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Thousands of miles from Elon Musk’s office in the White House complex, a federal worker based in the Pacific Northwest is wondering whether to quit.Musk, one of President Donald Trump’s most powerful advisers, has orchestrated an unprecedented financial incentive for people to leave their government jobs, promising several months of pay in return for their resignation. The worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, wants to take the money and move overseas.But she’s worried. What if the offer is too good to be true? What if this is really a covert effort to make a list of disloyal government employees?Her situation is a microcosm of the uncertainty sweeping through the federal government, which is the country’s single largest employer. More than two million workersanalysts, nurses, scientists, accountants, food inspectors, and loan processorsface a deadline of 11:59 p.m. EST Thursday to decide if they should leave. Trump administration is urging workers to take the deal The deferred resignation program is part of Trump’s plan to remake the federal government, weakening what allies describe as the “deep state” that undermined the Republican president during his first term. Administration officials said they can save taxpayer money by presenting employees with “a valuable, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to stop working while still collecting a paycheck until September 30.On Wednesday, the administration ramped up its pressure on employees to leave, sending a reminder that layoffs or furloughs could come next.“The majority of federal agencies are likely to be downsized through restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force,” said the message from the Office of Personnel Management, which has been a nexus of Musk’s efforts to downsize the government.The email said anyone who remains will be expected to be “loyal” and “will be subject to enhanced standards of suitability and conduct as we move forward.” Some employees could be reclassified to limit civil service protections as well.“Employees who engage in unlawful behavior or other misconduct will be prioritized for appropriate investigation and discipline, including termination,” the email said. Democrats and unions warn that workers could be stiffed Democrats said workers shouldn’t accept the deferred resignation program because it wasn’t authorized by Congress, raising the risk they won’t get paid. Unions have sued to stop Trump’s plans, and a judge will consider whether to block the buyout offer at a hearing Thursday afternoon in Boston.“It’s a scam and not a buyout,” said Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees.Kelley said he tells workers that “if it was me, I wouldn’t do it.”An employee at the Department of Education, who also spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation, said the administration appeared desperate to get people to sign the agreement. However, she said there were too many red flags, such as a clause waiving the right to sue if the government failed to honor its side of the deal. The deal is ‘exactly what it looks like,’ says Trump official Trump put Musk, the world’s richest man, in charge of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, which is a sweeping initiative to reduce the size and scope of the federal government. The original email offering the deferred resignation program was titled “Fork in the road,” echoing a similar message that Musk sent Twitter employees two years ago after he bought the social media platform.Trump administration officials have organized question-and-answer sessions with employees as the deadline approaches.Rachel Oglesby, the chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Education who previously worked at the America First Policy Institute, said Trump is trying to reduce the federal workforce.“I know there’s been a lot of questions out there about whether it’s real and whether it’s a trick,” she said, according to a recording obtained by the Associated Press. “And it’s exactly what it looks like. It’s one of the many tools that he’s using to try to achieve the campaign promise to bring reform to the civil service and changes to D.C.”The issue was also discussed during a meeting with Department of Agriculture employees, according to another recording obtained by the AP. Marlon Taubenheim, a human resources official, acknowledged that “these are very trying times” and “there’s a lot of stress.”“Unfortunately, we don’t have all the answers,” he said.Jacqueline Ponti-Lazaruk, another agency leader, said employees “probably didn’t have the runway of time that you might have liked to make a life-changing decision.”For those who remain, she said, “we’ll just keep plugging along.”Assurances from administration officials have not alleviated concerns across a range of agencies. Some federal workers said they did not trust the validity of the offers, doubting that Trump has the authority to disburse money. Others point to his record of stiffing contractors as a New York real estate mogul. Musk’s plans spark demonstrations in Washington Scattered protests have sprung up outside federal buildings, including on Tuesday at the Office of Personnel Management.“I’m taking a risk and being bold and trying to get more federal workers to take a risk to speak out,” said Dante O’Hara, who said he works for the government. “Because if we don’t, then we’re all going to lose our jobs and they’re going to put all these loyalists or people that will be their shock troops.”Government jobs have often been considered secure positions, but O’Hara said there’s fear in the workforce. The sense from his colleagues is “I don’t know if I’m going to be here tomorrow because, like, we don’t know what’s going to happen.'”Dan Smith, a Maryland resident whose father was a research scientist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said federal workers are “so underappreciated and so taken for granted.”“It’s one thing to downsize the government. It’s one thing to try to obliterate it,” Smith said. “And that’s what’s going on. And that is what is so frightening and disgusting and requires pushback.”Mary-Jean Burke, a physical therapist for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Indianapolis, said she’s worried that too many people will leave, jeopardizing health care services.Burke, who also serves as a union official, said doubts have also been growing over whether to take the offer.“Originally, I think people were like, ‘I’m out of here,'” she said. But then theysaw a social media post from DOGE, which said employees can “take the vacation you always wanted, or just watch movies and chill, while receiving your full government pay and benefits.”The message backfired because “that kind of thing sounded a little bit too good to be true and people were hesitant,” Burke said.Either way, she said, Trump has achieved his apparent goal of shaking up the federal workforce.“Every day, it’s something,” Burke said. “If he signed up to be a disrupter, he’s doing it.” Associated Press writers Nancy Benac, Nathan Ellgren, Gary Fields, Joshua Goodman and Brian Witte contributed to this report. Chris Megerian, Collin Binkley and Byron Tau, Associated Press
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E-Commerce
Its been a rough few years for brick-and-mortar retailers. In 2024, numerous big-name companies shuttered or announced their intentions to shutter locations across the country, including Big Lots, Macys, CVS, LL Flooring, Walgreens, and Family Dollar. Now a discount retail chain with nearly a hundred stores has announced that it will close all of its locations. That retailer is Bargain Hunt, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this month. Heres what you need to know about its bankruptcy and store closings: Why did Bargain Hunt file for bankruptcy? Interestingly, Bargain Hunt has not revealed specific reasons for filing for bankruptcy. Normally, struggling retailers who have gone down the same route will cite falling foot traffic, reduced consumer spending, increased competition, or inflationary pressures as the drivers behind the reason to file for bankruptcy, but so far, Bargain Hunt has not specified its reasons. However, a voluntary petition for bankruptcy that Bargain Hunt’s owner filed with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Tennessee on February 3 suggests the company is struggling. In that filing, Bargain Hunt’s parent company, Essex Technology Group LLC, said it currently had between 1,000 and 5,000 creditors. It also revealed that it had between $50,000,001 and $100 million in estimated liabilities, yet its assets were only between $10,000,001 and $50 million. This means that Bargain Hunt has more liabilities than assets and suggests that it may not have the means to pay all of its existing creditors. Which Bargain Hunt locations are closing? In a press release, Bargain Hunt announced that it will hold going-out-of-business sales at every remaining location. The company says it currently has 92 stores spread across 10 states. The state with the most Bargain Hunt stores is Tennessee, where the company is based. Other states with Bargain Hunt stores are Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, and South Carolina. A full list of all closing locations can be found on the website of Hilco Global, the firm handling Bargain Hunt’s liquidation. You can also use Bargain Hunt’s own online store locator tool to find your closest location. Bargain Hunt says that shoppers will be able to get up to 40% discounts on items in its remaining inventory, including apparel and shoes, toys, lawn and garden supplies, automotive, pet, home decor, and more. However, buyers should be aware that all sales are final. When are Bargain Hunt stores closing? All Bargain Hunt stores are in the process of closing down now. The company has not given a precise date when its stores will close for good, but it has stated that they are set to close by the end of February 2025. Will more retailers shut in 2025? Major retailers like Macys and Big Lots have already announced store closures for 2025. But those arent likely to be the end of it. In January, a report from Coresight Research suggested that up to 15,000 retail stores could be shuttered in 2025. In addition to Big Lots and Macys, other retailers have already announced their intention to shutter locations, including Walgreens and Party City, the latter of which is going out of business entirely. As for why so many retail locations may shut their doors in 2025, Coresight said a number of factors were involved, including inflation-weary customers pulling back on spending and increased competition from online retailers.
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E-Commerce
I knew when I was a child, like 5 years old, I knew I wanted to make beautiful things, says Helena Bian, founder and CEO of lighting company Harlowe, though it took some time to find her path. After school, Bian became a mechanical and electrical engineer, cutting her teeth at hardware companies like Dewalt, where she learned that the industry was dominated by men who didnt necessarily share her vision of creating beautiful things, and who would rather just focus on function. She daydreamed about making both until she founded Harlowe, a company that arguably makes some of the most beautiful gadgets you can find today. Bian had an idea for high-design photography and video lighting equipment thats both portable and functional. Noticing how creators are constantly on the go, ferrying huge suitcases with lighting equipment inside, Bian saw a need for gear that is small and easy to pack and travel with, which led her to prioritize portability in Harlowe’s design philosophy. [Photo: Harlowe] But portability alone wasn’t enoughshe needed an aesthetic that would attract those creators, so that her designs could become not only tools for work but also objects of lust. Today there are plenty of professional lighting products that are good and relatively inexpensive, but they all have the same bland, standard look, made of metal, plastic, and LEDs, usually all painted matte black. For Bian, however, functional doesnt mean bland or ugly, and, she says, beautiful doesn’t mean expensive. To be clear, Harlowes products are on the pricey side compared to the stuff you can buy from Amazon or AliExpress, but Bian says that they are made to last forever, using metal and leather, with precise manufacturing techniques. She expects her designs to last, just like old Leica or Hasselblad cameras have stayed alive for decades. [Photo: Harlowe] The process Harlowes in-house design process is led by Bian, who takes inspiration from vintage cameras. I want to make sure [our products are] not just something they buy for work but also something they buy because they love, Bian tells me, noting that shes observed creators who keep old photo gear around almost like their spirit animals. Even if theyre no longer used for production, she says these items are kept because theyre beautiful, and because they are something [people] cherish in their heart. Bian’s designs begin with hand-drawn sketches, from which her team creates 3D models and engineers the guts of the devices until they match her original vision. [Image: Harlowe] The selection of materials is carefully considered to add to an emotional connection with users, mixing aluminum, steel, and leather to provide a full sensory experience for anyone who sees, touches, and smells them. [Photo: Harlowe] Everything is done in-house, including the production itself, with backing from parent company AES Lighting Solutions, a Chinese work lighting corporation with 20 years in the industry. In the end, Bian’s vision is all about maintaining the human connection in Harlowe’s productsleveraging technology to improve functionality. It’s a carefully orchestrated mechanism that combines art, human instinct, and science to create a product thats as beautiful as it is durable and functional.
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E-Commerce
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