Q. My agency is waiting for Office of Personnel Management approval to offer a Voluntary Early Retirement Authority/Voluntary Separation Incentive Pay. No details have been released to employees, but speculation is running high that two or three additional years of service will be offered as an incentive to retire. Managers have been telling people already eligible to retire but still working that they would not be eligible for the additional years of service because they already meet standard full retirement eligibility criteria. It seems to me that anyone who is eligible should be able to take advantage of the incentive. Can a VERA program be structured in this way?
A. No, no, no! Offering two or three additional years of service as an incentive to retire is an ancient rumor that is totally bogus. I only wish I could drive a stake through its heart so that it would no longer get employees worked up.
