On January 28, 2025, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) introduced a “deferred resignation” program for federal employees, as detailed on their “Fork in the Road” webpage.
Key Aspects of the Deferred Resignation Program:
- Program Overview: Federal employees choosing to participate can resign effective September 30, 2025. Until then, they will continue to receive their current pay and benefits and are generally exempt from in-person work requirements.
- Eligibility: The program is open to all full-time federal employees, with exceptions including military personnel, U.S. Postal Service employees, individuals in roles related to immigration enforcement and national security, and other positions as specified by individual agencies.
- Participation Process: Employees who did not receive the initial email can still opt in by sending an email from their government account to hr@opm.gov with “Resign” in the subject line. The deadline to accept this offer is February 6, 2025.
- Retirement Considerations: Participants will continue to accrue retirement benefits during the deferred resignation period. If an employee becomes eligible for early or normal retirement before September 30, 2025, they may choose to retire instead of resigning.
- Work Expectations: Generally, employees are not expected to work during the deferred resignation period unless specified by their agency.
- Future Employment: Accepting deferred resignation does not prevent individuals from seeking future employment within the federal government.
This initiative is part of broader federal workforce reforms emphasizing a return to in-person work, performance-based culture, workforce streamlining, and enhanced conduct standards.
OPM included a page with detailed FAQs.