I took the federal buyout and will still collect my 6-figure salary through September. As I entered my last week of work, I felt thankful.

• Jide Adebowale took the buyout offered to federal employees in February.
• After working as an economist for the Bureau of Labor Statistics since 2018, he earned $130,000.
• He will continue to receive his salary and benefits through September 30 while he looks for a new job.

It was a quiet Tuesday in January — until it wasn't. I was working from home when my phone started blowing up, thanks to the latest headline from the new administration: a buyout offer for all federal employees. Friends and family instantly started reaching out — "Are you taking it? Should you?"

My federal career as an economist started under the same president but under completely different circumstances. When I joined the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in September 2018, it was pre-COVID-19, pre-reckoning with remote work, and pre-Trump's second term.

I'd spent a year applying to jobs while working as an admin at a hospital, so landing an economist role felt like my first real break. Back then, Washington, DC, was filled with young professionals like me eager to serve in government. We took the Metro alongside other federal employees, went to happy hours with policy wonks, and took pride in our work.

A pandemic, four years of Biden, and Trump's return had changed everything. The Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, was up and running. Buyouts, forced reductions, and agency closures were suddenly on the table.

Finally, I got an email

The email outlined the Deferred Resignation Program, which allowed employees to resign voluntarily while receiving full pay and benefits through September 30. We had until February 6 to decide.

The instructions were:

• Hit "reply" from your government email.
• Type the word "resign."
• Hit send.

That was it. A one-word email and my federal career would be over if I wanted it to be.

Many of my colleagues and I were suspicious

Elon Musk promoted the offer on X. Meanwhile, unions and Democratic senators urged us to stay put, warning that the administration wouldn't honor the deal.

Reddit, particularly the federal employee subreddit, became Ground Zero for debate. Historically a quiet forum for things like promotion strategies or TSP investments, it became a frantic speculation hub. Some people urged caution: "Hold the line."

I had to make a decision

I'd enjoyed my time in the federal government, but it was clear that this would no longer be the same job I'd signed up for.

More information filtered in. OPM, the federal government's HR agency, shared FAQs, though some of the language felt eye-roll-worthy, like the lines about how we could "take the vacation of a lifetime."

Debates about productivity also emerged, with some commentators suggesting we move to the private sector, where higher productivity awaited. Helping to produce labor statistics that guide economic policy seemed productive to me, but not everyone saw it that way.

I dove deep into federal policy for information

I learned about the Antideficiency Act, which prevents agencies from spending more than Congress allocates. Some argued this meant the buyout couldn't be real. If the government hadn't budgeted for it, how could they pay us?

I read about the 1990s buyouts under Bill Clinton, $25,000 lump-sum packages that were legal and straightforward. This new program was framed as administrative leave. Were they structuring it this way to make the offer more enticing but not violate the law?

Doubts lingered. OPM kept sending us updated versions of the forms, with slight tweaks, vague language, and looming deadlines.

If the offer were valid, I'd continue receiving my full salary of $130,000 through September 30 without working and with active benefits and pension contributions. For someone with a few years of service and no plans to retire soon, it was a rare window to get paid to plan my next move.

I hit 'reply' and typed 'resign'

On the last day the program was open, I sent the email.

A few hours later, a court in Boston issued a pause on the program following a union lawsuit, leaving it in legal limbo. The program remained open but under review.

I didn't stress about it. I was still working, closing out revisions to the year's employment figures. For six years, I worked through shutdowns, elections, and pandemics, and this was no different.

Eventually, the court ruled the buyout was cleared to proceed.

Another round of HR forms came in

A signed contract from my department clarified key things like I'd not be expected to work past February 28 and would continue to accrue annual leave and be paid out for it at the end.

Meanwhile, mass firings began across the government. Probationary employees were laid off in droves, and agencies were gutted.

I thought back to my first year in DC, fresh out of college and new to the city from New Jersey. How devastating would it have been to relocate for a job and get cut in your first year?

I didn't see myself as a casualty — I had made my choice

As I entered my last week of work, I felt thankful. My supervisor was understanding and supportive. He acknowledged how much I'd be missed but supported me in doing what was best for me.

I appreciated the lessons, the well wishes, and my supervisor's juggling of our busy work period, a resignation, and other new rules and regulations.

In an on brand and oddly comforting way, my last day was unceremonious. A performance review. A UPS drop-off for my government-issued laptop. That was it.

Whatever happens next, that chapter is closed

I've done a lot of working out, reading, and applying for jobs. I hope to start a new job soon to avoid an extended loss of income. If I start a new job, I would still get paid as long as it doesn't violate ethics rules, which is unlikely to be a major consideration for my position.

While I apply, I have some travel lined up. Later this month, I'm heading to Manila, Bangkok, and Sydney.

The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not represent the Bureau of Labor Statistics or any other government agency.

Do you have a story to share about taking the federal buyout? Contact this editor at lhaas@businessinsider.com.