President Donald Trump is offering federal employees the opportunity to resign by Feb. 6 and keep getting paid through September.
The voluntary buyout plan is meant to shrink the federal workforce, but in New Jersey, where nearly 23,000 people work for the federal government, the impact could have a ripple effect.
The FAA’s William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic County is a key research and testing center for air traffic control technology. Federal employees there are involved in designing and testing flight safety systems. Staffing losses could slow down air-travel projects.
The state also has a heavy federal presence in defense. Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst relies on civilian workers for a variety of military support services. And Picatinny Arsenal employees a few hundred civilian employees working on weapons development. Staff departures could delay defense projects across the country.
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Law enforcement could also take a hit. Federal prison workers, FBI agents, U.S. Marshals, Secret Service officers and Homeland Security personnel throughout New Jersey handle cases related to terrorism, cybercrime, drug trafficking, and financial fraud.
New Jersey has more Superfund cleanup sites than any other state, and the Environmental Protection Agency plays a key role in overseeing industrial pollution, inspecting facilities, and enforcing clean water laws. Resignations could mean fewer inspections and delays in environmental enforcement.
It’s not known how many federal workers will take the buyout offer or how the Trump administration will adapt programs and agencies in response.
