13 hours ago
Last Updated:January 30, 2025, 09:58 IST
The federal employees have been asked to either resign or come to the office and work in person till February 6 in the US
United States President Donald Trump gives Feb 6 deadline to employees to return to office. (Courtesy: Reuters)
United States President Donald Trump has asked the country’s federal employees to return to office and work in person by February 6 or face termination.
The government has extended buyouts and also allowed the employees to leave their jobs under a deferred resignation programme. The Trump administration is aiming to decrease the federal workforce.
On Wednesday, President Trump gave the federal employees an ultimatum of either coming back to office or working in-person from office by February 6 or put their jobs at risk. This is the latest step taken by the administration in the direction of curbing remote work.
“If they do not agree to show up to work in their office by February 6, they will be terminated. Therefore, we will be downscaling our government, which is something that the last 10 presidents have tried very hard to do, but failed," said Trump.
US Administration Offers Buyouts To Employees
Trump made the remarks after the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) started extending buyouts to around two million federal employees who do not plan to come back and work in-person from the office within the given deadline.
On Tuesday, the administration started sending emails to the employees and gave them the deadline of February 6.
According to the OPM, most of the employees are required to work in person for five days a week.
Those employees who decide not to work from the office will be given permission to resign under a “deferred resignation programme" which was said to be a “dignified, fair departure from the federal government", as per the email.
All those employees who opt to resign will get their pay and benefits till September 30, 2025, and won’t be required to come to the office in the meantime.
“We think a very substantial number of people will not show up to work, and, therefore, our government will get smaller and more efficient. And that’s what we’ve been looking to do for many, many decades," said Trump.
He added that the employees may have to submit proof of not working in any other organisation till they are employed by the government.
“We may ask these people to prove that they didn’t have another job during their so-called employment with the United States of America, because if they did, that would be unlawful," said Trump.
Location :Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
First Published:January 30, 2025, 09:57 IST
News world Trump Asks Federal Employees To Come Back To Office By February 6 Or Face Termination
