How will federal employee buyout impact Vermont VA?
WCAX
Employees at the VA Medical Center in White River Junction were among federal employees across the country this week to get emails offering job buyouts from the Trump administration, and it has some of them nervous.
The White River Junction VA serves upwards of 25,000 veterans every year and enrollment is growing. But, the number of people who work there could soon decline.
A memo from the Office of Personnel Management, the government’s human resources agency, was emailed to most federal employees and says that those who leave their posts voluntarily will receive about seven months of salary. But they have to choose to do so by Feb 6.
It’s a fairly unusual step according to Dartmouth economics professor Patricia Anderson. “Firms don’t really like to let people choose whether to leave because all the good workers typically leave because they have options,” she said.
The administration projects as many as 10% of federal employees will take the buyout. A federal hiring freeze has also been implemented. But, there will be exceptions at the VA that include essential health care positions, according to a government spokesperson. “Under President Trump’s leadership, VA will always do what is necessary to provide America’s veterans with the benefits and services they have earned,” they said.