Federal employees confused, angered by Trump’s offer to quit

President Donald Trump’s offer to most federal employees to resign now and be paid through September stunned the workers who received it — angering some, confusing many and raising questions about whether the offer is even legal.

President Donald Trump’s offer to most federal employees to resign now and be paid through September stunned the workers who received it – angering some, confusing many and raising questions about whether the offer is even legal. When a US Department of Agriculture staffer based in Mississippi received the deferred resignation offer on Tuesday, they read through it, laughing because it was just “nonsensical,” and then deleted it. “I’ve got my whole entire life invested in the federal government,” said the staffer, who also spent time in the military. “I’m not going to throw everything away.” Across the United States, multiple federal workers who spoke with CNN said they weren’t willing to sacrifice benefits beyond their salaries – including health and retirement benefits and student loan forgiveness – not to mention careers. They requested their names not be used for fear of retaliation. Federal workers’ unions quickly lashed out at the deferred resignation offer, stressing that it was not a buyout and that the administration might not be able to follow through on it. “Employees should not take the Program at face value,” the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest federal workforce union, told members about the offer in an FAQ on Wednesday. The communications from the Office of Personnel Management are “riddled with inconsistencies and uncertainties. It is also unclear whether OPM has the legal authority to support the Program or its alleged benefits, and the eligibility criteria are vague.”