Q: I am a federal employee under CSRS. I will be affected by a reduction in force by the postal service and will be offered a buyout if I leave by the end of May. Can I apply for unemployment compensation until I find another job outside the postal service?
A: If you aren’t eligible to retire when you leave, you may be entitled to unemployment compensation. If you are eligible to retire and do so, then it’s unlikely that you would be eligible. Since each state sets the criteria for unemployment compensation, once you have been separated, you’ll need to go your nearest public employment and claims office of your state employment security agency to file a claim.
