Healey confirms proposed $10K buyouts, $20K retirement incentives for state staff

Gov. Maura Healey’s workplace has confirmed a proposal to supply state union staff buyouts and retirement incentives, citing the affect of federal cuts, after SEIU Native 509 alerted members the state could also be seeking to cut back the workforce.

“Governor Healey has taken action to protect our budget in light of President Trump’s billions of dollars in cuts to Massachusetts, including implementing hiring controls,” a spokesperson for the governor stated in an announcement late Monday. “While President Trump continues to hurt our economy, Governor Healey is considering additional steps to protect taxpayer dollars while continuing the high level of service that the people of Massachusetts deserve.”

SEIU Native 509 alerted members of a proposal offered by the state to “all state worker unions” to scale back the variety of full-time staff throughout the Commonwealth, in an e mail reported by the Herald on Monday.

“The Commonwealth has proposed $10,000 for a voluntary resignation and $20,000 for retirement,” SEIU Native 509 President Dave Foley emailed union members. “Our understanding is that when these positions become vacant, they would not be backfilled and would be eliminated.”

The Massachusetts Nurses Affiliation, which represents over 1,000 RNs and well being professionals at state businesses and state operated psychiatric and public well being hospitals, stated they’ve additionally been talks concerning the proposal with the state.

The MNA assertion stated they’ve “a number of questions as to the specifics and the agencies to be most impacted.”

“But more importantly, we are concerned about any effort to reduce staff at our state operated facilities and programs,” stated David Schildmeier, MNA Public Communications Director.

The nurses’ unions famous services like state-operated psychiatric and public well being hospitals that look after “some of the most vulnerable adults and children” are already “woefully understaffed.”

“We cannot balance the state budget on the backs of the most vulnerable, and we question why, instead of cutting staff, we aren’t accessing the state’s rainy day fund as a means of protecting our public health infrastructure,” stated Schildmeier.

SEIU Native 509 had not agreed to the proposal Monday and acknowledged chapter presidents deliberate to “meet with the state to receive more information,” Foley stated.

A spokesperson for Native 509 stated Monday they don’t have extra data than what was acknowledged within the e mail to members, together with which positions and what different unions could also be impacted.

SEIU Native 509 represents a spread of Massachusetts public sector staff, together with these on the Division of Youngsters and Households, Division of Public Health, Fee on Judicial Conduct, MassAbility, Division of Elementary and Secondary Schooling, MassHealth, and extra state businesses.

The incentives provided within the proposal aren’t an early retirement program wherein staff might entry pensions early, in accordance with the SEIU’s communication. The $10,000 or $20,000 choices could be a “one-time lump sum payment to employees.”

“There are many outstanding questions that remain about this proposal, such as what positions and agencies would be eligible to enroll in this program and receive this incentive,” Foley stated, noting a “strongly shared skepticism among all” of the chapter presidents.

Foley stated the presidents had “reducing staffing levels would negatively impact both our members and the essential services we provide,” and the union would proceed to maintain members up to date.

Spending strains amid the uncertainty of federal funding have continued to be a subject on Beacon Hill this 12 months. In an Oct. 15 income certification letter to Healey and lawmakers, Secretary of Administration and Finance Matthew Gorzkowicz stated the Division of Income anticipated at the very least a $650 million state tax income lower this 12 months as a result of federal tax code adjustments.

Gorzkowicz stated “forecasts anticipate a slowing economy rather than a recession” roughly in step with the December 2024 forecasts that underpinned the beginning of the fiscal 12 months 2026 course of.