E-Paper
US federal agencies offer ‘deferred resignation’ as layoffs loom under Trump administration
The White House has said about 75,000 federal workers had accepted the administration's first offer in January.
At least six US federal government agencies are offering their employees a new “deferred resignation” opportunity even as the Donald Trump administration began implementing a mass layoff programme led by Elon Musk-led DOGE.
The White House said about 75,000 federal workers had accepted the administration's first “deferred resignation” offer under its “Fork in the Road” program in January.
ALSO READ | Trump administration begins mass layoffs at FDA, CDC, other US health agencies
Employees who accept the offer will be placed on administrative leave, retain all employment benefits, and be paid through September 30, 2025, but have no work duties. The new programme offers similar benefits.
Reuters reported that employees at Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Agriculture Department received emails which gave them an option to quit while staying on paid leave for several months.
The Department of Agriculture is offering employees financial incentives to employees who accept the offer by April 8. The agency is also offering early retirement to employees who are at least 50 years old with 20 years of federal service, or any age with 25 years of federal service.
ALSO READ | US senator Cory Booker gives record-breaking 24-hour speech against Donald Trump
“We cannot give you full assurance regarding which positions will remain - or where they will be located - after USDA's restructuring,” read the email cited by Reuters.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth gave a “voluntary early retirement” offer in a brief memo but warned that “exemptions should be rare.” A senior defence official had said that roughly 50,000 to 60,000 civilian jobs will be cut to reach the goal of a 5% to 8% cut in the Pentagon's workforce.
The transportation department asked the employees to decide on accepting the offer by April 9. A spokesperson they were was exempting safety-critical employees but providing workers “a second chance to leave voluntarily” to make DOT “more efficient and accountable to the taxpayer.”
The energy department employees received a similar offer with a deadline to accept or reject by April 8.
(With agency inputs)
