“Federal Workers Jump at Buyout Offers They Once Shunned”

Federal employees who initially declined Elon Musk’s “Fork in the Road” voluntary resignation program are now reconsidering, as a second wave of buyout offers prompts a growing number to accept.

Staff members at several key federal agencies — including the Departments of Defense, Energy, and Transportation — face deadlines this month to voluntarily resign while continuing to receive their pay and benefits through the end of September. Known informally among workers as “Fork 2,” the latest offer has resulted in significantly higher participation than the first round.

According to agency data, more than 2,700 employees at the Department of Energy — which oversees the U.S. nuclear arsenal — applied for the second buyout, more than doubling the 1,300 who accepted the initial offer. At the Department of Transportation, approximately 4,000 employees, or 7% of the total workforce, have submitted requests. Meanwhile, the Internal Revenue Service has seen participation from roughly one-fifth of its staff — about 20,000 employees — compared to 4,700 in the initial phase.

The precise scope of this wave of resignations remains uncertain, as the current process is being managed independently by each agency rather than centrally through the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which oversaw the first round when approximately 75,000 workers chose to leave.

Some senior officials, including those at the Department of the Interior, suggest that employees are now more inclined to accept the buyout in light of organizational restructuring, ongoing litigation, and visible reductions in workforce. A safety official at the agency indicated that some managers are attempting to reassure employees that operations will continue, though many workers view the current offer as a more viable exit strategy amid increased uncertainty.

Further motivating resignations is the administration’s broader push for reductions in force (RIFs). Employees subject to RIFs typically receive limited severance and lose access to healthcare immediately. By contrast, those who opt for the buyout retain both salary and benefits through September.

Workers are also responding to changes in federal employment protections. Notifications are being sent to staff that civil service protections — including those under the former Schedule F classification — may be revoked, allowing for at-will termination without standard procedural safeguards.

According to data from the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, more than 280,000 job cuts affecting federal employees and contractors have been announced across 27 agencies over the past two months. Although many of these cuts are subject to legal challenges, recent court rulings have tended to favor the administration’s efforts.

In a memo distributed earlier this month, agencies acknowledged shortcomings in the initial rollout of the program, citing confusion and skepticism among employees. The second round has been presented more formally, with contracts issued directly by agencies rather than through centralized OPM communication.

Reorganization plans currently under development may lead to additional workforce reductions, relocations, or structural changes that could further influence employees’ decisions to exit.

Representatives for the Interior Department declined to comment, and OPM stated that individual agencies are responsible for managing and reporting their own buyout programs.