New Delhi, Sept. 16 -- The US government spent an estimated $9.5 billion last year paying federal employees who were placed on administrative leave, according to a new assessment by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The expenditure came as the Trump administration pursued efforts to reduce the size of the federal workforce and cut government spending.

The GAO said the cost of salaries paid during administrative leave was roughly six times higher than in 2023.

The report also found that federal agencies increased their use of administrative leave by 435% last year. Much of the surge was linked to the deferred resignation programme promoted by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an initiative spearheaded by billionai...