Most nurses, doctors and other staff caring for military veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs are not eligible for the Trump administration's deferred resignation offer, according to an email sent Friday by VA leadership to staff.
Nurses for the VA — the federal government’s largest employer — comprise the biggest single group of federal workers, numbering more than 100,000 and accounting for 5% of all full-time permanent employees, according to an Associated Press analysis of personnel data.
The new email, which was reviewed by The Associated Press, included an attached letter from VA's human resources department and a spreadsheet with a list of more than 130 occupations labeled “VA EXEMPTION REQUESTS.”.
“Exempting these occupations from the program will ensure VA continues providing mission-critical health care, benefits and memorial services to our nation’s veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors,” the spokesperson said.
A VA spokesperson said the agency worked closely with the White House and the Office of Personnel Management to identify the occupations that aren't eligible for resignation program.
