Several federal employees have reportedly agreed to take up the Trump administration‘s severance package, which includes eight months’ worth of salary and benefits for leaving their government positions, reports The New York Post.
Approximately 20,000 federal workers have accepted the deal, comprising less than 1% of the total government staff, according to Axios’ Tuesday report. “I can tell you the 20K number isn’t current, the number of deferred resignations is rapidly growing, and we’re expecting the largest spike 24 to 48 hours before the deadline,” a White House official told The Post.
Staff members have until Thursday to opt for the proposal, with the White House aiming to decrease the federal workforce by 5% to 10%.
The severance package is thought to encompass at least 2.3 million federal staff members. Should the administration achieve its target of 5% to 10% acceptance rate, it anticipates taxpayer savings of nearly $100 billion. The standard annual departure rate for federal workers stands at roughly 6%, though it remains unclear how many package recipients had already planned to leave their positions.
Elon Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), had previously suggested the possibility of a severance package during the final stages of the 2024 campaign and subsequent weeks. Working alongside Musk, President Trump has been eager to substantially restructure and reduce the size of the federal government.
Some critics dispute the legality of these severance offers, arguing that such a significant staff reduction would require congressional approval. Public sector unions have cautioned their members against accepting the package.
The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest federal union, advised its members: “Employees should not take the Program at face value. It is also unclear whether OPM [Office of Personnel Management] has the legal authority to support the Program or its alleged benefits, and the eligibility criteria are vague.”