OPM Tells FAA Workers 24 Hours After Mid-Air Crash to Seek Jobs Elsewhere

Almost exactly 24 hours after the first mid-air collision in 16 years, Federal Aviation Administration workers received mass email from the Office of Personnel Management “encouraging” them to find new jobs in private industry.

Targeted workers included air traffic controllers, even though 77% of air traffic control facilities are understaffed.

The message reiterated an earlier offer saying federal employees can get paid through September if they leave by 6 February 2025, which does not fit current rules about severance pay. The message further suggested getting a second job while still on the public payroll during those months. Employees have previously been told having a second while being a federal employee is illegal.

Although workers in other federal departments also received this mass email, its timing hit FAA workers very hard.

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