White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denied the latest liberal outrage that federal worker buyout offers are a way to “purge” the government of President Donald Trump’s critics.
This week, federal workers got an email offering a “deferred resignation program” until February 6. The workers would get paid and get benefits until September if they were hired. The plan is part of Trump’s bigger plan to cut spending and get government workers back to work.
Leavitt called it an “overwhelmingly popular policy” outside of Washington, DC, when asked if the buyout offer was simply a way to “purge people who don’t agree with the president” from the government.
“That’s absolutely false. This is a suggestion to federal workers that they have to return to work. And if they don’t, then they have the option to resign. And this administration is very generously offering to pay them for eight months. 6% of the federal workforce in this city actually shows up to work. That’s unacceptable. We’re all here at work at the office,” Leavitt declared.
“There are law enforcement officers and teachers and nurses across the country who showed up to the office today. People in this city need to do the same. It’s an overwhelmingly popular policy with people outside of Washington DC. The president campaigned on this and his administration is keeping a promise,” Leavitt added.
Leavitt also said there wouldn’t be any extra costs because of the office space, saying that the government already pays for buildings that are empty.
“We’re going to make good use of the office space in this city by having these federal workers return to work. I would also add that the order simply directs federal agencies to come up with a return to work plan. And so this isn’t a purge and this isn’t forcing every single individual in Washington DC to return to work,” she said. “Only if they are able and, of course, within the law.”
WATCH:
The Trump administration is giving all 2 million government workers what amounts to a buyout if they don’t want to go back to work later this year.
Employees of the federal government will start getting emails on Tuesday night telling them that they can keep their benefits and get paid through September if they quit by February 6.
The buyouts are open to all full-time government workers, except those in the military, the U.S. Postal Service, and jobs that deal with immigration enforcement and national security.
Government workers were told in an email on Tuesday to reply with “resign” if they wanted to quit.
“If you choose to remain in your current position, we thank you for your renewed focus on serving the American people,” the email states, adding, “At this time, we cannot give you full assurance regarding the certainty of your position.”
“If you chose not to continue in your current role in the federal workforce, we thank you for your service to your country,” it says, adding that employees will receive a “dignified, fair departure.”
“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 federal employees will have vast, unintended consequences that will cause chaos for the Americans who depend on a functioning federal government,” President Everett Kelley said in a statement.
“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.”
