Friday, August 04, 2017

Social Security Offers Nearly Its Entire Workforce Early Retirement

Government Executive reports:
The Social Security Administration is opening up separation incentives to nearly every job category across its workforce, with about one in four employees eligible to leave.

The largest independent federal agency announced the early retirement offer in a June memorandum obtained by Government Executive. All employees who wish to take advantage must separate by Sept. 1. Only the agency’s 1,600 administrative law judges are not eligible to accept the offer.

Employees must have 20 years experience and be at least 50 years old, or have 25 years of service and be any age, to qualify under the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority. About 15,000 of SSA’s 62,000 employees meet those criteria, according to data maintained by the Office of Personnel Management. President Trump through executive order and the Office of Management and Budget through subsequent guidance directed agencies to develop plans to trim their workforces, including through requesting buyout and early retirement authority. SSA joins the Environmental Protection Agency and the Interior Department in offering separation incentives this year.
The great moments of the Welfare State.