Overview

• OPM says about 154,000 employees accepted the program overall, with most departures effective today and the rest by year’s end.
• Launched in January, the program let volunteers go on paid administrative leave until a formal separation date commonly set for September 30.
• A July Senate analysis estimated about $14.8 billion in upfront wages and benefits for participants, underscoring a dispute over near‑term costs versus long‑term savings.
• Unions, agency officials, and experts warn of lost expertise and service strains, including nearly 200 buyouts at the National Weather Service that thinned technical staff and seasoned forecasters.
• The resignations coincide with a congressional funding deadline, prompting agency contingency planning, with Maryland officials warning of local economic fallout and SSA outlining continuity for benefit payments.