
(Scypre.com) – In a significant and controversial move, the White House is set to issue a memo on Tuesday that will allow federal employees who are unwilling to return to in-person work to resign by February 6 in exchange for paid administrative leave through September 30. This policy marks a major step in the administration’s broader efforts to reshape the federal workforce, a move critics describe as an unprecedented purge.
A Drastic Acceleration in Workforce Overhaul
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) outlined the new policy, categorizing the offer as administrative leave with full pay and benefits for those who opt to resign. A spokesperson for OPM confirmed that further details would be provided to federal agencies later in the day, along with potential exemptions for certain employees.
A senior administration official emphasized the administration’s firm stance on returning to in-person work, stating, “The government-wide email being sent today is to make sure that all federal workers are on board with the new administration’s plan to have federal employees in office and adhering to higher standards. We’re five years past COVID and just 6 percent of federal employees work full-time in office. That is unacceptable.”
The White House anticipates that between 5% and 10% of federal employees may accept the offer, which could result in the departure of hundreds of thousands of workers. According to administration projections, these buyouts could lead to long-term savings of up to $100 billion annually.
The offer will be available to all full-time federal employees except military personnel, Postal Service workers, and those in national security or immigration enforcement roles.
Unprecedented Restructuring Amidst Concerns
This latest move follows a broader push by the administration to restructure the federal workforce, an initiative that some experts view as an attempt to replace career civil servants with political appointees. The federal government has historically maintained protections for career employees to prevent a return to the patronage system that was eliminated over a century ago.
Just a day before the memo was set to be released, the administration detailed a separate initiative to reclassify thousands of federal civil servants, stripping them of long-standing protections that shield them from politically motivated terminations. This reclassification, critics argue, could transform career positions into at-will employment, making it easier for the administration to dismiss workers based on political considerations.
Sharon Parrott, president of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and a former appointee in the Office of Management and Budget during the Obama administration, criticized the effort. “The executive order and the guidance are designed to make it easier to fire civil servants and turn what had been career jobs into patronage jobs,” Parrott said. “Moves like this will almost surely lead many expert, knowledgeable career civil servants to withhold their best advice.”
Concerns Over Government Efficiency and Retention
The proposal has raised concerns among federal employees, particularly regarding the administration’s approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, return-to-office mandates, and reclassification efforts. Many fear that these actions create an unstable work environment, leading some of the most experienced and highly skilled government employees to consider leaving for the private sector.
Terry Clower, an economist at George Mason University who studies workforce trends in the capital region, warned of potential negative consequences. “So how does that work if you’re trying to accelerate government efficiency if who you drive away are your best workers?” he questioned.
Federal employee unions have also voiced strong opposition to the policy. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest union representing federal workers, condemned the buyouts, stating that the administration is creating a hostile work environment designed to drive employees out.
“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,” AFGE President Everett Kelley stated.
Disputed Claims and Broader Implications
A key justification cited by the administration for these sweeping workforce changes is the assertion that only 6% of federal employees are working full-time in their offices. However, this claim has been met with skepticism, as it contradicts data released by the Biden administration just last month, which suggests that in-office attendance is significantly higher.
On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated the administration’s authority to enforce personnel changes. “The president has the authority to fire federal employees,” she stated.
The new policy represents one of the most aggressive moves in recent history to reshape the federal workforce. While the administration frames it as a necessary measure to increase efficiency and accountability, opponents argue it is a thinly veiled attempt to politicize government roles. As the deadline for resignation approaches, the impact of this initiative on both federal operations and the broader labor market will become clearer.
For now, thousands of federal employees face a critical decision: return to the office under new expectations or take the government’s offer and exit the workforce on the administration’s terms.