A week after the U.S. Office of Personnel Management sent two million federal employees an email containing a differed resignation offer, the OPM has sent out a second email with additional details.
The emails, part of DOGE head Elon Musk’s effort to trim the size of government under President Donald Trump, are being sent out under the subject line “Fork in the Road” — the same language Musk used when he slashed jobs at Twitter after taking over that company in 2022.
The “deferred resignation” program offers to continue to pay federal employees through Sept. 30, 2025, if they resign by Feb. 6.
Monday’s email is titled “Fork in the Road: Today’s FAQs,” according to copy of the message reviewed by ABC News.
It follows the format of the initial email, providing a list of FAQs for employees considering the deferred resignation offer.
One question addresses the potential impact of a government shutdown. The OPM says that if the federal government shuts down after March 14, employees who have accepted the deferred resignation offer could see their pay impacted.
Another question addresses how the offer complies with existing privacy laws.
“Q: Does the deferred resignation program comply with all records and privacy laws?” the question asks.
“A: Yes,” the email says. “The deferred resignation program uses only basic contact information about federal employees, like name and government email address, along with short, voluntary email responses. That information is stored on secure government systems. To the extent the Privacy Act applies, all information relevant to the program is covered by existing OPM System of Records Notices.”
The email says that employees eligible for Voluntary Early Retirement (VERA) can combine that with their deferred resignation, provided they qualify.
It also says that if you accept the deferred resignation offer, “your agency can execute paperwork reflecting the terms.”
The email ends with, “Reminder that the deferred resignation program is available until Thursday, February 6.”
Many federal employees have expressed concerns over the uncertainly of exactly who is eligible for the offer and whether there will really be severance payments, which could be delayed by litigation.
Musk, the world’s richest person as the CEO of Telsa and SpaceX, developed a close relationship with Trump in the final months of Trump’s presidential campaign and was tapped to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, in order to eliminate what the Trump administration considers to be wasteful spending in the federal government.
Twelve attorneys general are warning federal employees about taking the offer, claiming it is misleading.
New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement that federal employees should be cautious and follow the guidance of their unions.
“Attacking our federal workforce will only cause more chaos and confusion for Americans, and will diminish the quality of services our government provides,” James said. “We will continue to fight back against any attempt to jeopardize the federal support and programs our states’ residents rely on.”
The other states that sent warnings to federal employees were Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Vermont, and Washington.
Some employment lawyers have questioned whether the deferred resignation offer is lawful because Congress, not the White House, is responsible for authorizing workers’ paychecks. On Friday, senior officials at the various federal agencies sent memos to staffers assuring them the offers were valid and lawful.
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