Local federal worker feels discouraged at work due to nationwide flux

MT. PLEASANT, Sanpete County — Right now, the jobs of federal workers nationwide are in flux. Many are being encouraged to quit, and for those who don't, they don't know if they'll have a job if they stay. One federal worker in central Utah has had enough.

Oliver Whaley, of Mount Pleasant, said he feels frustrated with how they are being treated. He understands the new administration is trying to run more efficiently, but said they're doing it the wrong way and are making federal workers like himself feel vilified and belittled.

He said the buyout plan to reduce America's federal workforce has him feeling like a kicked dog.

"I feel like that dog. You kick a dog long enough, at some point it's going to bite back a little bit," Whaley said.

Whaley works remotely, overseeing the Office of Regulatory Affairs and Collaborative Action within the U.S. Department of the Interior – Indian Affairs, implementing federal policy with the Navajo Nation. He said last month he started getting emails with what he considers loaded language, encouraging him to quit, stating: "The way to greater American prosperity is encouraging people to move from lower productivity jobs in the public sector to higher productivity jobs in the private sector."

He read that to say he's not a productive employee.

"Generally, what organization do you know that first denigrates the employees that then are going to go and do what you need to make you successful? You know that just blows my mind," Whaley said.

He received other emails, stating if he chooses to stay, he must come into the office by April 21 or lose his job. But there is no federal office space for his division.

His best options so far are to find an office with a 60-mile commute or move his family out of state.

"To move by April 21, to be in an office, either I've got to pull my kids out of school, or I've got to leave my family until we can figure out how we're going to move them there," Whaley said.

When KSL-TV asked Utah Sen. Mike Lee about virtual workers being told to return to the office or quit, he sent us this statement: "Federal employees need to show up every day like the hardworking Americans who pay their salaries. Offering over half a year's salary through deferred resignations to those who would prefer to join the private sector is a generous and efficient way to save taxpayer dollars in the long run."

Whaley knows he's at risk for even speaking out but said there are many federal employees like him.

"People are scared to say anything. They're worried about their livelihood," Whaley said.

Whaley said the national narrative has got to the point where he's now almost ashamed of admitting he's a federal worker, but said he needs to continue to provide for his family of five kids and is nervous about what's going to happen next.

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