Trump Administration Pressures Remote Federal Workers to Relocate or Resign

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has ordered at least 200 remote employees to relocate to Washington, D.C., giving them just nine days to decide. The directive, seen by Reuters, warns that declining may lead to job termination, though severance pay could be an option.

Critics, including labor unions and governance experts, argue this is a strategic move to shrink the federal workforce. The National Federation of Federal Employees labeled it an attack on civil service, while University of Minnesota governance expert Nick Bednar called the short relocation notice “abnormal” and a tactic to force resignations.

The Trump administration, alongside Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is aggressively cutting government jobs, viewing the workforce as bloated. President Trump has ordered agencies to submit plans by April 14 to move offices to lower-cost regions, contradicting the OPM mandate. Meanwhile, new FBI Director Kash Patel has already relocated 1,500 employees, with 500 moving to Alabama.

This move is part of a broader effort to reduce federal staffing. Around 100,000 government employees have already been laid off or accepted buyouts. Trump’s latest memo instructs agencies to develop plans for mass layoffs by March 13, signaling further reductions.

Neither OPM, DOGE, nor the White House responded to requests for comment.