The administration under US President Donald Trump is offering full-time federal employees salary till September if they opt to resign now. This ‘deferred resignation programme’ will allow employees to earn a salary and remain ‘employed’ even while their work is reduced and their role gradually eliminated.
This programme is being offered to all full-time civilian employees except those serving the postal department and those playing security-related roles. That means about 2.3 million people will be weighing this option over the next few days.
The deadline set for employees to accept the offer is 6 February.
Except for the military and certain bodies where hiring may see an increase, most other establishments will trim their workforces and undergo restructuring. The objective, it is reported, is to streamline the workforce and bring in more flexibility.
The official memo sent to employees by the US Office of Personnel Management offers pay as well as benefits for eight months provided they send in their resignation by 6 February. It also promises the employees that dignity and fair treatment will be ensured if they opt to resign.
The move could result in billions of dollars in savings say reports and at least five per cent of the federal workforce is expected to take the offer.
It was hardly a week ago that all federal employees working in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) roles were sent on paid leave in line with an executive order signed by the President of the US.
The official memo to this effect was issued by the Office of Personnel Management directing all federal government agencies and departments to create a plan to eliminate all DEI roles. The memo had also ordered them to shut down all social-media accounts and websites related to these offices and departments.
