Anonymous
Post 01/29/2025 19:01     Subject: What happens if large percentage take the buy out?
It's not a buy out. With march debt ceiling looming, they will shut the govt, and I bet they will argue for no back pay. Admin leave is not available for 7 months per employee. This is just full of misinformation and no thoughts of how to implement anything.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2025 18:58     Subject: What happens if large percentage take the buy out?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How many people do you actually think will take it? 1% maybe 2?


Supposedly their target is 5%+


It's not going to be anywhere close to that. This is an awful arrangement for the employee. The government can't uphold a contract with illegal terms.


I was shocked but some of my coworkers were considering it.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2025 18:50     Subject: What happens if large percentage take the buy out?
Anonymous wrote:What happens if there is a large percentage (50% or more) who take the federal buy out? All of those jobs just cease to exist? No work gets done at the federal level? Or is everything just optics and the work gets moved to federal contractor companies? That way Trump can say he reduced the federal workforce by 50% and his base is too stupid to realize all the work actually went to federal contractors.


This would be a hilarious result.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2025 18:48     Subject: What happens if large percentage take the buy out?
If half the feds leave it will be good bc the other feds will have no choice but to work a full hard day like the rest of the non-fed world. The contractors do the real work anyway with the feds supervising but really having no concept or understanding and just acting as figurehead to bless. Sounds harsh but that is the reality of what I have seen first hand.

Fed gravy train is finally over!
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2025 18:45     Subject: What happens if large percentage take the buy out?
Anonymous wrote:How many people do you actually think will take it? 1% maybe 2?


1/2 of one percent.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2025 18:33     Subject: Re:What happens if large percentage take the buy out?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If more than 5% take this deal, I'd be surprised.

-A fed.


Ironically, the one person I know who is considering it is a Trumper. When I mentioned the risks, they had no idea — likely because they watch only one news channel that isn’t talking about the risks.
Don't tell them. Let them go. fafo
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2025 18:07     Subject: Re:What happens if large percentage take the buy out?
Anonymous wrote:If more than 5% take this deal, I'd be surprised.

-A fed.


Ironically, the one person I know who is considering it is a Trumper. When I mentioned the risks, they had no idea — likely because they watch only one news channel that isn’t talking about the risks.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2025 18:02     Subject: What happens if large percentage take the buy out?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How many people do you actually think will take it? 1% maybe 2?


Supposedly their target is 5%+


It's not going to be anywhere close to that. This is an awful arrangement for the employee. The government can't uphold a contract with illegal terms.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2025 17:54     Subject: What happens if large percentage take the buy out?
Anonymous wrote:How many people do you actually think will take it? 1% maybe 2?


Supposedly their target is 5%+
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2025 17:53     Subject: What happens if large percentage take the buy out?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The "buy out" is an Elon Musk troll. There is a reason you only have until 2/6 to take it, and it's because everyone who takes a deferred resignation will just get let go without pay. Musk is going to then brag about getting rid of the 5-10% laziest feds who thought they would actually get paid to do nothing.


Getting 10% reduction in Fed headcount will absolutely be considered a triumph. Especially if it was voluntary. Assume 7% voluntary buy outs (not uncommon in the private sector) and another 8% involuntary reduction, altogether 15% reduction in workforce. If output does not decrease, it is without question a victory for the Trump administration. Although privately suspect they are looking at more than 15%. Probably 25%.

I listen to a few Democrats and some have said there's fat that can be trimmed in the bureaucracy so you may be surprised by the relatively minimal opposition.


For the millionth time - this is NOT a buy out. It’s an absurdly shady and illusory offer.


It doesn't matter what you think. The terminology being used is quite clear. They're calling it a voluntary buy out because people in the private sector are familiar with the term. Getting hung up over terminology is pedantic. The Administration's goal is clear: they want to reduce the size of the Federal bureaucracy and will do it one way or another.

It doesn't mean all Feds are losing their jobs. Most, in fact, will not. Just like most people didn't lose their jobs during the great recession or any other major recessions. But it's realistic to assume that between the reduction in headcount either by fiat or voluntary, cancellation of unfilled roles and eliminating a significant number of federal spending and projects, there will be overall trimming of the workforce.



Getting the terminology correct is actually very important. A VERA or VISP is a "buyout," and most definitely not what is being proposed. It's fine to say that you'll be on the reduction list and still get paid (which honestly, no one can guarantee because you don't have a budget beyond 3/14). So to come on here and proclaim it is something that it's not, when federal employment lawyers are saying it is not; various union leadership are saying it is not; senators are saying it is not; excuse us if we think you should go look for a job at DOGE. You're clearly not cut out for a federal job--because most in fed jobs know that details matter--and you sound like a moron!
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2025 17:31     Subject: What happens if large percentage take the buy out?
How many people do you actually think will take it? 1% maybe 2?
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2025 17:28     Subject: What happens if large percentage take the buy out?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What happens if there is a large percentage (50% or more) who take the federal buy out? All of those jobs just cease to exist? No work gets done at the federal level? Or is everything just optics and the work gets moved to federal contractor companies? That way Trump can say he reduced the federal workforce by 50% and his base is too stupid to realize all the work actually went to federal contractors.


1. Few will take it, for a number of reasons.
2. Contractors can't do the work. In my experience only 25 percent of contractors do quality work, and the price for contractors is anywhere from 150 percent to 400 percent more than doing the work in-house.
3. Contractor work isn't free from federal employees. A contract needs project managers and other feds monitoring the work.


The contractor side has 3 times the number of people and 4 time the cost vs the federal employees. They are trying to cut that by more than 1/2. So they are not going to replace anyone with contractors.

The problem is they are taking a business approach where employees are large part of the costs. In government the federal employees are not a large part of the budget. The biggest costs are the funds the federal government spends, transfers or writes checks to people.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2025 17:03     Subject: What happens if large percentage take the buy out?
No way most take this deal. But they want people to because it's a back door to privatizing govt and that's the goal. Start kicking out feds and remake govt by making it business oriented.

These people ran in a platform of govt not working efficiently so they want to destroy t but keep the market rolling. Kill 2 birds by this approach - whomever doesn't go they follow up with other ways of kicking out. But gov contractors will keep things afloat and get bigger. It's a great time for contractors.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2025 16:54     Subject: What happens if large percentage take the buy out?
Anonymous wrote:To answer your question directly, if a "large percentage" of federal employees take the buyout, we will have confirmation that a "large percentage" of federal employees are blithering idiots.


This was my first thought.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2025 16:50     Subject: What happens if large percentage take the buy out?
To answer your question directly, if a "large percentage" of federal employees take the buyout, we will have confirmation that a "large percentage" of federal employees are blithering idiots.