Sep 16, 2026Politics Business153 words1 min read

Report: US Paid Federal Workers Billions Not to Work

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A new report says the US government paid workers a lot of money to not work.

The report comes from the GAO. This is a US government office that checks how money is spent.

The GAO said a program paid nearly $7 billion to workers who were leaving their jobs.

The program is called deferred resignation. Workers agreed to leave, but the government kept paying them for some time.

This program started under a plan called DOGE. DOGE means the Department of Government Efficiency.

In 2025, the Trump administration paid $9.5 billion to workers who did not work.

The goal of DOGE was to make the government smaller and save money.

But the report shows the government spent a lot of money on workers who stopped working.

Many people are now asking if this plan really saved money.

The report gives new numbers about how DOGE worked in real life.

Vocabulary15 words

GAO: a US office that checks how the government spends money
deferred resignation: when a worker agrees to leave a job later, but stops working now
DOGE: a US government plan to make the government smaller and cheaper
federal employees: people who work for the national government
administration: the government led by one leader
billion: a very big number: 1,000,000,000
program: a plan with rules made by the government
report: a document that gives facts and numbers
spending: money that is used or paid
efficiency: doing something well without wasting time or money
plan: an idea about what to do
goal: what someone wants to reach or do
leave a job: to stop working somewhere
checks: looks carefully to see if something is right
government: the group of people who run a country

1. What did the GAO report say?

2. What is 'deferred resignation'?

3. True or False: DOGE stands for Department of Government Efficiency.

1. Workers got billions of dollars to not work 2. A worker leaves a job later but stops working now 3. True

Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.

A new report says the US government paid workers a lot of _____ to not work.

The report comes from the _____. This is a US government office that checks how money is spent.

The GAO said a program paid nearly $7 _____ to workers who were leaving their jobs.

The program is called _____ resignation. Workers agreed to leave, but the government kept paying them.

This program started under a plan called _____.

In 2025, the Trump _____ paid $9.5 billion to workers who did not work.

The goal of DOGE was to make the government smaller and save _____.

But the report shows the government spent a lot of money on workers who stopped _____.

Many people are now asking if this _____ really saved money.

The report gives new numbers about how DOGE worked in real _____.