Billionaire Elon Musk (left) is seen as the architect of the “deferred resignation” offer to federal employees. He sent a similarly worded offer to Twitter staff when he bought that company in 2022. Here, he speaks as President Trump looks on at a MAGA victory rally on Jan. 19.
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
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Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
Federal employees are receiving additional communications that appear designed to entice them to accept the Trump administration’s “Fork in the Road” resignation offer, despite mounting questions about whether the offer is legal.
While the initial offer to federal employees to resign by Feb. 6 and retain their pay and benefits through Sept. 30 came directly from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), some of the latest guidance is coming from agency leaders, further sowing confusion over what’s to be believed.
Employment attorneys and union representatives emphasize that OPM, which handles many human resource matters for federal workers, lacks the authority to promise paid leave for government employees other than its own.
OPM acknowledges as much in a fact sheet on its own website. It states “OPM does not regulate the use of administrative leave. This authority rests with each agency head.”
Agencies don’t have funding guarantees past March 14
Moreover, agency budgets are controlled by Congress, not OPM, and many agencies will run out of money on March 14 if Congress doesn’t approve a new budget or pass another continuing resolution.
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