Phased Retirement Also Still in Background

With only a little more than a month before the official startup date of phased retirement—OPM will accept applications effective November 6—there has been little word from agencies regarding how they will carry out the program. That’s a disappointment to many retirement-eligible employees who have been holding off their retirement pending possible eligibility—and especially so given the late-year timing of the startup, since federal retirements tend to bunch around the turn of the year and many employees currently are at a stay-or-go decision point. While OPM has finalized policies on the benefits aspects, it left much in the discretion of employing agencies, including the standards for consenting to the arrangement for employees interested in it, policies on potentially restricting the length of time a phased retirement might last, who is responsible for making various decisions, and more. Bargaining obligations also must be met in some cases. The few agencies that have said anything publicly, including some DoD components, mostly have said only that further guidance is coming and that it is currently premature for employees even to step forward and express interest. In the meantime, employees mainly can educate themselves about the program and be prepared should the opportunity arise.