USPS could work with DOGE to cut thousands of employees via early retirement program
The Brief
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy says he plans to work with Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to address "big problems", according to a letter sent to members of Congress on Thursday.
The $78-billion-a-year agency, which has faced challenges in recent years to maintain its operations, plans to cut 10,000 jobs and slash billions of dollars from the U.S. Postal Service budget.
The USPS announced the plan during the final days of the Biden administration in January, but at the time didn't include the number of workers expected to leave.
NEW YORK - Postmaster General Louis DeJoy says he plans to work with Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to address "big problems", according to a letter sent to members of Congress on Thursday.
The proposed cuts could cost thousands of employees their jobs, further exacerbating the U.S. Postal Service's already strained operations.
What we know
The agreement also includes the General Services Administration in an effort to help the Postal Service identify and achieve "further efficiencies."
The $78-billion-a-year agency plans to cut 10,000 employees in the next 30 days through a voluntary early retirement program, according to the letter.
The USPS announced the plan during the final days of the Biden administration in January, but at the time didn't include the number of workers expected to leave.
The details of the voluntary early retirement program and the benefits it would offer remain unclear.
What they're saying
USPS sites the agency's retirement assets and Workers' Compensation Program as regulatory requirements that are "restricting normal business practice."
"This is an effort aligned with our efforts, as while we have accomplished a great deal, there is much more to be done," DeJoy wrote.
The other side
Critics of the agreement are concerned about the breadth of these cuts and the potential harm they could inflict on everyday Americans.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia, who was sent the letter, said turning over the Postal Service to DOGE would result in it being undermined and privatized.
"This capitulation will have catastrophic consequences for all Americans — especially those in rural and hard to reach areas — who rely on the Postal Service every day to deliver mail, medications, ballots, and more," he said in a statement.
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