The largest mass resignation in history has become a multi-billion dollar headache for the U.S. government.
A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) analyzing payroll data found a 435% increase in federal agencies’ use of administrative leave between 2023 and 2025, amounting to $9.5 billion in paid salaries to off-the-clock employees. The watchdog attributed $6.7 billion of the total to the deferred resignation program implemented under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as part of its efforts to cut down the federal workforce.
