Press accounts of 400 National Security Agency (NSA) employees preparing for lay-offs are not based on official NSA statements. An assumption that a reduction in force is inevitable is premature, and estimates of the number of employees possibly affected by a reduction in force are speculative.
As part of its transformation, NSA continues to look at ways to focus its government resources directly onto the core missions of providing foreign signals intelligence and protecting national security-related information systems. In this regard, NSA is currently examining the organization, to include the Installations and Logistics arena, for downsizing, potential outsourcing, and business process reengineering.
In order to prepare any employees who have the potential to be involuntarily separated, the workforce has been made aware of the discussions concerning what areas may be impacted. No further decisions have been made.
As part of our manpower management strategy, several voluntary separation programs will run through June 2002. For example, NSA will offer an unrestricted, incentivized early retirement opportunity for nearly all Agency employees, resignation incentives for some skill areas, and an early out with no incentive. NSA will also be providing extensive transition and outplacement services for employees who may be impacted.
Only as a last resort, NSA will implement involuntary separation programs (i.e., reduction in force), in selected non-mission areas, if necessary, late in Fiscal Year 2002.
NSA's workforce is very dedicated, especially during this time of national focus on combating terrorism. During the Agency's transformation, we are ensuring that any decisions made that may affect members of the workforce are communicated to the employees. As we are looking into transforming the Installations and Logistics organization, we are at an early stage and no formal decisions have been made. Once a formal strategy is in place, we will have more information to provide. During this time, we will continue to keep the workforce informed about issues that may affect them.