The deadline for federal workers to decide whether to accept a buyout offer from the Trump administration loomed on Thursday as reports said more than 40,000 workers had already chosen to take it.
The offer, which expires on 6 February at 11.59pm ET, was emailed from the Trump administration’s office of personnel management (OPM) last week.
The administration said it was offering nearly all of the roughly 2 million full-time civilian federal workers the opportunity to leave their jobs and receive eight months’ severance pay and benefits, or to stay in their positions and agree to new reforms, including a requirement to work in the office five days a week.
Additionally, the OPM warned that those who chose to stay would be subject to “enhanced standards of conduct” and might face potential layoffs or reassignment.
The resignation option was apparently available to all full-time federal employees except for military personnel of the armed forces, US Postal Service employees, those in roles related to immigration enforcement and national security, and those in any other positions specifically excluded by the employee’s employing agency.
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) also announced buyouts for its entire workforce on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, a Trump administration official told CNN that more than 40,000 workers had so far opted for the deferred retirement package, which represents approximately 2% of the workforce.
A White House official also reportedly told the Wall Street Journal that the administration anticipates a significant increase in the number of participants who accept the deal before the deadline.
Federal employee unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees and the National Federation of Federal Employees, have advised their members to reject the offer, and have raised concerns about its legality and the administration’s ability to fulfill its side of the deal.
The New York attorney general, Letitia James, along with 11 other attorneys general from various states, warned federal employees that the buyout offer was “misleading”.
“These supposed offers are not guaranteed,” James wrote in a statement. “Federal employees should be cautious and follow the guidance of their unions to protect their rights.”
Additionally, officials at the education department reportedly informed staff this week that if they accept offer, the education secretary could later rescind the package, leaving employees without any recourse, NBC reported.
The offer is part of several initiatives the Trump administration is implementing in an attempt to significantly reduce the number of federal workers.
According to CNN, the White House anticipates that between 5% and 10% of federal employees will accept the deal, equating to approximately 100,000 to 200,000 workers.
An analysis of the federal workforce by the non-profit Partnership for Public Service suggests the average annual attrition rate among federal employees is about 6% – approximately 120,000 departures a year – indicating that a large portion of the workers choosing to take the deal may have been aiming to leave anyway.
On Tuesday, the unions representing US government employees filed a lawsuit to block the Trump administration’s buyout plan. CNN reported that a hearing on the case will be held at 1pm ET on Thursday.
