Early Retirements Delayed,
Pending Publication of New Regulations

Burrus Update #6-03, April 4, 2003

The implementation of the agreement to offer early retirement opportunities to APWU-represented employees has been delayed, pending the issuance of new regulations governing the authority of federal and postal agencies to offer early retirement.

As a part of the Homeland Security Act (P.L. 107-296), the president signed into law modifications of procedures for the approval of agency requests for buyouts and early retirement. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has responded to the Jan. 23 request by the USPS to offer early retirements to APWU-represented employees, informing management that "it cannot be approved until the new regulations are printed in the Federal Register."

OPM has informed the union that it expects the new regulations to be published in approximately three weeks, at which time OPM will respond to the USPS request for authority to offer voluntary early retirement.

Meanwhile, the union has rejected overtures by the Postal Service to offer early retirement opportunities to employees in limited geographical areas, which OPM could approve while the new regulations are being drafted. The Memorandum of Understanding between the APWU and USPS required management to seek authority to offer retirement opportunities to all APWU-represented employees, and the union has no interest in restricting the offer.

I have requested copies of all written communications between OPM and the Postal Service on this subject, so that the union can understand the specific exchanges regarding the original USPS

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