Fortune’s Sara Braun spoke with three federal workers across different government agencies who are grappling with what they should do. These employees, who prefer to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, shared how they’re thinking about the deal, as well as their anger and sadness over how they’ve been treated by President Trump and the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Elon Musk. 

“It’s heartbreaking, it’s disgusting, it makes me want to quit,” says a female employee who works for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “But I will not be bullied out because I recognize that my work matters, and I’m scared at how the government is being dismantled.”

The offer itself was confusing, and a follow-up memo from the Office of Personnel Management this week didn’t give workers much clarity. There’s skepticism among employees (and lawyers) about whether or not it will be honored, and they say their management has given very little guidance. One patent worker says that a supervisor he knows is “getting their information from Reddit because they are hearing nothing from the higher-ups.” 

It’s also unclear where these employees would even return if they decide to stay in their roles. Workers say that their offices are already full, and there’s nowhere to put extra people. “Where are we gonna put these remote employees?” says one Veterans Affairs worker. “We don’t have parking. We don’t have desks.”

The official number of workers expected to quit today is still unclear. The Washington Post reports more than 40,000 workers have already taken the offer. The patent worker Fortune spoke with says he’s leaning towards taking the deal because of how impossible commuting would be. “I literally do not know that I have a choice,” he says.  

But the HHS worker says there’s no way she will sign on the dotted line. “I’m not going to be chased out,” she says. “I think my anger is what’s fueling me. I mean, sure I could get a job elsewhere, but it’s gonna cause such a disruption to my life, people I love, that I’m not willing to do that because the government is bullying me.” 

You can read the full story about how federal workers are grappling with their resignation offer here.

Azure Gilman
azure.gilman@fortune.com

Around the Table

A round-up of the most important HR headlines.

Federal worker unions are suing the Trump administration over ‘buyout’ offer, citing a lack of legal authority. Bloomberg

Median public company director pay continues to rise, in part due to an increased risk environment, according to a new report. HR Dive

Google is eliminating its targets to hire more workers from historically underrepresented groups amid growing hostility against DEI. Wall Street Journal

Watercooler

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