Overview

• The U.S. Department of Education is offering employees up to $25,000 or severance pay, whichever is less, to voluntarily resign or retire by midnight on Monday.
• This initiative precedes significant workforce reductions as the Trump administration moves toward downsizing or potentially eliminating the department.
• Employees who have received certain bonuses or benefits in recent years, or have fewer than three years of service, are ineligible for the buyout offer.
• The buyout program aligns with broader federal workforce reduction efforts overseen by the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk.
• Linda McMahon, nominated as Education Secretary, is expected to oversee departmental restructuring with an emphasis on shifting education responsibilities to states.