President Donald Trump issued a stark ultimatum to thousands of federal employees still working remotely as his administration continues reshaping the government workforce.
According to Daily Mail, Trump announced on Wednesday that federal workers who do not return to their offices by February 6 would be terminated while offering generous buyout packages to those who choose to resign.
The announcement came during the signing of the Laken Riley Act at the White House, where Trump emphasized his expectations for federal employees to show up to their offices on time and according to schedule. The administration anticipates significant downsizing of the federal workforce through this directive, as some employees may opt not to return to in-person work.
The Office of Personnel Management has begun sending emails to federal workers, presenting them with the option to voluntarily leave their positions while continuing to receive full pay and benefits through September 30. Workers have until February 6 to accept this offer by simply responding with "resign" in their email subject line.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt highlighted that only six percent of federal workers in Washington, DC currently work full-time in their offices. She emphasized the government's substantial spending on empty office space in beautiful historic buildings throughout the city.
The newly established Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, reminded federal employees about the generous terms of the buyout offer. The department promoted the opportunity as a chance for workers to take extended paid vacation or leisure time while maintaining their government compensation.
The American Federation of Government Employees strongly opposed the administration's approach, with union president Everett Kelley releasing a critical statement of the policy. Kelley stated:
The number of civil servants hasn't meaningfully changed since 1970, but there are more Americans than ever who rely on government services. 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 union characterized the voluntary resignation offer as coercive rather than optional. They expressed concern about the combination of anti-worker executive orders and policies creating an intentionally hostile work environment designed to force out career civil servants.
The Office of Personnel Management has introduced a new employee designation called "Schedule Career/Policy," replacing Trump's previous "Schedule F" classification from his first term. Agency heads have been given 90 days to review all positions and identify roles that involve policy-determining policy-making, or policy-advocating responsibilities.
While the memo states that employees are not required to personally support the administration's politics, it demands their faithful implementation of policies. Acting OPM Director Charles Ezell argued that Trump has constitutional authority to nullify existing civil service regulations unilaterally.
The classification could affect hundreds of thousands of federal workers previously protected from easy dismissal. Ezell outlined broad criteria for reclassification, including positions involving organizational unit direction, program accountability, grant evaluation authority, and public policy advocacy.
President Trump's latest directive represents a significant shift in federal workforce management, combining mandatory office return requirements with voluntary separation incentives. The administration aims to reduce the size of government through this two-pronged approach of terminating remote workers who don't return while offering attractive buyouts to those who choose to leave.
The February 6 deadline looms as federal employees must decide whether to return to their offices, accept the eight-month paid resignation package, or face termination. This initiative aligns with Trump's broader agenda to reshape the federal bureaucracy and implement his vision of a smaller, more centralized government workforce.
