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Maryland AG warns federal employees against Trump administration's buyout offer

Maryland Attorney General warns federal employees about buyout offer
Maryland Attorney General warns federal employees about buyout offer 00:45

BALTIMORE -- Maryland is joining 11 other states in warning federal employees against the Trump administration's buyout offer, Attorney General Anthony Brown said in a statement Monday.

The warning comes as the Trump administration works to reduce the size of the federal workforce.

In an email from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, federal employees were told they have until Feb. 6 to participate in a "deferred resignation program," allowing them to retain their pay and benefits until Sep. 30, 2025.

What does the government buyout offer mean for employees?

"If you resign under this program, you will retain all pay and benefits regardless of your daily workload and will be exempted from all applicable in-person work requirements until September 30, 2025 (or earlier if you choose to accelerate your resignation for any reason)," the OPM's email reads. 

Employees who accept the deferred resignation plan will go on administrative leave immediately, according to the OPM. They will continue to receive paychecks during regular pay periods.

The OPM also said it could not give those who chose not to resign "full assurance" regarding the certainty of their position or agency.

Maryland AG weighs in on federal employee buyout offer

Attorney General Brown criticized the buyout in a statement Monday.

"The terms of this vague, so-called 'deferred resignation' puts federal employees in an ambiguous position and risks straining essential government resources that people across the State and country rely on to live full, healthy lives," AG Brown said.

The AG also said the program was "the latest attack on the government's ability to provide vital support for Americans."

Brown joins the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Vermont, and Washington in issuing the warning. 

Unions and GOP leaders push back

Unions representing federal employees have spoken out against the buyout offer, including the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). 

"The number of civil servants hasn't meaningfully changed since 1970, but there are more Americans than ever who rely on government services. Purging the federal government of dedicated career civil servants will have vast, unintended consequences that will cause chaos for the Americans who depend on a functioning federal government," the AFGE said. "This offer should not be viewed as voluntary. Between the flurry of anti-worker executive orders and policies, it is clear that the Trump administration's goal is to turn the federal government into a toxic environment where workers cannot stay even if they want to."

As states warn federal employees, some GOP leaders called the buyout program illegal. They say the offer to pay employees who resign through Sept. 30 violates the Anti-Deficiency Act, CBS News reported. The law prevents the government from promising or spending more money than what Congress has made available. 

Federal employee return to office mandate

Before President Trump issued his resignation offer, he signed an executive order requiring federal employees to return to the office. White House administration officials told CBS News they expect up to 10%, or 200,000 federal employees, to resign following the measure. The same executive order also instituted a hiring freeze and modified hiring rules for federal workers. 

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