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Over 40,000 government workers have already accepted buyout offers from the Trump administration ahead of a Thursday deadline.
The effort is part of President Donald Trump’s plan to cut federal spending and the size of government.
“It is not clear how many of the federal government’s 2.3 million civilian employees will ultimately accept the offer, which promises to pay their salaries until October if they resign by Thursday,” Reuters reported. “Others are fighting the proposal in court.”
The buyouts reportedly involve eight months of pay and benefits if workers choose not to comply with returning to in-office work and resign by midnight Thursday.
The update also comes as the Trump administration warned federal workers on Tuesday that many government agencies will be downsized.
“While a few agencies and even branches of the military are likely to see increases in the size of their workforce, the majority of federal agencies are likely to be downsized through restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force,” the Office of Personnel Management wrote.
“These actions are likely to include the use of furloughs and the reclassification to at-will status for a substantial number of federal employees,” the statement added.
RSBN previously reported that under the Biden administration, the House Oversight Committee released a report stating that as of May 2024, more than half of the 2.2 million federal civilian employees were either partly teleworking or working fully remotely.
Trump has reversed that policy, directing department and agency heads to “take all necessary steps to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person” as soon as feasible, with limited exceptions.
Additionally, a hiring freeze has been implemented across the executive branch, preventing new hires for any positions that were vacant. The freeze does not apply to the military or roles related to immigration enforcement, national security or public safety.
Trump’s order remains in effect for 90 days, after which the Office of Management and Budget, in coordination with the newly established Department of Government Efficiency—led by Elon Musk—must present a plan to streamline the federal workforce through efficiency measures and attrition.
