Federal Times reports that retirement applications from federal employees shot up in October. "That month's 11,411 applications were 42 percent higher than October 2010, and 60 percent higher than October 2009." With October the standout month:
Retirement applications for the first 10 months of 2011 soared 24 percent from the same time last year, topping 92,000, according to statistics from the Office of Personnel Management.
The assault on public sector workers is, unsurprisingly, a major factor:
Federal employees are about to enter their second year with frozen pay scales. Lawmakers are likely to extend that freeze at least one more year — and some, such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., want to extend it three more years.
Meanwhile, lawmakers are eyeing federal retirement benefits as a juicy target for deficit reduction.
Some workers who delayed retirement when the stock market crashed in 2008 may now be retiring, as well.
January is typically the month that sees the most retirements, so January 2012 will offer insight into whether this is a short-term spike or is likely to continue. If retirements continue to be high:
[Legislative director for the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association Julie] Tagen is worried that the retirements will leave gaping holes in the government's skill set — and the current anti-fed rhetoric and budget situation will make it tough to fill those gaps.
"Do you really want that brain drain?" Tagen said.
The Republican answer is yes, they do want that brain drain. They don't want government to work well, they want to be able to say government is the problem. If they break government, it's easier to say that. If they get to do that by dividing working people and scapegoating public sector workers, so much the better.