Donald Trump

Unions react as President Trump offers federal workers buyout

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Millions of federal workers are facing a choice, which is take a newly-offered severance package, or accept the Trump administration requirements that include returning to work in the office. Ian Cull reports. 

Millions of federal workers are facing a choice, which is take a newly-offered severance package or accept the Trump administration requirements that include returning to work in the office.

The workers union is pushing back, saying it’s throwing some agencies into chaos.

More than two million federal jobs hang in the balance.

The Trump administration sent an email giving them the option to quit now and keep getting paid with benefits, through September.

The White House expects five to ten percent of the workforce will take the deal. But if they decide to stay, any remote employees will have to return full time.

All full-time federal employees are eligible, except for members of the military, the postal service and those with jobs related to immigration enforcement and national security.

San Jose State University economist Robert Chapman Wood said it may temporarily help with the president’s goal of shrinking the government but expects it’ll also throw some departments into turmoil.

“So, this is only going to be one portion of what’s clearly going to be a dramatic view of how the federal government operates,” he said. “The organizations don’t have the opportunity to talk to the people that they really want to have stay and get them to stay. It means that people are not necessarily having a chance to think things through.”

The American Federation of Government employees union is urging its members not to resign until they have more guidance. They said that they should not take the offer at face value.

Union leaders said that Trump’s goal is to turn the federal government into a toxic environment where workers cannot stay even if they want to.

“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.”

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