The Postal Service will offer $20,000 early retirement incentives to administrative employees, who must make a decision on whether to leave USPS by late April. RIF notices will be issued on May 25 to any affected employees who do not voluntarily retire or move to a lower grade.
The Postal Service is reeling from the decision by the Postal Rate Commission not to increase the price to mail a letter. USPS was hoping to use the rate hike to help close the $7 billion deficit it faces this year. The service continues to face reduced volume, more people using the Internet and legal barriers to changing key parts of its business mode.