January 29, 2025

Federal Employee Buyouts & Grant Pause: What You Need to Know

Federal employees deserve clear, timely information about changes that may affect their careers. Deaf in Government (DIG) and Deaf Equality are committed to bringing you critical updates that impact Deaf and Hard of Hearing federal employees.

On Tuesday, January 28, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced offers to federal employees for deferred resignations (also referred to as “buyouts”). This offer appears to ask federal employees to agree to resign at a later date and it requires federal employees to submit their decision by February 6. 

If you receive such an offer or experience changes to your employment status, you need to carefully review and decide what is right for you. It’s very important to understand what the offer includes or not, and how the offer impacts your rights. You need to look closely at how the terms of the offer may impact your compensation, retirement, benefits, and future re-employment opportunities. Before you make any decisions, we strongly encourage you to consult with a lawyer experienced in workplace rights to review your specific situation and ensure you are fully informed and protected. If you are covered by a collective bargaining agreement, you may also want to reach out to your union representative.

In addition, the administration announced a temporary pause on federal aid, which may impact funding for programs that support the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. This pause was scheduled to go into effect at 5 pm ET Tuesday, January 28. A federal judge temporarily blocked the pause until 5 pm ET February 3, meaning certain grants could still move forward for now. On Wednesday, January 29, the administration rescinded the OMB memo regarding the temporary pause. As the situation is still ongoing, Deaf organizations and advocates should stay in touch with their grant administrators for the latest information.

We will share further updates on our websites and social media as they become available. For support or questions, contact Deaf in Government (DIG) at contact@deafingov.org and Deaf Equality at contact@deafequality.org. Please see our previous Joint Message From DIG and Deaf Equality message for more information.

Stay empowered. Stay informed.