More than 150,000 United States federal employees are set to depart the U.S. government payroll this week after taking buyout offers, the largest single-year exit of civil servants in nearly eight decades.
Unions and governance experts warn the move could strip agencies of critical institutional knowledge, according to Reuters.
The official resignations begin Tuesday for workers who had enrolled in a deferred exit program that extended their employment through September.
The buyouts are part of President Donald Trump’s effort to downsize the federal workforce, blending financial incentives with the risk of dismissal for those who declined the offer.
Many of the employees had already stepped away from their agencies months ago and were effectively on paid leave, according to the federal government’s HR office.
A professor at the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy, Don Moynihan,
warned that the most significant consequence of this week’s departures will be a massive “brain drain.”
He noted that the loss of so many seasoned civil servants represents a talent gap that will be difficult to rebuild.
“It takes years to develop deep knowledge and expertise to deliver government programs these people run. Now much of the knowledge is walking out the door,” Moynihan said.
According to interviews with a dozen current and former government employees and union officials, the loss of expertise is already hindering many agencies’ ability to function and serve the public.
Those who spoke to Reuters said the buyouts have disrupted a broad spectrum of government operations, from weather forecasting and food safety to health programs and space projects.
At the National Weather Service, nearly 200 employees accepted buyouts, leading to the departure of technical staff responsible for maintaining forecasting equipment as well as numerous seasoned meteorologists.
“It has caused massive disruption in offices throughout the country,” said Tom Fahy, legislative director of the National Weather Service Employees Organization.
