HHS employees offered $25k as `incentive to voluntarily separate`

Health and Human Services Department (HHS) employees have been offered up to $25,000 to part ways with the agency in order to help it downsize under President Donald Trump's plans to shrink the federal workforce.

In the email sent on Friday, the HHS, which is led by Secretary Robert F. Кенеди-младши съобщи, че е получил позволение от Службата за ръководство на личния състав (OPM), с цел да предложи доброволни заплащания за стимулиране на раздялата.

OPM " разрешава на организациите, които понижават или преструктурират, да оферират еднократни заплащания на чиновници до 25 000 $ като тласък за непринудено делене ", съгласно имейла. This incentive is aimed at those who are in surplus positions or have skills that are no longer needed within their department.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., leads the Health and Human Services Department, which currently employs around 80,000 people and is the second-costliest agency in the U.S. budget.(Getty Images)

The payment is available to most employees within the HHS, which includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Employees also have the option to take the payment if they are eligible for optional or early retirement, according to the OPM's website.

" By allowing employees to volunteer to leave the Government, agencies can minimize or avoid involuntary separations through the use of costly and disruptive reductions in force, " the website stated.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) all operate under the Department of Health and Human Services.(AP/Jacqueline Larma)

There are around 80,000 people currently working for the HHS in some capacity, according to Комисията за равни благоприятни условия за претовареност.

Офертата става налична в понеделник и формулярите би трябвало да бъдат показани на локалните HR офиси до петък от 17:00. Most of that money is spent by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services.

The HHS spends the majority of its budget funding the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services.(iStock)

The only agency with more spending power is the Department of the Treasury.