The White House anticipates that between 5 and 10 percent of federal employees will take buyouts, leading to a savings of $100 billion annually, it said in a memo to Republican allies obtained by The Daily Wire.
The Trump administration on Tuesday offered deferred resignations, allowing employees to get paid through September if they decide to leave by February 6.
The memo said the purpose of the offer was “to make sure that all federal workers are on board with the new administration’s plan to have federal employees in office.” Citing a Daily Wire report, it said “We’re five years past COVID and just 6 percent of federal employees work full-time in office. That is unacceptable.”
The offer sent to all employees described the deferred resignation as a way for employees who are accustomed to working from home and do not want to change their routine to be exempted from a return-to-the-office mandate. It said they could continue in some form of remote job, or might be placed on leave, until September 30.
But the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) later sweetened the offer to be more like a straight buyout, publishing a FAQ that said people who took the deal would not be expected to do any work, except in rare cases.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained the justification for the buyout in a statement:
American taxpayers pay for the salaries of federal government employees, and therefore deserve employees working on their behalf who actually show up to work in our wonderful federal buildings, also paid for by taxpayers. If they don’t want to work in the office and contribute to making America great again, then they are free to choose a different line of work, and the Trump Administration will provide a very generous payout of 8 months.
The offer gives federal employees ample time to find a new job in the private sector, assuming they have marketable skills. It avoids impediments to firing federal employees, like union contracts and appeals. It also gives an easy and appealing out to federal employees who object to working for President Donald Trump, leaving him with a workforce less likely to subvert his initiatives.
The offer to employees, titled “Fork in the Road,” noted that there is no certainty that those who don’t choose the buyout will remain employed.
“If you choose to remain in your current position, we thank you for your renewed focus on serving the American people to the best of your abilities and look forward to working together as part of an improved federal workforce. At this time, we cannot give you full assurance regarding the certainty of your position or agency but should your position be eliminated you will be treated with dignity and will be afforded the protections in place for such positions,” it said.
