ATLANTA — Federal employees in metro Atlanta are weighing whether to accept the buyout offer from the Trump administration.
An email blast went out to employees Tuesday, saying they have until February 6 to decide to resign and receive full pay and benefits until September 30.
“When I saw it, I thought this was a bunch of crap,” said one employee of the Internal Revenue Service who works in downtown Atlanta.
She did not want to identify herself, citing concerns about her job.
“I have over 30 years of government service and you are saying I resign. So, if we resign, what happens to retirement?”
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
The memo was released from the Office of Personnel Management. It is an effort by the Trump administration to get all employees back to the office instead of working from home. The employee who spoke with Channel 2 Action News works four days a week, with two days in the office and two at home.
“It has really been proven that we get more work done at home than we do in the office,” she said.
She also said it is a weighty decision to make in just a week.
“That means you don’t have the time to discuss it with your family or anything,” she said. “They are just booting you out is what they are doing.
Mika Cross, a workplace strategist with experience in the federal government, said the offer is not a buyout but a “deferred resignation.” She also said the program lacks clarity, causing confusion and skepticism.
“There’s no guarantee that you won’t have to work between now and September 25,” she said. “There are many uncertainties here that an unseasoned federal worker may be really confused and baited to accept something that seems too good to be true.”
TRENDING STORIES:
- Savannah Chrisley says she’s ‘scared’ where father Todd will end up once prison shuts down
- Truck spills piles of ‘undeliverable’ mail on side of I-285 in Cobb County
- DeKalb County police investigating incident causing slowdown on I-285
She had this advice for those who accept the offer:
“Proceed with caution. Advise with an employment attorney or especially someone who might be well-versed in employment law.”
The Trump administration has said there are exemptions from the buyout, including postal workers, members of the military, immigration officials and certain national security employees.
“I’m going to keep on working,” said the IRS employee. “Trump and his crew will have to come and carry me out, but I’m going to keep on working.”
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
