USPS authorized to offer additional voluntary early retirements
The Postal Service has received additional approval from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to offer voluntary early retirement to all eligible employees in Motor Vehicle, Maintenance (excluding Electronic Technicians), Rural and City Carriers, Field EAS and Postmasters. This offer is open to employees in those positions who meet the OPM conditions, and who are at least 50 years of age with 20 years of creditable federal service or any age with 25 years of creditable federal service.
The Postal Service has already received approval from the OPM to make a similar offer to eligible employees in clerk, mail handler, supervisor of distribution operations and supervisor of customer services positions, as well as all eligible Headquarters and Headquarters-related employees — that includes service centers, organizational units and Area offices — in EAS and PCES positions.
USPS is shifting operations in a continuing effort to improve efficiency and manage costs. The Postal Service’s objective is to remain a viable organization well into the future and to continue to provide universal service at reasonable rates.
Details of the program are still being developed and will be announced soon. Once they are announced, they will be posted to the VERA website on Blue and LiteBlue.
No incentive package will be offered for employees who choose early retirement.
source: USPS News Link
Thanks mech….I don’t get overtime…sorry….All I have is five herniated disks and fixing to live life in a wheel chair….yes it does suck…Thanks for your thoughful comment….
mailman you are one of those overtime sucking people. Amazing
Just remember….WHile you all are waiting for that big offer $$$ in the sky….Your life is ticking by…..I’m sick of seeing these people with 40+ years hanging on….GET A LIFE!! Everyone of you are PATHETIC !!!!
For those of you who are hoping to hold out for a future VERA and pad your paychecks with alot of OT, just remember when figuring out your pension and High 3 quarters only your basic pay is considered, overtime is not factored into the equation at all.
To me it would make sense to offer early outs to all the CSRS people….I make nearly 65k a yr…on retirement I will get about 35k….give me 25k and I would go…25+35=60….still less than what I make in a year…they would save money to get rid of me….but what makes sense to me probably wouldn’t to them..
Gary you are probably right for most people…but I can retire right now and am choosing to wait…I am hoping for an incentive package…it would not take much to get me to change my mind….good luck to all
Obviously by now you have either accepted the VERA or you haven`t. I did and have even have it moved up to 1-31-09. For those of you who are waiting around for a future VERA with an incentive package you are just dreaming. How can the USPS who lost about 3 billion dollars last fiscal year afford to offer one red cent? Your out of your mind if you are holding out for an incentive package around the corner. The only things just around the corner are DPS flats,7 hours of street time and some layoffs. Wise up, if can afford to go in the future and another VERA is offered, take my advise and run with it.
I took the early out in 2003, and it was the best thing I ever did. I had not enjoyed my job for years, and JUMPED at the chance to go early. And my check?????It is a pittance (FERS) , but, I live accordingly, and have a good life. I am now 60 y.o. and can’t imagine still trudging off to work. Life is SHORT and a little more money isn’t worth it sometimes.
I forgot to ask this question. I have seen a few people here put a buyout number of $25K. Do you really think that this is enough?????
Don’t look for any incentives in 2009 as they will not be offered. Do expect a RIF very soon though. NONE OF US ARE SAFE!!
Secondly, anyone in their right mind would not take the current VERA package.
This job as a sub is crap. And many many “Monday and Saturday Sicknesses” Are pissing me off. Started working in the PO in 2007 only had 1 credit card with maybe 1grand on it… now got 3 combined for 39k… still get told to rent a vehicle when my back up goes down Fuck you Management EMA barley coveres gas… Start writing the Saturday and Monday sick people up same 3 in my office every week its like they alternante.
I worked six years as a rural carrier sub and got no credit for any of it, even though I would often work steady for weeks. Got my own route in 1994, but called it quits last year, a few weeks from turning 57. Luckily, eight years in the navy will gives me 21 years federal service.
WHY in the world would ANYONE give up ANY credit for the years that he/she put up with the incredible BS that the USPS is capable and more than willing to dish out?? I would insist on credit for EVERY minute!!!
Does anybody know if the VER is also for STO’s in transpotation. Just getting back from mobilization, this would be a great present. 32 years – 51 yo
Everyone must decide for themselves. The Post Office can pay incentives. A big bonus for someone in management as the rumor goes.
VMMP….. your idea of giving us more time in service makes sense…but in dealing with the Post Office, making sense, just doesn’t seem to apply…AL…nine months is not very long…by the time this early retirement would start you would only lack 4 or 5 more months…would not make a lot of difference…so in my opinion go for the whole nine months…once you hit that retirement age and yrs..you get an attitude change…what can they do? I still belive in earning my wages…but this late in the game I won’t take no bull…just my take
Back in ’92 they had a reduction in force. Everyone was paid 6 months pay. It = $16000 then. If they are serious this time, we will take nothing less than $25000. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
Vinny, you need to use spell check. INCENTIVE
The agency may offer an incentive, but the agency then has to pay for it. It is limited by law to $25,000. OPM would approve one with or without an incentive, the agency would just have to pay. If no incentive, there is no agency payment to OPM.
mailman you hit the nail on the head about the COLA this year…I just turned 55 and intend to stick out another 3 years then retire. Unless they give us more time in service just a couple of years…they would still save money by doing that
“YOU WILL GET NOTHING” — “AND LIKE IT” !!!
— POTTER AND MANAGEMENT
I am 9 months away from turning 55, I have almost 31 years with the usps. I think I will STAY and MAKE Them PAY
Paul W. I too wish they would give that much of a lump sum but I don’t think they will….It would be to the PO best interests to get rid of all of us older workers and especially those of us who are civil service…we just have to hold out and hope for a better offer…this large cost of living raise will really help our high three yrs. for retirement…
I am 58 years old with 26 years and considering the latest “Early Out Offer” by the USPS. If the offer were to contain an lump sum incentive equal to one year annual income, I would take the offer without hesitation.
Please make every effort to alert the brothers and sisters and the USPS, that if the offer were better we would have more time to establish ourselves and find another occupation.
The USPS would benefit with fresh start heading into the future.
I look at it like this…I am 55 and have over 31 yrs…everyday that I stay and especially with the large cost of living raise we just got, just increases my retirement…one day at a time…but let them offer a little money and I will seriously consider it…everybody’s situation is different…
This article says; “(excluding Electronic Technicians)”
I’m an E.T. and received the voluntary early retirement letter yesterday.
Interesting???
Not much change as I’m eligible already. Just been working on the high three to improve. I’m not sure it’s worth it as I will be stuck on tour one for a long time. Can’t work tour two because of family, etc. Need tour three, but they moved most of those bids to tour two.
See for ya self. Search under Voluntary early retirement authorization (VERA) and Voluntary seperation Incentive payment (VSIP)
Here’s the link: https://www.opm.gov/Reduction_In_Force/vera/vera01.asp
Don’t be mislead with incorrect opinions. The Postal Service is regulated and follows federal rules. You have to decide for yourself if early retirement is right for you by weighing the benefits vs the drawbacks.
I personally can’t imagine any drawbacks however many of my fellow Letter carriers have lots of lame excuses.
Borat and Vinny are incorrect. The OPM has very strict rules regarding Volunteer Early Retirement. No Gov. Agency can override the rules by offering incentives. Please visit the OPM website and search Volunteer Early Retirement like I did and get the real information not some conjured up opinion. What is being offered under VER rules of 2% reduction for every year a person is not yet age 55 is written in stone. Any incentive has to be approved by OPM strengent rules and have rarely been made. Read for yourself and stop spreading misinformation.
I just left after thirty three years. Pat, above told a a guy who left who is leaving after 36 years, “you should have left years ago” Damn right!! That is the mistake I made. But now, The old P.O. can kiss my arse. I made that mistake. If you can, get out, and don’t kick yourself later, like I am. It ain’t worth the money!! If you can find a reasonto sue this dump, please do!!
I waited this long, three more years or a incentive to leave. like maxing me out is the only way I will leave. let the dead weight of managementtake the offer or RIF them all see who will hire them in the private sector. remember HYmn 43
Hold tight everyone, in 2009 the P.O. will offer an insentive. The more people get out now, the more money the P.O. will save and the insentive will be for the people who held tight.
you should have and could have left years ago. good bye
I got 36 years. There is more to life than the post office. See yah
Everyone needs to know that more Early outs are
coming with the waving of penalties and money.
Now is not the time to go.
MAKE THEM PAY!