Fork - who is waiting until Thursday to decide?

[Anonymous]

Hell no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You haven't heard anyone taking it because you are WFH most likely. In the office, there's a lot more talk of folks taking the offer.

No one in my division is taking it, not even the 70 year old.

[Anonymous]

How many of those who this took deal are MAGA Feds, I wonder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’re eligible for VERA, that has nothing to do with FORK.

Here is the OPM VERA page:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/voluntary-early-retirement-authority/

Here is the RIF page:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/reductions-in-force/

Michelle Singletary’s take on FORK: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/federal-workers-should-tell-trump-no-deal-on-resignation-offer/ar-AA1y8OQI?ocid=TobArticle

But DH's agency is saying VERA was approved for their agency but is contingent on taking fork. They are told VERA is only an option for fork. And we have to decide by tomorrow.

Then your agency hasn’t really gotten VERA authority.

Here’s why they need things done soon. They need you in admin status for ten days prior to March 14 when the government will shut down. At that point you will have run out of allowable admin leave and will be resigned because you never signed anything other than you quit. The payback law doesn’t apply to non-employees. When a deal is finally struck, the remainder of the year appropriations will be for employees on the books. Agencies don’t get funding per person, they get a pile of funding for all employee services. So there won’t be money to pay you. Even if your career agency likes you and feels bad, they need it to pay for the people they still have and won’t be authorized for a payout without a special appropriation. This is the scam.

This theory makes a lot of sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many of those who this took deal are MAGA Feds, I wonder.

I'm the pp who knows 3 attorneys taking it.

None of those whom I know. Two are super liberal, and one is Republican but anti-MAGA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’re eligible for VERA, that has nothing to do with FORK.

Here is the OPM VERA page:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/voluntary-early-retirement-authority/

Here is the RIF page:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/reductions-in-force/

Michelle Singletary’s take on FORK: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/federal-workers-should-tell-trump-no-deal-on-resignation-offer/ar-AA1y8OQI?ocid=TobArticle

But DH's agency is saying VERA was approved for their agency but is contingent on taking fork. They are told VERA is only an option for fork. And we have to decide by tomorrow.

Then your agency hasn’t really gotten VERA authority.

Here’s why they need things done soon. They need you in admin status for ten days prior to March 14 when the government will shut down. At that point you will have run out of allowable admin leave and will be resigned because you never signed anything other than you quit. The payback law doesn’t apply to non-employees. When a deal is finally struck, the remainder of the year appropriations will be for employees on the books. Agencies don’t get funding per person, they get a pile of funding for all employee services. So there won’t be money to pay you. Even if your career agency likes you and feels bad, they need it to pay for the people they still have and won’t be authorized for a payout without a special appropriation. This is the scam.

This theory makes a lot of sense.

+2

Nobody knows for sure what will happen or how any of this will play out. But if I had to bet, I'd bet on this.

[Anonymous]

There is not even approved funding for the government beyond March. You trust Congress to fix that in a timely manner? And then provide funds for thousands of non-working Feds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:won't taking VERA mean taking a SIGNIFICANT decrease in your pension payments? I'm not a Fed. That's what a friend Fed told me. Why would people do that, especially if you're anywhere close to retirement?

In my case, Vera pension would be 2k per month. If I wait until I am 62, full pension is about 3k (based on today’s salary). Sure you miss out on some money, but what is ten years worth to you? I like my job, like the people I work with, but the commute, bureaucracy and now being the whipping boy for some elected and not elected leaders, VERA sounds pretty good.

How did you figure that out? I’ve got my benefits statement but the latest. Ersuon available online in fro January 2024. Even so, it tells me that retiring at age 62 would bring me $5500 per month. Right now I’m 53 and eligible for VERA, how can I calculate what I would be receiving now should I take VERA?

We have pension calculators at work. These are, of course, estimates. The calculator has a VERA option, even if VERA isn’t available. It’s simply a tool where for you to compare numbers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WaPo is reporting 40k took a fork

By tomorrow night it will be more than 250k

I'm not taking it, but I wish them luck. I hope it works out as promised.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many of those who this took deal are MAGA Feds, I wonder.

Out of 5, 2 are R (but not MAGA extreme but military background) and 3 are D.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:won't taking VERA mean taking a SIGNIFICANT decrease in your pension payments? I'm not a Fed. That's what a friend Fed told me. Why would people do that, especially if you're anywhere close to retirement?

In my case, Vera pension would be 2k per month. If I wait until I am 62, full pension is about 3k (based on today’s salary). Sure you miss out on some money, but what is ten years worth to you? I like my job, like the people I work with, but the commute, bureaucracy and now being the whipping boy for some elected and not elected leaders, VERA sounds pretty good.

How did you figure that out? I’ve got my benefits statement but the latest. Ersuon available online in fro January 2024. Even so, it tells me that retiring at age 62 would bring me $5500 per month. Right now I’m 53 and eligible for VERA, how can I calculate what I would be receiving now should I take VERA?

We have pension calculators at work. These are, of course, estimates. The calculator has a VERA option, even if VERA isn’t available. It’s simply a tool where for you to compare numbers.

Will check it out, thanks and sorry for the misspells, fat fingering here on my iPad!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’re eligible for VERA, that has nothing to do with FORK.

Here is the OPM VERA page:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/voluntary-early-retirement-authority/

Here is the RIF page:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/reductions-in-force/

Michelle Singletary’s take on FORK: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/federal-workers-should-tell-trump-no-deal-on-resignation-offer/ar-AA1y8OQI?ocid=TobArticle

But DH's agency is saying VERA was approved for their agency but is contingent on taking fork. They are told VERA is only an option for fork. And we have to decide by tomorrow.

Because Elmo knows the Fork numbers are low and has a lot riding on this working. If VERA was on the table, that should have been made clear with plenty of time to consult HR, go over annuity amounts, etc. VERA is a statutory scheme that must run a certain way. If his office has VERA authority, it will still be there Friday. If they don’t, your DH has zzero recourse once he signs what if the worst contract I have ever seen.

It is always a bad sign when someone puts a lot of pressure on you to make a life altering decision on a short and artificial deadline. Your DH will regret acting out of fear on this one. The contract does not promise VERA. And as PP pointed out, resigning and retiring are very different things it could make him VERA ineligible.

Here’s another thing: Elmo and Trump lie and stiff their workers. It’s their thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is not even approved funding for the government beyond March. You trust Congress to fix that in a timely manner? And then provide funds for thousands of non-working Feds?

Why would any government employee imagine that this fed-hating egomaniac would make good on a promise to pay civil servants for not working?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’re eligible for VERA, that has nothing to do with FORK.

Here is the OPM VERA page:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/voluntary-early-retirement-authority/

Here is the RIF page:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/reductions-in-force/

Michelle Singletary’s take on FORK: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/federal-workers-should-tell-trump-no-deal-on-resignation-offer/ar-AA1y8OQI?ocid=TobArticle

But DH's agency is saying VERA was approved for their agency but is contingent on taking fork. They are told VERA is only an option for fork. And we have to decide by tomorrow.

Then your agency hasn’t really gotten VERA authority.

Here’s why they need things done soon. They need you in admin status for ten days prior to March 14 when the government will shut down. At that point you will have run out of allowable admin leave and will be resigned because you never signed anything other than you quit. The payback law doesn’t apply to non-employees. When a deal is finally struck, the remainder of the year appropriations will be for employees on the books. Agencies don’t get funding per person, they get a pile of funding for all employee services. So there won’t be money to pay you. Even if your career agency likes you and feels bad, they need it to pay for the people they still have and won’t be authorized for a payout without a special appropriation. This is the scam.

This theory makes a lot of sense.

+2

Nobody knows for sure what will happen or how any of this will play out. But if I had to bet, I'd bet on this.

+3. Look how well Twitters Fork worked for that workforce. You sign away civil service protections, you are in the same boat as the Twitter folks who got stiffed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WaPo is reporting 40k took a fork

By tomorrow night it will be more than 250k

HAHAHAHAHA