Federal Unions Urge Workers To 'Say NO' To Trump's Deferred Resignation Offer: 'Riddled With Inconsistencies And Uncertainties

Federal employee unions are urging workers to reject the offer from Trump administration, which invites government employees to resign by Feb.6 and receive pay through the end of September.

The offer, dubbed the "deferred resignation program," has sparked confusion and anger among federal workers, with unions questioning its legality and fairness.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents 800,000 federal workers, has strongly advised its members against accepting the offer.

The union raised concerns about the legality of the proposal and whether the administration could meet its financial promises.

"Employees should not take the Program at face value," AFGE said to its membership. "OPM-issued FAQs are riddled with inconsistencies and uncertainties."

The AFGE and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over executive orders aimed at politicizing the civil service.

The lawsuit claims President Trump overstepped his authority by attempting to undo a regulation protecting civil servants' rights and accuses the Office of Personnel Management of not adhering to the Administrative Procedure Act.

Similarly, the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), representing 150,000 workers in 37 federal agencies, also urged its members to reject the offer.

"Make no mistake: this email is designed to entice or scare you into resigning from the federal government," the NTEU told the members. "We strongly urge you not to resign in response to this email."

What The Trump Administration Offers

The Trump administration's email, titled "Fork in the Road," outlined the option for federal employees to remain on the payroll until Sept. 30 without having to work in person, while avoiding potential furloughs or easier termination. Workers have until Feb. 6 to decide on the offer.

To accept the offer, employees simply need to reply to the email with the word "Resign."

"This 'fork' thing is not a buyout," said Jim Eisenmann, a partner with Alden Law Group who represents federal employees told NPR. "It's not based on any law or regulation or anything really other than an idea they cooked up to get federal employees out of the government."

He said the offer might seem like an easy option for those avoiding the full-time return-to-office requirement, but there's no guarantee they won't face other issues, such as being fired or laid off due to workforce reductions, Eisenmann pointed out.

The offer follows President Donald Trump's ongoing push to reduce the size of the 2.2 million-strong civilian workforce. His initiative is supported by Elon Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency, an advisory group formed to guide the administration on improving operations and recommending federal job cuts.

The subject line of Tuesday's email, "A Fork in the Road," echoed the one Musk used in 2022 when he took over Twitter (now X) and told employees to commit to "long hours at high intensity" or leave.

Confusion Over Resignation Terms

Further confusion arose from conflicting statements issued by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

While the initial memo left it unclear whether employees accepting the offer would need to continue working through September, an OPM FAQ later clarified that "Except in rare cases determined by your agency, you are not expected to work."

Workers who choose to resign are expected to be placed on paid administrative leave shortly after accepting the offer.

The email also made clear that workers would not have to return to the office, but it lacked clarity about whether they would be expected to continue working remotely.