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The General Services Administration (GSA) is extending its deferred-resignation program to its employees in response to ongoing personnel reductions, a realignment of priorities, and a decrease in the agency’s physical footprint. The announcement indicates that employees will have until April 18 to take part in this opportunity.
According to a memo released by acting administrator Stephen Ehikian, all positions within the GSA are eligible for this program, and employees listed on Reduction in Force (RIF) lists can also participate. The memo additionally extends the deadline for voluntary early retirement and separation incentives to the same date.
Previously, the Trump administration reported that over 75,000 federal employees availed themselves of the “Fork in the Road” offer, which guarantees full salary and benefits until September 30, 2025. This initial deferred resignation offer was distributed by the Office of Personnel Management to more than two million federal employees on January 28, with an early response deadline set for February 12.
This renewed offering by the GSA comes shortly after a similar initiative was put in place at the Defense Department, with more than 20,000 defense civilians opting into a similar program. Officials emphasize that these decisions are critical and personal for employees, as articulated by Ehikian, who stated that the agency is implementing these changes to streamline operations and eliminate redundancies in adherence to directives from President Trump.
As of September 2024, the GSA was employing approximately 12,000 individuals nationwide, but recent layoffs have seen around 1,000 positions cut, predominantly affecting the Public Building Service and the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, as well as the closure of the entire 18F technology office. Despite these cuts, the GSA has taken on new contracting responsibilities and aims to significantly increase its centralized procurement volume following a recent executive order issued in March.
One GSA official emphasized that the focus is on “right-sizing” within the agency to better align with current needs and responsibilities.
Consolidation of Operations and Duty Stations
A further memo from Ehikian detailed the planned consolidation of the agency’s operations and workforce. The GSA is moving away from its traditional regional model to a more centralized approach, focusing on grouped operations by function.
The newly designated locations for GSA operations include major urban centers such as Washington, D.C., Boston, New York City, Chicago, and San Francisco, among others. For employees in the “Wave 3” return-to-office category, efforts will be made to match duty stations with geographic locations relevant to their assignments. If no suitable options exist within commuting distance, a new duty station will be assigned, with individual cases reviewed to clarify options for employees.
Ehikian cited several considerations in determining the agency’s future footprint, including employee proximity to new duty stations, accessibility for customer interactions, and cost-effectiveness for taxpayers. Notably, more than 75% of current GSA employees reside within a 50-mile radius of the newly established locations, which played a significant role in the station assignments.
Current circumstances indicate a significant transformation within the GSA as it adapts its operational model and addresses workforce needs in an evolving environment.
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