Only 150 accept GSA buyouts

The General Services Administration said 150 employees have accepted its early-out and buyout offers, fewer than some officials expected.

“This is a good first step, and we’re now looking at further voluntary incentives to get our staffing to the right levels,” GSA spokesman David Bethel said.

He said GSA is seeking additional authorities from the Office of Personnel Management and the Office of Management and Budget. He did not give specific details on what it seeks.

OPM and OMB gave GSA the authority to offer packages to 395 employees, according to officials. In an interview in May, Gail Lovelace, GSA’s chief people officer, said she expected about 200 employees to take the offers.

The move to offer the packages is part of an effort to save money for the agency, whose business revenue has dropped in the past two fiscal years. GSA officials said the early-outs and buyouts could save the agency about $10 million this fiscal year.

“We’re very optimistic we’ll reach our goals in a way that’s best for employees, our agency and the customers we serve,” Bethel said.

The new agency administrator, Lurita Doan, has said one of her top priorities is “making GSA one of the best places in government to work.”

“I will value the contributions of employees, welcome new ideas and aggressively recruit gifted people into government service,” Doan said at the hearing.