full assurance regarding the certainty of your position or agency,” the email read.
The White House buyout offer drew criticism from a range of groups and individuals, among them, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) and her colleagues on the Aging Committee, who issued a dire warning to the president’s administration concerning the plan’s impact on seniors.
“I am deeply frustrated that this Administration is choosing to target federal workers, hardworking Americans, in what I will only describe as a witch hunt,” said Sen. Alsobrooks in a statement. “This ‘buy out’ won’t just impact hardworking federal employees, it will hurt tens of millions of Americans who rely on Social Security. Public service is about trying to make people’s lives better, including our seniors’, not ripping away critical resources Americans rely on like Social Security.”
The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest federal employee union, also criticized the program, saying more Americans are relying on government services than ever before.
“Purging the federal government of dedicated career civil servants will have vast, unintended consequences that will cause chaos for the Americans who depend on a functioning federal government,” said AFGE National President Everett Kelley in a statement.
“This offer should not be viewed as voluntary,” he added. “Between the flurry of anti-worker executive orders and policies, it is clear that the Trump administration’s goal is to turn the federal government into a toxic environment where workers cannot stay even if they want to.”
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