Interior incentivizes more staff departures after already cutting 20% of its workforce

After shedding around 20% of its workforce in the last 15 months, the Interior Department is once again offering employees incentives to leave the agency as part of what it is calling a new “strategic initiative" to save money and better deliver services. 

Interior became the first major agency to offer a “deferred resignation program” on a widespread basis this year, which will allow nearly all of its full-time employees the chance to sit on paid leave through September before exiting government service. Interior, like all federal agencies, offered multiple rounds of DRP last year and successfully pushed out around 13,000 employees. 

The department did not spell out a specific headcount reduction goal as part of the offer or say what would happen if it falls short of any such goal, and did not respond to requests for clarification. Interior has at multiple points in President Trump’s second term been on the verge of implementing sweeping layoffs across its workforce, only for various court rulings to delay those efforts at the 11th hour. The department no longer faces restrictions on such reductions in force, but the cuts—until Thursday—appeared to have been put on the back burner. 

Interior will also allow eligible employees to retire early. Employees hired within the last 12 months, on a time-limited appointment or are in the midst of being fired are not eligible for the new DRP. Certain employees, such as those working in law enforcement, oil and gas permitting and on wildfire-related matters, are exempt from the offer. 

“Effective stewardship requires disciplined management of the resources entrusted to us,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said. “By modernizing our operations we’re strengthening our ability to carry out Interior’s mission and deliver world-class service for the American people.”

Interior spelled out few details of what its modernization effort would entail aside from trimming staff, though Burgum mentioned moving National Park Service to more visitor-facing roles, strengthening support for tribal nations and expediting permitting by “eliminating redundant layers.” The department will focus more resources on water and power missions and "accelerate the delivery of high-quality science.” It will also reduce “administrative burdens” and improve internal operations. 

The department previously consolidated its administrative functions, such as human resources, contracting and IT, away from individual bureaus and into Burgum’s office.

Employees have until April 12 to apply for the deferred resignation and must stop working by April 29. 

With so many employees exiting Interior within the last year, current staff suggested most of those remaining would not be enticed by a renewed DRP offer. They added, however, that burnout and new assignments could contribute to workers opting leave.

“There is no way I’m leaving unless they force me,” said one employee, noting the dearth of opportunities in the current job market.  

During a staff visit in Denver this week, Burgum told employees RIFs were no longer on the table, according to an employee briefed on the matter. Current staff took solace in Interior declining to mention layoffs in its communications on Thursday, a sharp departure from the approach it pursued during DRP offers last year. 

“Everyone is already drowning from the people we lost,” one employee said. “They would be shooting themselves in the foot with a RIF.”