Q: I worked for a federal agency that has offered a VERA/VSIP. If employees in positions identified as part of the buyout choose not to leave voluntarily, is there a chance that these jobs would be identified for RIFs or furloughs? Is there any history of this in the federal government? My thinking is yes. Here’s why. If your position is part of a buyout, but you choose not to leave, it would seem that if the agency needs to make further reductions, the positions identified for the buyout would be the first to be identified for other solutions to the budget problems.
A: If an agency is unable to achieve staffing or reorganizational goals when it offers early retirement opportunities or buyouts, it may have to institute layoffs or a reduction-in-force. Which positions would be affected, and how many of them, would depend on where further reductions are needed.
