Attorney General Anthony G. Brown, along with attorneys general from eleven states, issued a warning today to federal employees regarding the Trump administration’s new “deferred resignation” program. This program promises federal employees full pay and benefits through September 30, 2025, if they resign by February 6, 2025.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) first announced the program in an email to federal employees on January 28, explaining that those who accept the offer can resign and still receive all pay and benefits while being exempt from in-person work requirements until the program’s end date. A subsequent email from OPM on January 30 urged employees to consider seeking “higher productivity” jobs outside of government. However, it also cautioned that remaining employees might not be guaranteed their positions.
Immediate responses from federal employee unions included warnings about the uncertainties of the program’s benefits. The American Federation of Government Employees and the National Federation of Federal Employees both released statements advising their members to carefully consider the offer, highlighting that the promised benefits are not guaranteed.
Attorney General Brown criticized the program as vague and potentially damaging, noting, “Federal employees are essential to the operation of our government and the welfare of the country. This program not only puts their job security at risk but could also strain vital services that many Americans depend on.”
The coalition joining Brown includes the attorneys general from Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Vermont, and Washington, all expressing concern over the impact this program may have on the federal workforce and the delivery of critical services across the United States.
