GSA offers incentives for early retirement amid workforce reductions

GSA is implementing significant workforce reductions, including offering voluntary early retirement authority (VERA) to eligible employees, as part of an effort to streamline operations. Acting Administrator Stephen Ehikian announced that OPM approved GSA's request to provide VERA, allowing employees age age 50 and over with 20 years of service, or any age with 25 years of service, to retire early.

In addition to VERA, GSA has sought approval to offer voluntary separation incentive payments of up to $25,000 to encourage voluntary separations. These measures follow the recent layoff of approximately 600 employees on 3 March 2025, with further reductions anticipated, particularly within the Public Buildings Service, which may see a 63 percent workforce decrease.​

These actions align with the Trump administration's broader initiative to reduce the federal workforce. Similar strategies are being employed by other agencies; the Social Security Administration aims to decrease its staff by about 7,000 through early retirements and buyouts, while the Department of Health and Human Services has extended voluntary separation offers to over 80,000 employees.​

GSA's leadership emphasizes that these workforce adjustments aim to enhance efficiency and align with current administrative priorities, encouraging employees to consider their options during this transition.​