This week, two million federal workers in the U.S. have to make a tough choice: resign and get eight months of guaranteed pay, or stick around and risk being fired immediately. President Donald Trump has introduced a program called “A Fork in the Road.” While some are calling it a “buyout,” it is being criticized by labor groups as a “scam” that could hurt civil service jobs.
Elon Musk, who is in charge of making the government more efficient, said workers could “take a vacation,” but in reality, those who quit might still have to do their jobs for the full eight months. If they don’t resign, they could lose their jobs without any pay.
Labor unions are worried about the offer’s fairness and whether the government can even pay workers for eight months, especially since funding is expected to run out in March. “Federal employees need to be careful; this plan isn’t safe or legal,” warned Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees.
So far, about 20,000 workers, just 1% of the federal workforce, have accepted the deal, far less than the 100,000 expected. The AFGE is suing to stop what they call an “unlawful ultimatum.” They argue that the workers could be restricted from looking for new jobs during the eight months.
Lee Saunders, president of another union, added that these workers play vital roles in keeping important services running, like Medicare and national security. An anonymous employee from the Office of Personnel Management said many workers feel confused and worried about what to do.
They know what’s happening is not fair,” said the employee. “This is not about fixing the government, but making people panic so they leave.
Leave a Reply