Trump Exempts Air Traffic Controllers from New Resignation Offer

The Trump administration’s attempt at downsizing the federal workforce has run into a problem: some jobs actually need to be done. Over the weekend, the administration clarified that air traffic controllers and other public safety employees are exempt from its new “deferred resignation program.”

The offer gives federal workers a chance to stay on payroll until September 30 without having to work. A dream offer for some, but apparently not for those keeping planes from mid-airs.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) updated its guidance to clarify that public safety positions, as well as national security and immigration enforcement jobs, don’t qualify for this grand paid vacation. Air traffic controllers, a workforce already stretched dangerously thin, were initially sent the offer along with two million other full-time federal employees, leaving their union scrambling to figure out if this was a real invitation to leave or just another bureaucratic mishap.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy finally cleared things up on February 2, stating that safety-critical jobs wouldn’t be eligible for the buyout. "We're all going to stay and work and make sure our skies are safe," he reassured. That’s a noble sentiment, though the air traffic controllers who have been pulling six-day weeks and working overtime to make up for chronic understaffing might have appreciated a bit more clarity before the mass email went out.

The FAA is already nearly 3,000 controllers short of its staffing targets. There are currently about 10,800 certified controllers, the same as in 2023, but still down 10% from 2012. Nearly every control tower in the country remains understaffed, with many controllers burning out under relentless workloads. But sure, let’s send them all an early retirement offer and see what happens.

The whole episode highlights just how precarious the air traffic control system has become. The Biden administration’s FAA reauthorization bill took steps toward fixing the problem, setting maximum hiring goals for five years, but new controllers can’t materialize overnight. Training takes six months, followed by up to four years at an airport facility before certification.

The FAA, perhaps wisely, has remained silent on the whole debacle. The union, on the other hand, is still trying to figure out whether this was a genuine mistake or just a cruel joke. Either way, air traffic controllers won’t be getting a paid break anytime soon. Instead, they’ll continue juggling flights with fewer colleagues than they should have, wondering how long it will be before Washington fixes the problem.

FMI: www.faa.gov