IFPTE Guidance on 'Resignation' Offer

1/30/2025 6:42 am

IFPTE Urges Members to Reject OPM "Offer" of “Deferred Resignation”

IFPTE is aware of and has received numerous questions regarding the “Fork in the Road” email (which is included at the bottom on this email) from the email hr@opm.gov (an email address that is itself currently the subject of a lawsuit).  

The email in question was sent to federal employees yesterday around 5 pm Eastern Time. 

AFEU recommends that Ames bargaining unit employees remain calm regarding the requested “deferred resignations” and refrain from responding to the email because of significant unanswered questions and concerns regarding the facts.  

Specifically, the email offers federal employees the option to accept the “deferred resignation” through February 6. However, it excludes “immigration enforcement and national security, and those in any other positions specifically excluded by your employing agency.”  This language is vague and leaves plenty of discretion to agencies.  In addition, it is unclear whether the administration would follow through on any promise of 8 months of paid administrative leave for employees.  

Moreover, this email was sent from an OPM email address to a list that was recently set up to communicate directly with federal employees without providing the required prior notice to any agency HR or labor relations. As a result, a recently filed lawsuit alleges that OPM failed to conduct the required Privacy Impact Assessment when setting up an email system to communicate directly with all federal employees.

Right now, we have more questions about this email and the “deferred resignation program” than answers. We know of no underlying policy nor any authority under which OPM is offering “deferred resignation.” We ask you to use trusted non-work emails and other methods of communication to tell BUEs not to “resign” and accept the terms of the “deferred resignation program.”  

We are working with our union partners, allied organizations, and Congressional Committees with jurisdiction over federal workforce issues to examine the legality and appropriateness of this email and the accompanying OPM guidance.  We will keep you apprised as this issue develops.  In the meantime, please let us know of any information you hear on the ground.  

Final note:  Finally, Our email here to the IFPTE distribution list was sent only to non-work emails, so if others in your Local did not receive this email it means that we do not have their personal email addresses.  Please encourage them to provide us with their personal email addresses, as we will only be communicating with Federal Locals on most matters moving forward through personal email addresses.  Please fill out this form here so that you are sure to be on the new distribution list, and so that you can also receive our federal news clips and updates distribution we will be sending out regularly.  You can also send your personal email address to mbiggs@ifpte.org as well and you will be added to the list.  

In Solidarity,

Matt and Gay