APWU Releases Q&As about 2025 Voluntary Early Retirement

The Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) recently announced for eligible postal workers by the Postal Service has generated many questions from the members of the APWU. To help you understand your options better, APWU has published a list of questions and answers for our members below.

Update on 2/25/2025 - The resources below have been updated to include a the process for disputes under the One-time Retirement Incentive MOU and appeal form these disputes.

Update on 2/23/2025 - Some employees who are eligible for the Voluntary Early Retirement option under the MOU Re: One-time Retirement Incentive were identified as “optional” retirement eligible. These employees were originally mailed a packet from the Postal Service that provided an incorrect annuity estimate and “Acknowledgement of Irrevocability” form. The APWU understands that these employees were mailed out replacement annuity estimates and forms the week of February 10, 2025. If employees who fall into this category have not received an updated annuity estimate for “Early-Out” or “Acknowledgement of Irrevocability” form for “Voluntary Early Retirement Decision”, they may email the Postal Service at retirementbenefits@usps.gov to request those items and they will receive the requested items via email. When contacting the Postal Service in this manner, please include your full name and EIN.

It is also highly recommended that you return your paperwork to HRSSC by Priority Mail Express. This product is trackable and guaranteed. Should the Postal Service claim paperwork not be received on time or received at all, the use of this product will be very helpful in an dispute on the timely receipt of paperwork at HRSSC.

Update on 2/15/2025 - APWU and the USPS released an addendum to the 2025 VER Questions and Answers (Q&As). This clarifies some questions around employees who have reached minimum retirement age (MRA), are under age 60, and have 20 or more years regarding if the retirement is "VER" or "Optional". It also clarifies whether employees who are in the "capped" groups are required to retire or not if they fall outside the cap.