Federal Workers Paid $7 Billion Not To Work Under DOGE

A recent watchdog report reveals that federal employees were paid nearly $7 billion to not work under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative. This initiative, implemented during the Trump administration, aimed to reduce the federal workforce by offering a deferred resignation program. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the use of paid administrative leave increased by 435% between 2023 and 2025.

The deferred resignation program allowed federal workers to resign while still receiving full pay and benefits through the end of the fiscal year. This approach was modeled after a plan by Elon Musk when he acquired the social platform X. The GAO report estimates that $6.7 billion of the total $9.5 billion spent on leave was associated with this program. The report analyzed payroll data from 76 agencies, covering about 95% of the civilian federal workforce.

The Trump administration's efforts to cut federal spending included offering this program to approximately 2 million federal workers. However, the initiative faced criticism and legal challenges. The American Federation of Government Employees and other critics argued that the program was unauthorized by Congress and could potentially leave employees unpaid. Concerns were also raised about the program's impact on essential public services.

Despite these criticisms, Scott Kupor, Director of the Office of Personnel Management, defended the program, stating that the workforce reductions are expected to save $20 billion annually. The GAO report highlights the significant costs and challenges associated with the deferred resignation program, as well as the broader efforts to downsize the federal government.