The US government, now back under President Donald Trump for a second term, has made a surprising offer to federal employees. If they choose to resign from their jobs, they could get eight months’ pay and keep their benefits until September. Employees must decide by February 6 whether to accept this “deferred resignation program,” which is described as a “Fork in the Road.”
In the email sent to about two million federal workers, the government said that those who resign will still get paid and won’t have to work in person until September 30, 2025—or even sooner if they want to leave early. However, for those who decide to stay, there’s a warning about possible job cuts in the future. The email says they can’t guarantee job security and that if someone loses their job, they will be treated with respect.
This offer does not apply to military personnel, postal workers, or others in critical roles for security and immigration.
Officials expect that about 10% of federal employees will take up this offer, which means around 200,000 workers could leave. Currently, there are over three million federal workers, making up nearly 2% of the US workforce. If skilled employees leave, it may cause problems that affect things like air travel, food safety, and water testing.
Unions representing federal employees are not happy about this offer. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which has 800,000 members, has raised doubts about the legality of the offer. They are worried that this could force dedicated workers out and cause chaos for many Americans who rely on government services.
Another union, the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), which has 150,000 members, has also told its employees to reject this offer and warned that it is not a real choice.
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