Trump is offering buyouts to federal employees. Here’s how many are eligible in Texas
The Trump administration announced a buyout this week for all federal workers who choose not to return to in-person work.
Federal employees were sent an email from the U.S. Office of Emergency Management on Tuesday. The note (viewable here) states that workers must return to the office five days a week.
For federal workers who choose to remain in their current position, the administration said it thanks them for their “renewed focus on serving the American people.” However, the administration also noted that going forward it cannot guarantee any jobs for those who stay.
“At this time, we cannot give you full assurance regarding the certainty of your position or agency but should your position be eliminated you will be treated with dignity and will be afforded the protections in place for such positions,” the OEM message read.
The American Federation of Government Employees is encouraging members not to resign until they’ve received further information and clarification on the buyout.
Furthermore, the labor union has created a frequently asked questions section for members, which can be viewed here.
“There is not yet any evidence the administration can or will uphold its end of the bargain, that Congress will go along with this unilateral massive restructuring, or that appropriated funds can be used this way, among other issues that have been raised,” AFGE posted to Facebook on Wednesday.
For those who choose not to return to the federal workforce, a buyout is available. Here’s what to know.
When does the federal buyout begin?
Federal employees have until Feb. 6 to choose the buyout.
For those who resign under the “deferred resignation program,” they will retain all pay and benefits and will be exempt from in-person work until Sept. 30. Employees can also choose to accelerate their resignation if they choose, the administration said.
To resign and select the buyout, federal employees must:
- Send an email from their government account to hr@opm.gov
- Type “resign” in the subject line and send the email.
How many federal employees work in Texas?
Nearly 130,000 federal employees call Texas home, according to a December 2024 report from the Congressional Research Service.
Texas is among the areas with the highest count of federal employees nationwide. Here’s the top five:
- Washington D.C.- 162,144
- California- 147,487
- Virginia- 144,483
- Maryland- 142,876
- Texas- 129,738
How many federal employees work in North Texas?
The Congressional Research Service report also included data for the number of federal employees in each of Texas’ 38 congressional districts.
The following information contains estimated data for several congressional districts located across North Texas:
- District 25 (Palo Pinto, Hood, Jack counties): Around 12,000
- District 12 (Parker, Tarrant counties): Around 13,000
- District 33 (Tarrant County): Around 5,500
- District 24 (Tarrant, Dallas counties): Around 6,500
- District 30 (Dallas County): Around 10,800
- District 32 (Dallas, Collin counties): Around 6,600
This story was originally published January 29, 2025 at 4:21 PM.
