Elon Musk listens as President Donald Trump speaks after taking the oath of office at the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (Kevin Lamarque/Pool Photo via AP)2025-02-06T05:02:40Z WASHINGTON (AP) Thousands of miles from Elon Musks office in the White House complex, a federal worker based in the Pacific Northwest is wondering whether to quit.Musk, one of President Donald Trumps most powerful advisers, has orchestrated an unprecedented financial incentive for people to leave their government jobs, promising several months of pay in return for their resignation. The worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, wants to take the money and move overseas.But shes worried. What if the offer is too good to be true? What if this is really a covert effort to make a list of disloyal government employees?Her situation is a microcosm of the uncertainty sweeping through the federal government, which is the countrys single largest employer. More than 2 million workers analysts, nurses, scientists, accountants, food inspectors and loan processors face a deadline of 11:59 p.m. EST Thursday to decide if they should leave. Trump administration is urging workers to take the dealThe deferred resignation program is part of Trumps plan to remake the federal government, weakening what allies describe as the deep state that undermined the Republican president during his first term. Administration officials said they can save taxpayer money by presenting employees with a valuable, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to stop working while still collecting a paycheck until Sept. 30. On Wednesday, the administration ramped up its pressure on employees to leave, sending a reminder that layoffs or furloughs could come next. The majority of federal agencies are likely to be downsized through restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force, said the message from the Office of Personnel Management, which has been a nexus of Musks efforts to downsize the government. The email said anyone who remains will be expected to be loyal and will be subject to enhanced standards of suitability and conduct as we move forward. Some employees could be reclassified to limit civil service protections as well. Employees who engage in unlawful behavior or other misconduct will be prioritized for appropriate investigation and discipline, including termination, the email said. Democrats and unions warn that workers could be stiffedDemocrats said workers shouldnt accept the deferred resignation program because it wasnt authorized by Congress, raising the risk they wont get paid. Unions have sued to stop Trumps plans, and a judge will consider whether to block the buyout offer at a hearing Thursday afternoon in Boston.Its a scam and not a buyout, said Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees.Kelley said he tells workers that if it was me, I wouldnt do it. An employee at the Department of Education, who also spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation, said the administration appeared desperate to get people to sign the agreement. However, she said there were too many red flags, such as a clause waiving the right to sue if the government failed to honor its side of the deal. The deal is exactly what it looks like, says Trump officialTrump put Musk, the worlds richest man, in charge of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, which is a sweeping initiative to reduce the size and scope of the federal government. The original email offering the deferred resignation program was titled Fork in the road, echoing a similar message that Musk sent Twitter employees two years ago after he bought the social media platform. Trump administration officials have organized question-and-answer sessions with employees as the deadline approaches. Rachel Oglesby, the chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Education who previously worked at the America First Policy Institute, said Trump is trying to reduce the federal workforce. I know theres been a lot of questions out there about whether its real and whether its a trick, she said, according to a recording obtained by The Associated Press. And its exactly what it looks like. Its one of the many tools that hes using to try to achieve the campaign promise to bring reform to the civil service and changes to D.C. The issue was also discussed during a meeting with Department of Agriculture employees, according to another recording obtained by the AP. Marlon Taubenheim, a human resources official, acknowledged that these are very trying times and theres a lot of stress.Unfortunately, we dont have all the answers, he said.Jacqueline Ponti-Lazaruk, another agency leader, said employees probably didnt have the runway of time that you might have liked to make a life-changing decision.For those who remain, she said, well just keep plugging along.Assurances from administration officials have not alleviated concerns across a range of agencies. Some federal workers said they did not trust the validity of the offers, doubting that Trump has the authority to disburse money. Others point to his record of stiffing contractors as a New York real estate mogul. Musks plans spark demonstrations in WashingtonScattered protests have sprung up outside federal buildings, including on Tuesday at the Office of Personnel Management.Im taking a risk and being bold and trying to get more federal workers to take a risk to speak out, said Dante OHara, who said he works for the government. Because if we dont, then were all going to lose our jobs and theyre going to put all these loyalists or people that will be their shock troops.Government jobs have often been considered secure positions, but OHara said theres fear in the workforce. The sense from his colleagues is I dont know if Im going to be here tomorrow because, like, we dont know whats going to happen.Dan Smith, a Maryland resident whose father was a research scientist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said federal workers are so underappreciated and so taken for granted.Its one thing to downsize the government. Its one thing to try to obliterate it, Smith said. And thats whats going on. And that is what is so frightening and disgusting and requires pushback.Mary-Jean Burke, a physical therapist for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Indianapolis, said shes worried that too many people will leave, jeopardizing health care services. Burke, who also serves as a union official, said doubts have also been growing over whether to take the offer.Originally, I think people were like, Im out of here, she said. But then they saw a social media post from DOGE, which said employees can take the vacation you always wanted, or just watch movies and chill, while receiving your full government pay and benefits.The message backfired because that kind of thing sounded a little bit too good to be true and people were hesitant, Burke said.Either way, she said, Trump has achieved his apparent goal of shaking up the federal workforce. Every day, its something, Burke said. If he signed up to be a disrupter, hes doing it.___Associated Press writers Nancy Benac, Nathan Ellgren, Gary Fields, Joshua Goodman and Brian Witte contributed to this report. CHRIS MEGERIAN Megerian covers the White House for The Associated Press. He previously wrote about the Russia investigation, climate change, law enforcement and politics in California and New Jersey. twitter mailto COLLIN BINKLEY Binkley covers the U.S. Education Department and federal education policy for The Associated Press, along with a wide range of issues from K-12 through higher education. twitter mailto