Latest VERA/VSIP round results in more than 400 buyouts at Robins

  • Published
  • By Kendahl Johnson
  • 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
Robins is offering 403 civilian employees a cash incentive to retire, retire early or resign.

During a two-week window in February, civilian personnel received 880 applications for early retirement or separation. The office issued 593 offers, with 403 workers accepting, one undecided and 189 declining. Those accepting will leave government employment no later than April 30.

The offer comes through the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority and Voluntary Separation Incentive Program, or VERA/VSIP.

The two programs work together to provide employees the opportunity to leave federal service, through regular retirement, early retirement or resignation, with a separation incentive payment of up to $25,000.

Stacy Wood, a human resource specialist in civilian personnel, said the overwhelming majority of accepted offers came from the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex.

"The main reason for this round of VERA/VSIP was to better align the complex workforce with the incoming workload," he said. "As our workload has decreased, the workforce needed to be shaped so it's the right size to match the workload."

In addition, he said a VERA/VSIP goal was workforce shaping, taking some of the vacancies created by the departures and restructuring them with a workforce with skills that better match the anticipated workload.

Despite the timing of the VERA/VSIP effort, it's not related to sequestration.

"They're two distinct and unrelated efforts," Wood said. "VERA/VSIP is a about shaping the workforce to align with future requirements, while sequestration is budget driven."

Latest VERA/VSIP round results in more than 400 buyouts at Robins

  • Published
  • By Kendahl Johnson
  • 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
Robins is offering 403 civilian employees a cash incentive to retire, retire early or resign.

During a two-week window in February, civilian personnel received 880 applications for early retirement or separation. The office issued 593 offers, with 403 workers accepting, one undecided and 189 declining. Those accepting will leave government employment no later than April 30.

The offer comes through the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority and Voluntary Separation Incentive Program, or VERA/VSIP.

The two programs work together to provide employees the opportunity to leave federal service, through regular retirement, early retirement or resignation, with a separation incentive payment of up to $25,000.

Stacy Wood, a human resource specialist in civilian personnel, said the overwhelming majority of accepted offers came from the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex.

"The main reason for this round of VERA/VSIP was to better align the complex workforce with the incoming workload," he said. "As our workload has decreased, the workforce needed to be shaped so it's the right size to match the workload."

In addition, he said a VERA/VSIP goal was workforce shaping, taking some of the vacancies created by the departures and restructuring them with a workforce with skills that better match the anticipated workload.

Despite the timing of the VERA/VSIP effort, it's not related to sequestration.

"They're two distinct and unrelated efforts," Wood said. "VERA/VSIP is a about shaping the workforce to align with future requirements, while sequestration is budget driven."