Trump unveils federal employee buyout plan amid DEI suspension
The Donald Trump administration has announced plans to propose financial incentives for two million full-time federal employees, aiming to reduce employment within the administration, reports Reuters.
Reuters obtained details intended for federal employees, stating, "The "deferred resignation program" would allow federal employees to remain on the payroll through Sept. 30 but without having to work in person and possibly having their duties reduced or eliminated in the meantime," the agency reports.
According to Reuters, federal employees had until 6th February to decide. The offer includes civilian employees, except those in immigration and national security roles or working for the US Postal Service.
NBC News quoted a senior administration official estimating that 5-10% of federal employees might choose to leave, potentially saving $100 billion. However, Reuters has not verified this information.
Office workers sent on paid leave
"President Trump campaigned on ending the scourge of DEI from our federal government and returning America to a merit based society where people are hired based on their skills, not for the color of their skin," White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt announced on platform X.
This confirmed the statement from the Office of Personnel Management, which requested that "employees in any federal diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility offices will be placed on paid administrative leave."
After taking office as the U.S. President, Trump signed an executive order banning diversity, equity, and inclusion programmes. As reported by AFP, on Tuesday a message was posted on X stating that the Administration is taking steps to close/end all DEI initiatives, offices, and programmes.
According to Reuters, civil rights advocates argue that such programmes are necessary to address long-standing inequalities and structural racism. In contrast, Trump and his supporters contend that DEI programmes lead to unjust discrimination against other Americans and undermine the role of merit in hiring and promotion.
