CISA Grapples With Growing Exodus, Workforce Buyout Turmoil

The U.S. cyberdefense agency on Friday dismissed as false reports of a looming buyout deadline and expanded resignation offers, calling them misinformation that deepened confusion inside the agency amid federal downsizing efforts.

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Reports began circulating late in the week that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was offering buyout options to probationary employees recently reinstated and placed on administrative leave. The claims – which said those employees had until Monday to accept one of three resignation deals – sparked internal confusion and deepened uncertainty at an agency already reeling from cuts affecting its divisions, industry partnerships and efforts to protect critical infrastructure (see: CISA Braces for Major Workforce Cuts Amid Security Fears).

There is no Monday deadline for any CISA employee to accept a deferred resignation, voluntary buyout or early retirement under the Department of Homeland Security’s “workforce transition program,” said a spokesperson for the agency.

The spread of the claims reflect how quickly the Trump administration has moved in its first 100 days to cut the federal workforce. CISA, initially excluded from government resignation programs, now appears to be a caught up in a White House clash over cybersecurity, including firing the head of U.S. Cyber Command and signing an executive order attacking former CISA Director Chris Krebs (see: Targeted by Trump, Chris Krebs Resigns Job to Fight Probe).

A wave of senior CISA advisers have announced their exits, including two cybersecurity and national security experts who played key roles in shaping the agency’s Secure by Design initiative. It remains unclear how many CISA employees have accepted the agency’s buyout offers.

Multiple current and former CISA employees told ISMG on Friday that inaccurate information, distrust and reports of plans to lay off up to a third of the workforce are making it increasingly difficult to work at the agency. Amid the turmoil, more staffers are considering moves to the private sector and openly discussing the possibility with colleagues, according to interviews.

For now, CISA said the only active workforce transition deadline applies to employees age 40 and older, who have until May 21 to decide whether to accept a buyout offer. Federal law requires extended decision time for employees in that age group, while other eligible staff faced an April 14 deadline.

Employees who have not completed a one-year probationary period are not eligible for the program.