---
title: "More than 20,000 US government employees willing to quit, source says"
description: "WASHINGTON, Feb 4 (Reuters) - More than 20,000 federal employees have informed the U.S. government they are willing to quit their posts under an incentive program that has a Thursday deadline, a source told Reuters."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-04-more-than-20000-us-government-employees-willing-to-quit-source-says/"
published: "2025-02-04T20:26:07"
updated: "2025-02-04T20:26:08"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 110
---

# More than 20,000 US government employees willing to quit, source says

> WASHINGTON, Feb 4 (Reuters) - More than 20,000 federal employees have informed the U.S. government they are willing to quit their posts under an incentive program that has a Thursday deadline, a source told Reuters.

By Reuters · Published 4 February 2025, 22:26 SAST · Updated 4 February 2025, 22:26 SAST

## Key points
- In a bold move that has some Democrats crying foul, the White House is giving 2 million federal workers a chance to clock out early with pay, all while the Trump administration plays a high-stakes game of government downsizing roulette.
- The White House has proposed a "deferred resignation program" for 2 million federal workers, allowing them to stop working while receiving pay and benefits until September 30.
- This initiative is part of the Trump administration's efforts to reduce the size of the U.S. government.
- Public safety employees, including air traffic controllers, are exempt from this program.
- Some Democrats are questioning the legality of the offer, while the Office of Personnel Management defends it.

## Content

By David Shepardson and Karen Freifeld

The White House last week offered 2 million civilian full-time federal workers an opportunity to stop working this week and receive pay and benefits through Sept. 30 as the Trump administration seeks to slash the size of the U.S. government. Some Democrats say the offer is not legal.

The White House said Sunday it was exempting public safety employees, including air traffic controllers, from the "deferred resignation program." The White House Office of Personnel Management defended the legality of the program in a memo to agencies on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Karen Freifeld and David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Cynthia Osterman)