The “Fork in the Road” email landed in Liz Goggin’s inbox shortly before midnight on January 28th.

This message from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) was sent to approximately 2.3 million federal employees nationwide.

The notice presented federal workers with two options: submit your resignation by February 6th for continued pay and benefits until the end of September or keep your job with the possibility of being laid off.

Goggin is one of around 75,000 federal employees who opted to resign, as reported by OPM. However, she is among those who later discovered their roles are exempt from the program.

Despite a federal judge allowing the Trump administration’s deferred resignation program to proceed, many are still unclear about the specifics of what was agreed upon and the associated benefits.

Currently, Goggin believes her resignation may not be valid.

“But who really knows?” she expresses. “I regret informing my supervisor, especially given the uncertainty of the situation,”

An Enticing Offer in Theory

When Goggin received the “Fork in the Road” proposal, her household was already facing challenges. The halt on foreign aid by the Trump administration had significantly impacted her husband’s work with a nonprofit organization.

“It became increasingly obvious he may lose his job,” Goggin shares, acknowledging the stress of raising two young children with a mortgage.

Despite her concerns, Goggin was initially hesitant about accepting the resignation offer.

“My first reaction was fear,” she reveals. “If many people resign, what will happen to essential services — not just in my role at the VA, but across other agencies that provide vital functions?”

Similar to many federal workers, she felt skeptical about the offer.

However, following this, OPM published a clarification stating that employees who resigned would not be required to work during the “deferred resignation period” and could pursue other employment.

“In theory, it sounded appealing,” she reflects. “My husband and I discussed it, and if the offer was genuine, it seemed like I could potentially earn double my salary for six months, giving him time to find a job that aligns with his interests.”

That weekend, she made her choice. She responded to the initial email with a simple “Resign” and sent it off.

In an effort to maintain open communication, Goggin later informed her supervisor about her decision.

Just days after, she received an unexpected email from the VA declaring many positions, including social workers, were exempt from the resignation offer.

“It didn’t surprise me,” Goggin states. “The VA’s primary mission is healthcare, and they need to maintain their workforce.”

To date, she has not received any official correspondence from OPM indicating that her acceptance of the “Fork” offer has been revoked.

At this point, she operates under the assumption that she retains her job.

Conflicting Responsibilities with Trump’s Directives?

Goggin initially joined the VA through a postgraduate fellowship, where she supported incarcerated veterans. The role was so fulfilling, she decided to stay on.

Currently, she assists veterans from different eras, including those who served in the Vietnam War and those deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Each veteran brings a unique perspective from their varied life experiences,” she notes, emphasizing their diverse worldly insights from serving their country.

Most of her clients are Black, and as a White clinician, she relies on professional development and discussions with peers to navigate the complexities of providing the best care. She believes these sessions enhance her comprehension of their experiences and the impacts of racism and other forms of discrimination.

However, in the wake of President Trump’s second term, there has been a noticeable reduction in training sessions and a discouragement of discussions around these critical issues.

“Many of those meetings have been halted,” she mentions.

She is beginning to question whether support groups for her clients addressing race and gender issues will continue to be viable.

Championing social justice while respecting each individual’s dignity and worth are foundational principles of social work, as articulated in the profession’s code of ethics.

Now, Goggin fears that Virginia social workers might struggle to adhere to that code given President Trump’s executive actions, which aim to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, as well as his stance on gender binaries.

“There’s been considerable ambiguity regarding what these changes entail,” she observes. “The atmosphere feels tense, and there’s a lot of uncertainty about what’s permissible now.”

Uncertain about the future, she expresses worry for what lies ahead.

If you have insights regarding ongoing changes within the federal government, feel free to reach out to the author. Andrea Hsu can be contacted through encrypted messaging on Signal at andreahsu.08.