Social Security Administration offering voluntary buyouts ahead of “significant workforce reductions”
this Social Security Bureau Financial incentives for employees who choose to voluntarily resign from federal agencies range from $15,000 to $25,000 before warning them to “reduce a large amount of workforce.”
one Messages sent to employees Thursday The agency said the agency will soon implement restructuring including layoffs and “massive restructuring.”
SSA said wholesale “abolition of organizations and positions” could occur, as well as reallocation and layoffs.
Earlier this week, the Office of Personnel Management Suggested agencies Submit a “restructuring plan” by March 13 and prepare for “effective reduction”.
Thursday’s news offers three options for all Social Security employees, which are the three options the agency expects to cut before: voluntary reallocation of “to key positions”, i.e. “Voluntary early retirement, if eligible, or”Voluntary separation incentive payment“If the criteria are met.
Those who will receive voluntary separation incentive payments must choose to participate by March 14 and leave the agency by April 19. This option responds to “fork on the road” or Deferred resignation plan From OPM, qualified federal employees can resign and retain full salary and benefits until September 30.
The incentive payments provided by SSAs depend on the employee’s classification or their position on the federal government. Those with GS-8 or below will receive $15,000, while those who score GS-9 as GS-12 will receive $20,000. Those with GS-13 or higher will receive $25,000.
SSA noted that opt-in employees may take administrative leave by April 19 and are not allowed to opt for the acquisition plan offered by OPM earlier this year.
Nancy Altman, president of social security engineering at the advocacy group, told CBS News that they are worried employees may choose to get split payments and that it could already limit the benefits she said, saying more investment is needed to reduce waiting times and open more on-site offices rather than layoffs.
“If people don’t accept it, they’ll keep looking at their shoulders, browse emails, and wait for them to get fired,” Altman said. “It will add stress, chaos and uncertainty.”
Altman added that employees should first check whether their severance payments from potential terminations are more than what the SSA offers for voluntary resignation.
Jill Hornick, a 33-year-old Social Security employee, noted that former acting SSA commissioner Michelle King told Social Security 1-800 that public employees who work in the on-site office and process claims were exempted from OPM’s buyout offer.
Honick said: “(The King) knew it would hurt public services. “Because we have a 25-year low staffing.”
Honik said now they can use this separation incentive, and she undoubtedly “no doubt” these frontline workers will accept it, warning that the time for the claims can be processed “through the roof.”
Hornke added: “I’ve been trying to get[these]employees to take a deep breath. They’re scared, afraid of dying, they don’t have a job tomorrow and put the roof on their heads. This week it’s one thing after another.”
Quotations for incentive payments are not applicable to probation employees, who usually have less than one year of work and must work in the administration for at least three years.
Those who wish to retire early must choose between March 1 and December 31. To retire early, employees must be at least 50 years of age, have 20 years of “reliable service”, or have 25 years of trusted service at any age.
SSA has changed a few times in recent weeks. Leland Dudek, Agent SSA Specialist After being appointed as a former commissioner kingcan resist allowing employees of the White House Department of Efficiency or Doge to access sensitive proxy data.
Earlier this week, two SSA offices Closed – Office of Transformation and Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity – resulted in 190 employees taking leave.
