FTC Offers Staff Incentives to Leave Amid Key Antitrust Battles

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is offering financial incentives for employees to voluntarily leave, according to an internal email seen by Reuters. Approved staff will be paid through September 30 but will not need to work after May 23. However, the FTC may deny departures if they could materially impact its consumer protection and antitrust enforcement efforts.

This offer mirrors the "fork in the road" option provided to federal workers during Trump's first term but now includes safeguards to preserve critical agency functions. The move highlights that the Trump administration remains focused on keeping the FTC strong as it tackles major cases against Big Tech.

While other enforcement agencies have experienced mass resignations, the FTC has largely avoided them, despite controversy over the firing of two Democratic commissioners. In addition to the voluntary separation program, the FTC is offering early retirement packages to eligible employees.

The FTC is currently prosecuting Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) in a major antitrust case and is preparing for a consumer protection trial against Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) in September. Although concerns about trial delays arose earlier this year due to budget constraints, they were quickly addressed internally.

Under Chairman Andrew Ferguson, the FTC has launched a labor market task force, encouraged social media users to report unfair bans, and been tasked by Trump with combating ticket scalping and promoting deregulation to boost market competition. Recently, the agency also sued Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER), accusing it of misleading consumers about its Uber One subscription service.

An FTC spokesperson declined to comment on the separation incentives. The agency’s continued aggressive stance signals it remains a central player in Trump’s broader regulatory strategy.