OPM releases list of agencies with 2001 early out authority

More than a dozen federal agencies have the authority to offer their employees early retirement in 2001, according to the Office of Personnel Management.

Early outs are a means of reducing the size of government during agency reorganizations or budget reductions while avoiding involuntary layoffs. In 1999, Congress granted OPM permanent authority to allow agencies to offer early retirement.

Employees are eligible for early retirement if they are at least 50 years old with 20 years of service, or if they are any age with 25 years of service. Employees under the Civilian Service Retirement System (CSRS) must have served in a CSRS-covered position for at least one of the last two years before retirement. Annuties for CSRS employees under this scenario will be reduced by 2 percent per year until age 55. Employees under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) will not have their annuities reduced.

Agencies with early out authority for 2001 are listed below. The authority expires Sept. 30, 2001, unless otherwise noted.

• Central Intelligence Agency
• Defense Department
• Energy Department:
  -Office of Environment, Safety and Health
  -Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs
  -Office of Public Affairs
  -Office of Worker and Community Transition
  -Office of Scientific and Technical Information
  -Alburquerque Operations Office
  -Chicago Operations Office
  -Idaho Operations Office
  -Oakland Operations Office
  -Ohio Operations Office
  -Office of General Counsel
  -Office of the Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs
  -Office of the Budget, Office of the Chief Financial Officer
  -Office of Executive Operations, Office of the Chief Financial Officer
  -Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management
  -Office of Economic Impact and Diversity
  -Office of Intelligence
  -Richland Operations Office
  -Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves in Colo., Utah, Wyo.
  -Naval Petroleum Reserves in Calif.
  -Bonneville Power Administration
  -Western Area Power Administration
  -Nevada Operations Office
  -Office of Security and Emergency Operations
  -The Rocky Flats Office
  -Office of Financial Control and Reporting, Office of the Chief Financial Officer
  
• Export-Import Bank (through January 31, 2001)
• Farm Credit Administration
• General Services Administration (through April 30, 2001)
• Housing and Urban Development Department
• Indian Health Serfvice, Oklahoma City and El Reno, Okla.
• International Broadcasting Bureau (through December 31, 2000)
• IRS
• Nuclear Regulatory Commission (through January 1, 2001)
• Office of Personnel Management
• Postal Service
• Small Business Administration
• Treasury Department, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
• Veterans Affairs (through April 30, 2001)