Staff Reports
In a remarkable display of confusion and panic reminiscent of a soap opera meltdown, federal employees found themselves grappling with a recent email from the Trump administration offering a chance for early resignation. The email offered federal workers the tantalizing reveal of pay and benefits extending until the end of September, should they be so daring as to resign by February 6. While this golden parachute was extended to hundreds of thousands of government workers, there’s been an unexpected wave of skepticism and outright hilarity in response, particularly at agencies like the EPA and Department of the Interior.
Among the chaos, an EPA employee did not hold back in expressing disbelief at the message flooding employees’ inboxes. The employee described the email as sounding “batshit crazy” and contended that it lacked credibility, especially when coming from an agency notorious for never getting it right. The suggestion to simply reply with “Resign” to an email from “[email protected]” was seen as a Sunday afternoon joke rather than a serious opportunity. After all, trusting such a mediocre email address is akin to giving your credit card number to a telemarketer.
The Trump administration is offering federal workers a “Deferred Resignation Program.”
The deal allows them to stay on the payroll without working until Sept. 30. Employees must reply to an email with the word “resign” by Feb. 6 to accept. pic.twitter.com/miDrlsrx5S
— NTD Television (@TelevisionNTD) January 29, 2025
Workers from the Department of the Interior were apparently not ready to raise the white flag just yet. Reports indicated that chaos reigned supreme, as employees scrambled to decipher the fine print of this seemingly dangerous offer. With vivid illustrations of panic, one Interior employee reflected a powerful sentiment that resonated through the offices: any move towards resignation would simply have to be made “kicking and screaming.” Clearly, the notion of jumping ship wasn’t palatable to most.
Meanwhile, at the National Science Foundation, the reaction was equally entertaining. One employee reportedly hit the delete button as soon as the email landed in their inbox, fearing they might accidentally click “reply” and thereby resign themselves into the abyss of unemployment. The very idea of being tricked into sending a resignation email by a government bungler proved to be more than just a passing concern. After all, who among them would want to risk a rash decision based on a dubious offer from an administration that has been dubbed “the swamp” by some?
A second NSF employee offered a dose of comical reality—they saw the resignation offer as insulting yet still reflected on the uncertainty of their jobs. The general jest among them seemed to be a mix of incredulity and determination to stick around, with one thoroughly frustrated worker proclaiming they would fight back against such intimidation tactics. Even employees at the Department of Energy scoffed at the offer, reflecting an overwhelming sentiment that this is just a thinly veiled ruse to thin out the federal workforce, with absolutely no trust in the legality or sincerity of the Trump email.
As agency employees collectively scratch their heads, a total of around 200,000 workers may now find themselves facing a wild choice. While the administration appears optimistic that a solid wave of resignations might take place, the prevailing sentiment among federal employees is one of disbelief and defiance. Trusting the government to do the right thing has never been easy, and it seems that this latest move from the Trump administration has only fueled skepticism. In an attempt to streamline government operations, it appears they may have overlooked one critical detail—federal employees are nothing if not resilient in the face of absurdity.
