Federal workers receive "deferred resignation" form agreement
Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios
Employees across the federal workforce received an email on Monday with a "deferred resignation agreement" document as part of the Trump administration's effort to get federal workers to resign.
Why it matters: The "deferred resignation" program claims that federal workers will continue to be paid through Sept. 30, as long as they resign this week.
- Government funding runs out on March 14.
- An OPM spokesperson confirmed to Axios this document was sent to federal workers on Monday.
What's inside: The form document says that any employee who signs it will "retain all pay and benefits and exempts them from all applicable in-person work requirements until September 30, 2025, or earlier if they choose to accelerate the resignation date for any reason."
- "By signing this agreement, the parties acknowledge that they have entered the agreement knowingly, voluntarily, and free from improper influence, coercion, or duress."
- "Employee understands that this agreement cannot be rescinded, except in the sole discretion of the [AGENCY HEAD], which shall not be subject to review at the Merit Systems Protection Board or otherwise," the form agreement states.
- The Word doc also says that the "Employee shall not be expected to work during the deferred resignation period except in rare circumstances as determined by [AGENCY]."
The document also says that the "Employee forever waives, and will not pursue through any judicial, administrative, or other process, any action against [AGENCY] that is based on, arising from, or related to Employee's employment at [AGENCY] or the deferred resignation offer, including any and all claims that were or could have been brought concerning said matters."
OPM's FAQ on "deferred resignation" says that the offer is available to all full-time federal employees, with some exceptions.
- "The federal workforce is expected to undergo significant near-term changes. ... you may wish to depart the federal government on terms that provide you with sufficient time and economic security to plan for your future—and have a nice vacation," the website states.
Friction point: The legal authority for this offer is unclear, and workers focused on science and technology across the entire federal government are facing a tight deadline to make a decision.
Flashback: Federal workers got an email from the Office of Personnel Management last week with the subject line, "Fork in the Road." That's the same subject line Twitter employees received after Musk acquired the company.
- Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency is looking to cut the federal workforce.
- Over the weekend, he posted that "very few in the bureaucracy actually work the weekend, so it's like the opposing team just leaves the field for 2 days!"
- Amanda Scales, a former employee of Musk's xAI company, is now the chief of staff at OPM, and Wired reported this weekend on other key personnel with ties to Musk now at the agency.
