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Trump offers buyouts to federal workers. What to know and how ...

Trump offers buyouts to federal workers What to know and how
Federal employees who accept the buyout would be given 8 months of pay and benefits through September and are exempt from return-to-office policy.

'Significant' reforms coming to federal workforce via President Donald Trump's buyout offer, which expires on Feb. 6. Here's how many people in Ohio and Kentucky could be affected.

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Trump says administration will offer buyouts to most government employees

President Donald Trump says the government will offer buyouts to federal workers as part of his effort to shrink the government's workforce.

Straight Arrow News

Federal employees were given an option Tuesday: If they didn't want to return to work at the office, they could accept a buyout.

The Trump administration's buyout offer would give federal workers eight months of pay and benefits if they accept the deferred resignation by Feb. 6. They also would be exempt from the order for federal employees to return to work in person.

It's a push to significantly reduce the size of the federal workforce.

Here's what to know about the offer and how many federal employees it could affect in Ohio.

Federal spending: Trump administration orders 'pause' on federal grants, loans. What we know so far.

Trump offers eight-month buyouts to almost all federal employees

The buyout was sent via a memo from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management to federal employees Tuesday, Jan. 28.

Employees who accept the buyout would be given eight months of pay and benefits through September.

The deadline to accept the deferred resignation is Feb. 6.

What federal employees were not offered Trump's deferred resignation?

The deferred resignation is available to all full-time federal employees except for:

  • Military personnel of the armed forces
  • Employees of the U.S. Postal Service
  • Those in positions related to immigration enforcement and national security
  • Those in any other positions specifically excluded by your employing agency

Buyout comes after Trump required all federal workers to return to in-person work

During his first week in office, President Trump signed an order requiring all federal workers to return to in-person work.

Work-from-home policies enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic have remained in place for many federal workers.

How many federal civilian employees are there in Ohio and Kentucky?

Ohio has a total of 49,450 federal civilian employees, according to the Office of Personnel Management.

Kentucky has 22,181 federal employees, while Indiana has 22,610.

Outside of Washington, D.C., the states with the highest number of federal employees are:

  • California: 152,466
  • Virginia: 144,295
  • Texas: 132,952
  • Maryland: 120,705
  • Florida: 89,504

How many federal employees are there?

There are just under 2 million federal civilian employees. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management lists 1,869,986 employees in all areas and covering all agencies.

Memo warns employees certainty is not possible on positions in future

The Office of Personnel Management's memo, with the title "Fork in the Road," told federal employees:

"At this time, we cannot give you full assurance regarding the certainty of your position or agency, but should your position be eliminated you will be treated with dignity and will be afforded the protections in place for such positions."

Focus will be on 'serving the American people' for employees who stay

"If you choose to remain in your current position, we thank you for your renewed focus on serving the American people to the best of your abilities and look forward to working together as part of an improved federal workforce," the memo said.

Federal employees who decide to accept buyout will get 'dignified, fair departure' 

"If you choose not to continue in your current role in the federal workforce, we thank you for your service to your country, and you will be provided with a dignified, fair departure from the federal government utilizing a deferred resignation program.

"This program begins effective January 28 and is available to all federal employees until February 6. If you resign under this program, you will retain all pay and benefits regardless of your daily workload and will be exempted from all applicable in-person work requirements until September 30, 2025 (or earlier if you choose to accelerate your resignation for any reason)," the memo said. 

Federal employee union criticizes buyout offer

The American Federation of Government Employees criticized the buyout, saying the buyouts would "result in unintended consequences that will cause chaos for Americans."

"This offer should not be viewed as voluntary," AFGE National President Everett Kelley said in a Wednesday morning written statement.

"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," Kelley said.

The American Federation of Government Employees is the largest federal employee union, representing 800,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

OPM memo said 'significant' reforms coming to federal workforce

Among the directives already issued by Trump that affect the federal work force are:

  • Employees return to in-person work
  • Restored accountability for employees who have policy-making authority
  • Restored accountability for senior career executives
  • Reformed the federal hiring process to focus on merit

"As a result of the above orders, the reform of the federal workforce will be significant," the memo said.

4 pillars of reformed federal workforce

The Office of Personnel Management outlined "four pillars" of the reformed federal workforce in its memo:

  • "Return to office: The substantial majority of federal employees who have been working remotely since Covid will be required to return to their physical offices five days a week. Going forward, we also expect our physical offices to undergo meaningful consolidation and divestitures, potentially resulting in physical office relocations for a number of federal workers.
  • "Performance culture: The federal workforce should be comprised of the best America has to offer. We will insist on excellence at every level — our performance standards will be updated to reward and promote those that exceed expectations and address in a fair and open way those who do not meet the high standards, which the taxpayers of this country have a right to demand.
  • "More streamlined and flexible workforce: 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. These actions are likely to include the use of furloughs and the reclassification to at-will status for a substantial number of federal employees.
  • "Enhanced standards of conduct: The federal workforce should be comprised of employees who are reliable, loyal, trustworthy, and who strive for excellence in their daily work. Employees will be subject to enhanced standards of suitability and conduct as we move forward. Employees who engage in unlawful behavior or other misconduct will be prioritized for appropriate investigation and discipline, including termination."
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