Maryland AG Warns Federal Workers About Trump’s Resignation Buyout Program

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown has joined 11 other state attorneys general in warning federal employees about the Trump administration’s “deferred resignation program,” which offers employees pay through September 2025 if they resign by February 6, 2025.

President Donald Trump introduced the buyout program on January 28, targeting at least 2 million federal employees. The Office of Personnel Management memo outlined the program’s key details:

• Employees who resign by February 6 will receive seven months of salary
• Participants will retain all pay and benefits
• Workers will be exempted from in-person work requirements until September 30
• Most workers will be required to return to offices full-time

Attorney General Brown expressed concerns about the program, stating that it puts federal employees in an “ambiguous position” and risks straining essential government resources.

Major federal employee unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees and the National Federation of Federal Employees, have also warned their members against accepting the offer, cautioning that benefits are not guaranteed.

The warning coalition includes attorneys general from Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Vermont, and Washington.

The program’s deadline is set for this Thursday, February 6.