Buyouts to nearly all federal workers?

Sort by newest Sort by date
Boghie said:
Long term it's actually cheaper to remove the dead wood from the system.

Say my cost to the Gubmint is $100K - salary, OASDI, FEHB, and TSP match. That would be a GS-9 Step 5 in Raleigh. That means that you will cost the Gubmint about $75K because they pay you 3/4ths of the year. Round numbers. This is a one time cost and will be accrued only for FY2025.

If this chap decides to take a job in the private sector he will cost the Gubmint $0 in FY2026, $0 in FY2027...
If this chap decides to retire he/she will be getting his/her FERS pension - but he/she was on track to get that soon anyway.
If this chap seeks Federal employment once they cull the useless positions he/she will be doing useful work - at least per the Trumpster
Or, if this individual looks around and finds he/she is actually phoning it in ( ;) ) then he/she is incentivized to look for other employment.

So, the only negative is if someone takes an additional year of FERS annuity. The other results are net positives. And, yes, it can actually be less expensive to let some bureaucrats slumber their eight months with pay rather than cause hate and discontent with the myriad of stultifying regulations they enforce (but, which will likely be vanished).

Where the DOGErs seem off is that 200K Gubmint employs won't save hundreds of billions of dollars. However, if there is no screaming for the valuable service they once offered, perhaps the entire entity could be vanished and that would save bank.
Click to expand...
Well they're also off on numbers. Lying, saying only 6% of feds show up to work full time is nonsense. So if they are blatantly lying about that, should you trust them? Maybe this will pan out. I hope so for those taking it, and I hope those that decide to stay will be ok and they'll leave us alone if they feel they've exacted their pound of flesh thru this offer. Right now I'm in the latter, so I hope I'll have a job..
 
Boghie said:
Long term it's actually cheaper to remove the dead wood from the system.
Click to expand...
I agree about getting rid of the dead wood. Easier in the private sector.
What I see is promise made but promise not kept.
A federal employee takes this at face value and sees an opportunity and in good faith sends the resignation email. Then the administration sends out an executive order that places that employee into a schedule "F" designation. Employee terminated well before the promised 8 months. Lots of money saved and the administration comes backs and says look how great we are. We cut billions of dollars from the budget. Unemployment rises 6%. Administration says we kept our promise.
Be wary of the snake oil salesman.
 
Has anyone actually gotten the email? I am not sure that if you "resign" whether or not you would be eligible for immediate retirement on Oct 1 2025 with all the benefits, pension & FEHB. Eight months severance sounds enticing (Definitely better than $40K VERA/VSIP) but how does that impact your retirement eligibility/benefits?
I would think this would be more beneficial to younger employees with less than 10-15 years who could easily find another job which might be counter productive. Good employees typically don't have a problem finding another job.
 
Last edited:
I saw the email.

For what it is worth - it is illegal to pay a federal employees without NOT to work.

Current law provide only up to $25,000 for a separation allowance. And the laws on “paid leave” prohibited legally from being used in the fashion they are proposing.

From my 25 years federal work, including time as a Union rep and bargaining negotiator fluent in CFR’s relating to HR, all I can say is:

1. Don’t take this one, because it is not legal.
Not in any way, shape or form.

2. If you take it, and they stop paying you, you have NO legal recourse, because its an illegal scheme .

3. This appears to be a Musk related rogue OPM who sent it out, and caught real HR people flat-footed.

5 CFR provides a great deal of regulation if they want to defund positions. It takes a while, and in any case, you’ll get more money, and more benefits if you are forced out in a RIF.

My advice is stay far away.

Look again in a year, when they have people who have some idea of the law briefing them before they announce plans or offers.
 
Also- technically, they offered to pay you I till September. However, the government is only funded until March. Legally, they cannot pay you after that date.


If you “accept,”, you can easily lose everything. No job, no pay coming in, and no way to appeal, because it’s not legal in the first place.

With a RIF, at least you get retention rights and a payout of a chunk of money based on years of service.
 
nasa1974 said:
Sorry I don't buy it.
Any other company and you walk into your boss's office and say "I resign" you are cleaning out your desk that day. They aren't going to say ok we will pay you for the next couple months to sit on your butt and do nothing.
Think about this.
One week after the deadline set for resignation an executive order is signed placing all federal employees under schedule "F".
You sent the resigned email. How much longer will you be working?
They are playing a high-stake game, and we can't see all the cards.
Click to expand...

I teleworked during the pandemic while working as a park ranger. So, as far as being paid to sit on my butt for months, been there-done that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Boghie said:
Yeah, he is shocked by the rapidity... So am I. I have been telling folks it would take months to years to make any type of move. Nope...

For many folks this is a nice golden parachute. Folks should not let TDS drive this decision. This is your decision.
Click to expand...

Yes, exactly. Regardless of politics, look out for number one.

I readily admit that I’m not following this as closely as I’d like because I’m retired already, but I read a comment early on in the media somewhere that basically said one could accept the buyout/resignation, but could also retire at any point prior to the resignation date.

So, if that’s true and you were going to retire anyway, enjoy your vacation!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Got this from Linkedin.. Consensus - get a friggin lawyer if you are seriously thinking about this. Not political, just warnings about lack of details, is this legal, why are they not offering other legal methods (VERA, etc.) I guess if you're ready to go, it might be worth the risk, but if you resign, will you still get your retirement benefits like health care, etc. Our agency heads can't answer basic questions about time sheets GFE's, email access during the 8 months, etc. Our director and Controller saw this the same time we did, so there was NO preparation to be able to implement this in a "dignified" manner. You are being asked to reply with one word without any details. And all this while they were preparing to implement the return to office. No small feat on it's own. We're going to be back in app. week of 2/17.

If you have 25+ years in, is this worth the risk for 8 months paid leave? Can they legally offer those 8 months as time in service towards your pension? If I could, I think I'd opt to go thru the conventional channels, submitting paperwork to the retirement board, going thru HR, etc. to make sure you get you're benefits. My opinion..

www.linkedin.com

Govt clarifies 'buyout' program | LinkedIn

Workers who opt for a deferred resignation by Feb. 6 will likely be placed on administrative leave and not required to work through September, the Office of Personnel Management clarified.
www.linkedin.com www.linkedin.com
 
For those who didn't get the email it's on OPM's website title "Fork" in the top tabs. There is also a Frequency Asked question (FAQ) section. As for me I still have a job to do for a bet longer to reach 20 years. So unless there was a VERA/VSIP offered by my agency I will still be here a bit longer. I do question though why the offers are coming in an email from OPM and not our agencies. I always thought the agencies were the ones who put out this stuff. Maybe from direction from OPM I don't know but the ones I have saw happen didn't come directly from OPM to the employees.


www.opm.gov

Fork in the Road

Welcome to opm.gov
www.opm.gov www.opm.gov
 
Last edited:
WorkFE said:
True but Paid Leave with a permanent end date. I was thinking of staying one more year (62) and retiring, I may readjust that but most likely not. As an Emergency Manager I've never been authorized telework, so I suppose I don't know what I'm missing. I do interact with quite a few folks who are teleworking, they are responsive, so I have no negative opinion one way or the other.
It's no scarier than the last big RIF they had, got to be over 10 years ago. I guess if you are a teleworker and have gotten used to it, I'd probably accept going back to the office or be on pins and needles. Good luck to those having to make that decision.
Click to expand...

Note: it is illegal to give paid leave more than 30 days if the end result or a termination of employment. There is NO LEGAL BASIS for this offer, OPM itself did not write the Enail and was just as surprised as others, I’m hearing. This is the same wording that Elon Musk sent at Twitter. And Musk’s people set up a mail server at OPM without authority.
 
jonfresno said:
Got this from Linkedin.. Consensus - get a friggin lawyer if you are seriously thinking about this. Not political, just warnings about lack of details, is this legal, why are they not offering other legal methods (VERA, etc.) I guess if you're ready to go, it might be worth the risk, but if you resign, will you still get your retirement benefits like health care, etc. Our agency heads can't answer basic questions about time sheets GFE's, email access during the 8 months, etc. Our director and Controller saw this the same time we did, so there was NO preparation to be able to implement this in a "dignified" manner. You are being asked to reply with one word without any details. And all this while they were preparing to implement the return to office. No small feat on it's own. We're going to be back in app. week of 2/17.

If you have 25+ years in, is this worth the risk for 8 months paid leave? Can they legally offer those 8 months as time in service towards your pension? If I could, I think I'd opt to go thru the conventional channels, submitting paperwork to the retirement board, going thru HR, etc. to make sure you get you're benefits. My opinion..

www.linkedin.com

Govt clarifies 'buyout' program | LinkedIn

Workers who opt for a deferred resignation by Feb. 6 will likely be placed on administrative leave and not required to work through September, the Office of Personnel Management clarified.
www.linkedin.com www.linkedin.com
Click to expand...
A interesting link about 3 deep from LnkedIn post above: https://federalnewsnetwork.com/comm...ointees-dont-lose-your-10x-federal-employees/ "New appointees: Don’t lose your 10x federal employees"
From the LinkedIn I found this interesting point "Most of the Federal gov is only funded through March 14th." When I took VERA/VSIP they sent out the letter in FY15 asking who was interested and you had to submit an application. Then congress didn't do their job and we had continuing resolution(s) making it so they could not accept any applications for VERA/VSIP because they could not authorize any new spending during the CRA. Maybe this is a way around that since existing employee salaries would be covered with this letter offer. Bottom Line: They can't offer VERA/VSIP during CRA since it only funds current programs.
For those who are eligible for retirement see Immediate Retirement https://www.opm.gov/retirement-center/fers-information/eligibility/
"An immediate retirement benefit is one that starts within 30 days from the date you stop working" So if you resign & stop working in February, would you only get one month of the offered 8 month pay? Some seem to indicate that you can retire earlier if you become eligible during this time. Seems like a lot of pitfalls that you really do need to obtain legal counsel to avoid making any big mistake..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

James48843
OPM HEAD RESIGNS
Replies
1
Views
3K
blueroadster
B
Bullitt
All federal employees will be subject to Trump’s payroll tax deferral
Replies
15
Views
2K
rangerray
rangerray
NewsFeeder
President Donald Trump to hold 3:30 p.m. ET news conference Saturday in Bedminster, N
Replies
0
Views
266
NewsFeeder
NewsFeeder
NewsFeeder
Trump Says He’s Restricting Travel From Europe for 30 Days
Replies
2
Views
176
Bullitt
Bullitt
NewsFeeder
Recoveries Top 100,000; Trump Wants U.S. Reopened: Virus Update
Replies
0
Views
222
NewsFeeder
NewsFeeder
Back
Top