Printing office announces 2011 buyout figures

More than 200 employees at the Government Printing Office accepted buyouts and early retirement packages during the second half of 2011, the agency announced Tuesday.

The buyout program targeted 15 percent of the agency's workforce, or 330 employees, although GPO missed that goal slightly. A total of 247 employees took the buyout and early out offer, effective Dec. 31, and 65 other employees left during the same time period for other jobs or through regular retirement, bringing the overall number of departures to 312.

GPO estimates it will save nearly $17.9 million for the rest of fiscal 2012 and $23.9 million in fiscal 2013, the first full year of savings after the buyout offers. The agency employed 2,232 workers before the buyouts, and now employs 1,920 workers.

"The buyout we conducted last year will make GPO more efficient in meeting the information dissemination needs of our customers as the digital information platform for the federal government," acting Public Printer Davita Vance-Cooks said in a statement.

Most of the employees who took the buyouts worked in GPO's plant operations, facilities and customer services/sales. The agency will not offer any additional buyouts soon, according to spokesman Gary Somerset.

In June, GPO announced plans to ask lawmakers and the Office of Personnel Management for permission to offer buyouts and early outs to its staff. A number of government agencies have offered buyouts and early outs to their employees as a way to save money and avoid furloughs and layoffs.