Posted on Friday, 11th April 2025 by

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In April, more agencies offered deferred resignations and early outs through the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA). The dates for these offers vary per agency, and the time frame for this option is as short as 7 days.

The following list of departments and agencies have sent offers via email to their employees; more are sure to follow as most are tasked with reducing staffing by 10 to 15%:

  • Agriculture
  • Transportation
  • Defense
  • Energy
  • Defense
  • Energy
  • HUD
  • Veterans Affairs
  • General Service
  • Small Business Administration

What to Expect

Offers are made to those in noncritical specialties. They are only open for short durations, so you must decide quickly if you want to participate and accept a deferred resignation and/or VERA. The letters often include a list of occupations excluded from this offer.

The VA offers deferred resignation through September 30th to 15% of its workforce, 70,500 employees. The DOT’s window was from April 1 through the 7th, with only seven days to decide! This can be a life-changing decision that takes considerable thought and attention before signing on the dotted line.

Unverified reports indicate that approximately 4,000 DOT employees applied for deferred resignations under this second round.

The Fork in the Road Revisited

These offers mimic the original Fork in the Road offer in late January. The duration of payments is shorter because full salary and benefits are only offered through the end of September. OPM is more organized than when the first offers were sent out, and agency HR departments are now familiar with the process.

Summary

There will surely be more deferred resignation offers as agencies find creative ways to reduce staffing during these austere times. Many, if not most, positions are not eligible for these programs. The full-length article states, “These letters are a prelude to a pending Reduction in Force (RIF) and provide options to reduce or eliminate the negative impact a RIF will have on employees.”  

Stay tuned for additional updates as agencies continue to downsize and announce upcoming plans.

Helpful Retirement Planning Tools

Disclaimer: The information provided may not cover all aspect of unique or special circumstances, federal regulations, medical procedures, investment, and benefit information are subject to change. To ensure the accuracy of this information, contact relevant parties for assistance including OPM’s retirement center.

Over time, various dynamic economic factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The information contained herein should not be considered investment advice and may not be suitable for your situation. This service is not affiliated with OPM or any federal entity. You should consult with a financial, medical or human resource professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

Last 5 posts by Dennis Damp

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Posted in ANNUITIES / ELIGIBILITY, BENEFITS / INSURANCE, RETIREMENT CONCERNS, SOCIAL SECURITY / MEDICARE, SURVIVOR INFORMATION | Comments (0)


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