DoD Seeks to Extend Buyout Authority

Meanwhile, the Defense Department in a separate legislative request has asked Congress to extend its authority to offer buyouts to employees for workforce reduction purposes, saying it “has used separation incentives to reduce significantly the number of involuntary separations during extensive and prolonged downsizing.” DoD’s current authority expires September 30, but it asked for an additional three years, which it said “coincides with the department’s ongoing downsizing and restructuring efforts.” DoD along with other federal agencies received authority under last year’s law creating the Department of Homeland Security to use buyouts for workforce restructuring purposes, to open a vacancy to be filled by someone with more in-demand skills. However, DoD is one of the few agencies with ongoing authority to pay buyouts for downsizing, in which a position typically must be eliminated for each buyout paid.