Dear NAAE,
You may have received a message from the new hr@opm.gov email address with the subject line “Fork in the Road”. This email describes a “deferred resignation” option for most full-time federal workers with a short deadline to accept. Media outlets have described it as a buyout offer, but the message is vague and unclear. In addition, the legality of the offer itself is questionable. Please read it very carefully and think about your future before choosing to accept. There will likely be significant unmentioned consequences to accepting this offer. If you are close to retirement, please understand that “retiring” and “resigning” are very different. By voluntarily resigning, your ability to get a future federal job or carry your healthcare benefits into retirement may be in jeopardy. Other federal employee unions, including the NTEU have strongly recommended not accepting this offer to resign. Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va) has said that the executive branch has no authority to offer buyouts and that no funding has been allocated by Congress to pay workers who resign. The AFGE views this offer as a form of coercion to leave federal service. Please choose carefully when thinking it over.
In Solidarity,
The Executive Committee