Time

Thanks to DOGE, Federal Employees Got Paid Billions to Not Work

ABC News

Federal government paid employees $9.5 billion not to work in 2025: Report

tommysantos14

karlykingsley

FEDweek

Opm Director Defends Deferred Resignation Partial Backfilling Of Positions

The Wall Street Journal

Doge Works Lets Keep It Going D5356363

Meryl Kornfield

Brian Allen

Kyle Griffin

Government Executive

Agencies spent nearly $10 billion for feds not to work in 2025

Trump administration paid federal employees $9.5B not to work in 2025

HuffPost

Trump Admin Paid Federal Workers Nearly $10 Billion Not To Work In 2025

The Washington Sun

Trump Is Spending Billions More on Paid Leave for Federal Workers, Watchdog Finds

Federal News Network

Trump administrations DRP cost $6.7B last year, watchdog estimates

NBC News

Trump administration spent $9.5 billion last year on employee leave, driven by DOGE-era cuts

Trump administration paid federal employees $9.5 billion not to work in 2025 under DOGE plan

New Republic

Federal Workers Got Paid Billions Not to Work Thanks to DOGE

The Hill

Federal employees were paid nearly $7B not to work under DOGE effort: GAO

The New York Times

Federal Employees Were Paid $9.5 Billion Not to Work in 2025 Under DOGE Effort

MikeLevin

<h2>Editor's Note</h2>

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimated in a report released Tuesday that the federal government spent about $9.5 billion on paid administrative leave for federal workers in 2025, a sixfold increase in such salary costs compared with 2023.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimated in a report released Tuesday that the federal government spent about $9.5 billion on paid administrative leave for federal workers in 2025, a sixfold increase in such salary costs compared with 2023.

Agencies' use of paid administrative leave climbed 435% from 2023 to 2025, a shift the watchdog tied largely to the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) deferred resignation program, which placed employees on leave until they resigned or retired.

Agencies' use of paid administrative leave climbed 435% from 2023 to 2025, a shift the watchdog tied largely to the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) deferred resignation program, which placed employees on leave until they resigned or retired.

GAO estimated roughly $6.7 billion of the total, about 70%, went to salaries for the deferred resignation program. Around 144,000 employees were placed on leave under the initiative run by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

GAO estimated roughly $6.7 billion of the total, about 70%, went to salaries for the deferred resignation program. Around 144,000 employees were placed on leave under the initiative run by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

Reported workdays of paid administrative leave rose from about 4 million in 2023 to roughly 21.6 million in 2025. Fewer than 600 employees took more than 90 days of such leave in 2023 and 2024, compared with nearly 100,000 in 2025.

Reported workdays of paid administrative leave rose from about 4 million in 2023 to roughly 21.6 million in 2025. Fewer than 600 employees took more than 90 days of such leave in 2023 and 2024, compared with nearly 100,000 in 2025.

OPM figures that the one-time expense reduced the workforce by 270,000 employees and will yield about $40 billion in annual savings, which OPM director Scott Kupor called "a massive benefit to the taxpayer."

OPM figures that the one-time expense reduced the workforce by 270,000 employees and will yield about $40 billion in annual savings, which OPM director Scott Kupor called "a massive benefit to the taxpayer."

DOGE, led publicly by Elon Musk until he left in May 2025, claimed $215 billion in estimated savings before shutting down in July. GAO said that the agency didn't supply enough information to verify how 96% of those reported savings were calculated.

DOGE, led publicly by Elon Musk until he left in May 2025, claimed $215 billion in estimated savings before shutting down in July. GAO said that the agency didn't supply enough information to verify how 96% of those reported savings were calculated.

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The Government Accountability Office estimated in a report released Tuesday that the federal government spent about $9.5 billion on paid administrative leave during 2025, with roughly $6.7 billion tied to the deferred resignation program.

The Government Accountability Office estimated in a report released Tuesday that the federal government spent about $9.5 billion on paid administrative leave during 2025, with roughly $6.7 billion tied to the deferred resignation program.

Agencies' use of paid administrative leave rose 435% from 2023 to 2025, and associated salary costs increased sixfold. The watchdog analyzed payroll data from 76 agencies covering about 95% of the civilian federal workforce.

Agencies' use of paid administrative leave rose 435% from 2023 to 2025, and associated salary costs increased sixfold. The watchdog analyzed payroll data from 76 agencies covering about 95% of the civilian federal workforce.

Workdays of reported paid administrative leave grew from about 4 million in 2023 to roughly 21.6 million in 2025. Usage peaked in July 2025 at nearly 3 million workdays, about 2.5 million of which were linked to deferred resignations.

Workdays of reported paid administrative leave grew from about 4 million in 2023 to roughly 21.6 million in 2025. Usage peaked in July 2025 at nearly 3 million workdays, about 2.5 million of which were linked to deferred resignations.

The program, announced in January 2025, was offered to about 2 million federal workers and let those resigning by Sept. 30 keep full pay and benefits. The GAO estimated roughly 144,000 employees were placed on leave through it.

The program, announced in January 2025, was offered to about 2 million federal workers and let those resigning by Sept. 30 keep full pay and benefits. The GAO estimated roughly 144,000 employees were placed on leave through it.

OPM Director Scott Kupor said the $6.7 billion was a one-time expense that accounts for less than 3% of annual federal payroll, and he projected the workforce reduction will save $20 billion a year.

OPM Director Scott Kupor said the $6.7 billion was a one-time expense that accounts for less than 3% of annual federal payroll, and he projected the workforce reduction will save $20 billion a year.

The federal civilian workforce has shrunk about 12% since Trump took office, and the Partnership for Public Service identified more than 20,000 positions backfilled after deferred resignations. GAO said actual leave costs remain unknown.

The federal civilian workforce has shrunk about 12% since Trump took office, and the Partnership for Public Service identified more than 20,000 positions backfilled after deferred resignations. GAO said actual leave costs remain unknown.

DOGE billed itself as a cost-cutter and instead burned roughly $9.5 billion paying more than 154,000 federal workers to sit home and do nothing. The promised $2 trillion in savings collapsed to $215 billion in unverified claims, and outside reviews put the real figure near half that. Agencies got hollowed out, services got worse and taxpayers ate the bill.

DOGE billed itself as a cost-cutter and instead burned roughly $9.5 billion paying more than 154,000 federal workers to sit home and do nothing. The promised $2 trillion in savings collapsed to $215 billion in unverified claims, and outside reviews put the real figure near half that. Agencies got hollowed out, services got worse and taxpayers ate the bill.

Karly Kingsley

Mike Levin

Tom Santos

A department with 50 HR offices, 18 chief information officers and million-dollar contracts to study groundwater in Africa was never going to reform itself. More than $3 billion in wasteful contracts got canceled, only a small share of vacated jobs were refilled and fresh talent from outside government is an asset, not a liability. With debt past $40 trillion, quibbling over line items misses the point.

A department with 50 HR offices, 18 chief information officers and million-dollar contracts to study groundwater in Africa was never going to reform itself. More than $3 billion in wasteful contracts got canceled, only a small share of vacated jobs were refilled and fresh talent from outside government is an asset, not a liability. With debt past $40 trillion, quibbling over line items misses the point.

Feds Spent $9.5B on Paid Leave in 2025, GAO Says

Feds Spent $9.5B on Paid Leave in 2025, GAO Says

United States of America

Governance

Labor

This was another Trump administration embarrassment. DOGE billed itself as a cost-cutter and instead burned roughly $9.5 billion paying federal workers to sit home and do nothing. The promised $2 trillion in savings collapsed to $215 billion in unverified claims, and outside reviews put the real figure near half that. Agencies got hollowed out, services got worse and taxpayers ate the bill.

This was another Trump administration embarrassment. DOGE billed itself as a cost-cutter and instead burned roughly $9.5 billion paying federal workers to sit home and do nothing. The promised $2 trillion in savings collapsed to $215 billion in unverified claims, and outside reviews put the real figure near half that. Agencies got hollowed out, services got worse and taxpayers ate the bill.

DOGE worked. A government office with wasteful projects like the one that got million-dollar contracts to study groundwater in Africa was never going to reform itself. More than $3 billion in wasteful contracts got canceled, a small share of vacated jobs were refilled and fresh talent from outside government is an asset. With debt past $40 trillion, quibbling over line items misses the point.

DOGE worked. A government office with wasteful projects like the one that got million-dollar contracts to study groundwater in Africa was never going to reform itself. More than $3 billion in wasteful contracts got canceled, a small share of vacated jobs were refilled and fresh talent from outside government is an asset. With debt past $40 trillion, quibbling over line items misses the point.

GAO: Paid Leave for Federal Workers Hit $9.5B in 2025

FedsGAO: SpentPaid Leave for Federal Workers Hit $9.5B on Paid Leave in 2025, GAO Says

The Spin

Editor's Note

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GAO: Paid Leave for Federal Workers Hit $9.5B in 2025

FedsGAO: SpentPaid Leave for Federal Workers Hit $9.5B on Paid Leave in 2025, GAO Says

The Spin

Editor's Note

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