HRSSC Assistance

We’re always here to help but where the VERA is concerned, the HR Shared Service Center cannot verify whether employees are on the eligibility listing or discuss individual questions/concerns until application for early retirement is submitted and approved.

Those employees identified as tentatively meeting eligibility requirements for this VERA will receive annuity estimates and a separate notification package via U. S. Mail at their address of record beginning April 6, 2009.

The notification package will contain important forms, instructions and frequently asked questions (FAQs) which will answer retirement benefits-related questions and help eligible employees make an informed decision.

We want to make sure you receive this important information as well as other official U.S. Postal Service related mailings. Time to update your address of record? Click here for instructions.

ALL EMPLOYEES except Electronic Technicians (ET); Maintenance Mechanics, Mail Processing Equipment (MPE); Part-time Postmasters.

The Postal Service recently received approval from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to offer voluntary early retirement to eligible employees nationwide.

Automation and technological advances coupled with mail volume reductions has the Postal Service continuing to look for ways to voluntarily reduce its workforce while maintaining excellent customer service.

This offer is open to employees in those positions who 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.

Please Note: The age and years of service criteria must be met by the effective retirement date of this VERA: July 31, 2009. If you don’t meet the criteria by July 31, 2009, you are not eligible for voluntary early retirement.

For your convenience, a timeline of activity related to this VERA can be found by clicking on National VER -7/31/2009 Steps At-a-Glance. Read through this timeline carefully and consider your retirement options. It’s important to note that May 15, 2009 is the date when an employee's voluntary choice to retire becomes irrevocable (cannot be withdrawn) under this VERA.

As a reminder, a voluntary early retirement is just that — voluntary. But if retirement is part of a near-future plan for you, make sure to navigate through all the information on this website and get all the information you need to make an informed decision.


VER Information Sessions


While Local Services won’t have any additional information regarding VER eligibility lists, HQ and HRSSC will work together to coordinate and set up information sessions to provide opportunities for Q&A dialogue. VER Information Sessions include reviews of eligibility requirements, the pre-established timeline and the Retirement Seminar DVD. Watch for local announcements within your District on times and locations.


In the meantime, don’t waste time; it’s your retirement, after all! Look through all the information provided on this website and view the retirement videos along with the workbooks to prepare prior to the VER Information Sessions.
 

POSTAL EARLY OUT (VER) TIMELINE (effective July 31, 2009)

This National Voluntary Early Retirement offer, which ends on July 31, 2009; has three effective dates.  All VER applications for any of the three effective dates are subject to Area approval. Those effective dates are:

§         May 31, 2009,

§         June 30, 2009, or

§         July 31, 2009.

Note that July 31, 2009 is the final effective date under this National VERA; there are no extensions at this time.

VER is not a complicated process, but it does require some careful thinking on the part of eligible employees. To help you make an informed decision, please review the following quick steps and important dates. Use this summary of the instructions spelled out in the Offer Letter in conjunction with the annuity estimate and any other forms in the Offer Packet to make an informed decision.

Important Items:

Related Information

Retirement Videos

Sample VER Documents