The US government employee buyout program, designed to reduce the federal workforce, has officially closed to new volunteers. The initiative sought to incentivize resignations by offering over two million federal workers eight months of pay to leave their positions. This program was part of the Trump administration's broader effort to decrease the size of the federal government, with involvement from the Department of Government Efficiency, led by billionaire Elon Musk. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the offer as "generous" and asserted it would "save the American people tens of millions of dollars."
As of 19:20 Eastern Time on Wednesday, approximately 75,000 federal employees had opted into the buyout program before it closed. However, the initiative has faced significant opposition from Democrats, unions, and advocacy organizations. Critics argue that the plan could result in a "brain drain" within the federal government, as experienced employees leave without assurance of replacement.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and other unions have labeled the offer illegal. They express concerns about the lack of guaranteed funding for the promised eight months of pay, citing that Congress has not approved government funding beyond mid-March.
"We continue to maintain it is illegal to force American citizens who have dedicated their careers to public service to make a decision, in a few short days, without adequate information, about whether to uproot their families and leave their careers for what amounts to an unfunded IOU from Elon Musk." – AFGE National President Everett Kelley
The legal battle surrounding the program took a pivotal turn when US District Judge George O'Toole in Boston reversed an earlier ruling, allowing the program to proceed. This decision prompted unions' lawyers to evaluate potential next steps in response to what AFGE National President Everett Kelley termed a "setback."
Despite these challenges, Karoline Leavitt emphasized the economic benefits of the program, underlining its cost-saving potential for taxpayers.