President Trump recently offered federal workers a deal: Resign by Feb. 6 and receive full pay and benefits through Sept. 30 while on administrative leave. Elaine Kamarck explains why the move poses challenges for employees, the government, and Trump’s own presidency. Pushing federal workers out of their jobs with no plan for how government services will function is a recipe for disaster, she argues.
“If 10% of eligible workers took Trump’s offer, the government would save only $10.8 billion annually. In federal budget terms, that’s a drop in the bucket.”
—Elaine Kamarck
More research and commentary
Has pay kept up with inflation? In their new analysis, Wendy Edelberg and Noadia Steinmetz-Silber offer updates on changes in real pay across pay measures, inflation measures, time periods, and sectors in the United States.
Raising female employment in South Asia. South Asia’s female labor force participation remains among the lowest globally. Addressing safety, social networks, training, and hiring discrimination can help break barriers—but shifting social norms remains crucial for lasting change, say Laveesh Bhandari and Franziska Ohnsorge.
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