USPS VOLUNTARY EARLY RETIREMENT UPDATE

The Postal Service has released additional details on the voluntary early retirement (VER) offer recently authorized by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for USPS employees in clerk, mail handler, supervisor of distribution operations, and supervisor of customer services positions.

The offer is open to employees in positions that meet the OPM conditions and who are at least 50 years of age with 20 years of creditable federal service or any age with 25 years of creditable federal service.

VER Group 1 includes clerks, mail handlers and initial level supervisors of mail processing and customer service. The group has 72,000 eligible employees. The application deadline was Sept. 30. USPS has approved the applications of 3,685 employees, whose retirement date is Dec. 31, 2008.

VER Group 2 includes headquarters and headquarters-related employees, as well as rural and letters carriers. This group has 67,000 eligible employees. The applications deadline was Nov. 21. USPS has approved the applications of 4,049 employees, and their retirement date is Feb. 28, 2009.

Finally, VER Group 3 consists of field EAS and Postmasters — 17,000 eligible employees. The application deadline for this group is Feb. 9, 2009. Their retirement date is March 31, 2009.