State Employees Offered $20,000 Buyout to Reduce Government Payrolls

Thousands of Maryland state employees received an email notification about a voluntary separation program offering $20,000 plus additional benefits, as part of Governor Wes Moore's plan to reduce state government size and cut $121 million in personnel costs. The program, detailed on the state Department of Budget and Management's website, includes $20,000 plus $300 for each year of service, six months of paid health benefits, and compensation for unused leave. With nearly 52,000 positions in the state, about 4,800 were vacant as of May, and 13,500 are exempt from the offer. Eligibility requires at least two years of service, and not all applications will be approved. The deadline to apply is August 4. Critics, like Senate Minority Leader Stephen S. Hershey Jr., view the buyout as a temporary solution to a larger fiscal issue.