ALEXANDRIA, Va.—NCUA's April 17 board meeting agenda includes a briefing on the agency’s “voluntary separation programs”—an indication the agency is moving forward with downsizing plans?
As CUToday.info has reported, the Trump Administration has called for federal agencies to cut staff—and has also discussed combining federal regulators.
As CUToday.info reported, NCUA held two closed board meetings—Friday, March 21 and Wednesday, March 12. Both closed meetings’ topics were "personnel," according to NCUA's website.
CUToday.info also reported that it had learned from sources that an early retirement program was discussed at the closed meetings. CUToday.info reached out to the agency, asking if such a program was talked about at the closed meetings. NCUA declined to comment.
CUToday.info on Friday reached out to NCUA again, asking if the voluntary separation programs noted on the board agenda are early retirement packages that are going to be, or are being offered, to NCUA staff to address downsizing requests from the Trump Administration.
NCUA declined to comment.
As CUToday.info also reported, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) entered NCUA headquarters Thursday. CUToday.info asked NCUA Friday if the agency is working closely with DOGE, if DOGE is simply conducting fact finding now, how long DOGE will be inside its headquarters, if the agency has already developed or is taking cost-cutting and staffing reduction steps, and if an early retirement package is part of those efforts.
The agency declined to comment.
In a letter to DOGE Liaison Sarah Bang, the Defense Credit Union Council Thursday addressed the DOGE visit.
“We…urge a careful review of agency spending in recent years, particularly the sharp cost increases associated with the MERIT examination technology,” said DCUC President and CEO Anthony Hernandez. “Additionally, during the failure of the corporate credit unions, the agency relied heavily on outside counsel—an approach that cost over $1 billion in fees for law firms at the expense of credit unions. This includes fees to firms like Kellogg Huber and Korein Tillery, as well as expenses associated with these firms. These examples raise important questions about cost control and the long-term value of outsourcing critical functions.”