Doge cuts cost US taxpayers $10bn to cover workers’ paid leave, analysis finds

Analysis estimates Trump administration wasted' billions to compensate over 154,000 federal employees on leave

The Trump administration wasted" $10bn on paid leave, or paying workers to stay home, as part of the department of government efficiency's" assault on the federal workforce, a new analysis by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (Peer) estimates.

In a letter sent to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Peer estimates that more than 154,000 employees were put on paid leave in 2025, making up nearly 7% of the federal civilian workforce. That costs taxpayers approximately $10bn in compensation for workers who were staying home and not working.