We are headed into America’s biggest mass resignation in history. This occurs on the heels of significant cuts of 4,000 jobs to the federal workforce imposed by the Trump administration. Over 100,000 fed workers that are getting ready to quit under a deferred resignation initiative. To wit, this colossal shift amounts to the largest one-year reduction in civilian federal employment since World War II. The expected voluntary separations and early retirements could bring that total to as much as 275,000 employees departing.
An uptick of historic proportions, the Great Resignation is roiling the economy. This trend is a result of an extensive federal reduction plan, aimed at saving the federal government around $28 billion per year. This program will protect is estimated to save or support about 200,000 jobs. During administrative leave, they will still be paid their full salary and given benefits for up to eight months. The fiscal costs of this project are enormous. The resignation program by itself is expected to cost taxpayers about $14.8 billion.
Federal workers have described a culture of fear and intimidation so acute that it has driven them to leave. A USDA archaeologist shared their experience, stating, “I was forced to accept the resignation plan. Not physically, or through any legal means, but through fear and intimidation.” Though poignant, such sentiments included an overlooked jewel of wisdom indicative of a swelling trend amongst federal employees who feel that their job security is eroding.
Russell Vought, head of the Office of Management and Budget, has been quoted emphasizing the administration’s perspective on federal workers. He stated, “When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work, because they are increasingly viewed as the villains.” This rhetoric has played a role in creating an atmosphere where many staff members believe they have no choice but to move on.
The new economic reality A big challenge now awaits those leaving the federal workforce. As of August 2025, the unemployment rate increased to 4.3%, its highest level since 2021. Job creation has hit a wall, with just 22,000 jobs created during severe supply chain disruptions still felt today from Trump’s tariffs. As a result, thousands of federal workforce employees have been left uncertain about their future in a difficult labor market. Even one Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employee couldn’t contain his excitement at the prospect of moving, saying, “The job market is terrible these days.”
Besides the voluntary resignations, the administration has fired thousands of federal employees. Unlike those other examples, these layoffs are not voluntary but rather the result of mandated cuts. As for the overall detrimental impact on recruitment and retention, Everett Kelley, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) president, expressed alarm. He called attention to the long-term effects of these cuts. He warned that “purging the federal government of dedicated career federal employees will have vast, unintended consequences that will cause chaos for the Americans who depend on a functioning federal government.”
The reasons for these mass resignations are clear and multifaceted. Public employees have long testified that their sense of mission as a public servant has been violated. A longtime employee at FEMA noted, “Federal workers stay for the mission. When that mission is taken away… they leave.” For many VA employees, the decision to leave followed months of intense burnout and apprehension. As one APS employee described this emotional burden, “It’s a massive mourning process.”
As these federal workers flee public service, many are eager to share their wish for improved mental health. They’re looking for a better work-life balance as they find their way along new journeys. Another VA employee explained, “Myself and many others that I know really hoped that we would finish our careers with the government… Many of us thought we could do better for our clients outside of the VA.”