Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by 0xffff2 267 days ago
I believe the 100k are those that took the "deferred resignation program" at the beginning of the year. They have been getting paid to not bother showing up to work all this time, but are finally coming up on the date where they will all officially resign. Those people are choosing to leave.
1 comments
AnimalMuppet 267 days ago
Took? Or got placed on?

Genuine question, because I don't know the answer. Was it actually voluntary at the time?

link
burkaman 267 days ago
It was voluntary on paper, but there was a clear threat that if you didn't take it there was a good chance you would be fired with no severance. Whether this threat was implicit or explicit depended on what department you were in.

Source: Federal workers I know personally, and numerous public statements from DOGE officials and cabinet secretaries when this offer was made.

> “The reality is clear: A large-scale reduction, in response to the President’s workforce executive orders, is already happening. The government is restructuring, and unfortunately, many employees will later realize they missed a valuable, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” the official said.

- https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/04/politics/trump-administration...

link
0xffff2 267 days ago
It was actually and completely voluntary. My only source is that I am a federal contractor who was invited to at least some of the all hands meetings where this was discussed within my agency. The federal government is _huge_ and obviously I can't speak to every single agency, but at least for mine there wasn't even a hint of pressure to take the offer.
link
rsynnott 266 days ago
It was essentially a "jump or be pushed" sort of thing. Realistically, it wasn't voluntary.
link
Jtsummers 267 days ago
DRP was voluntary. Some people who took it would still have a job tomorrow if they hadn't. Others who took it were in a situation where they were likely going to get RIF'd. DRP gave them a better off-ramp than the severance package under a RIF. For them, it wasn't really voluntary but more a "Well, I'm losing my job anyways might as well get the best deal I can out of this shitty situation." Many others took it because they were going to retire this year anyways, so why not?
link