Van Hollen, Alsobrooks Question Federal 'Buy-Out' Impact on Social Security

[Wicked Blue]

Montgomery County Media
Feb. 3, 2025
Fran Murphy

On Friday, Maryland senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, along with several other senators, sent a letter to Charles Ezell, Acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). In the correspondence, the senators focused on the Feb. 6 deadline for federal workers to submit resignations and how that might impact the already depleted Social Security Administration (SSA).

More than 72 million Americans get Social Security benefits. According to the letter, during the previous Trump Administration “harsh union contracts” and other employee development lapses led to an increase in staff departures. The letter cites surveys showing more than half of SSA employees thought about leaving the agency due to low compensation and burnout.

The letter asserts the Biden Administration reversed some of the policies and morale problems under the leadership of former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley who served as SSA Commissioner. The “buy out” offer, the return-to-work mandate and hiring freezes may turn around improvements in SSA morale and retention and trigger departures of qualified workers, according to the letter.

The letter outlines important questions regarding SSA employment in the face of new payouts to approximately three million retirees. It also asks for plans to attract new employees to the SSA and metrics in handling responses to questions from beneficiaries.


https://www.mymcmedia.org/van-hollen-alsobrooks-question-federal-buy-out-impact-on-social-security/

[SickOfTheOnePct]

1. Agencies can exempt

critical workers.

And if people take the deferred resignation, it’s most likely the position will disappear once they leave.

[FSogol]

2. That article is incorrect. O'Malley was put in charge of SS late in the Biden adminstartion to correct the problems

from the previous head of SS. O'Malley took over in Dec 2023 and resigned the 1st of this year.

[yellow dahlia]

3. .

[russiamommy]

4. This is a start, but...

The entire “buy out” proposition is illegal. There are rules about buy outs and laws governing the amount of Administrative leave that can be granted (usually limited to ten days). Musk’s team had no authority to offer these buyouts. Any Federal employee who falls for this is going to be sorely disappointed because it will eventually be shot down in the courts. I just wish someone with standing would file a lawsuit. And that Comgress would start to scream from the mountaintops about all the illlegalities happening.

The offers were also sent to every Federal employee. Social Security is not the only agency at risk here, My son is a medical professional at an understaffed VA hospital. He got the “offer”. So did all of the air traffic controllers. Thankfully my son is too smart to fall for this.