WHO Offers Early Retirement to Cut Costs After US Exit

The World Health Organization (WHO) has asked its older workers to think about retiring early to save money. This comes after the United States announced it would leave the WHO. The email sent to employees says that workers aged 55 or older can take a special deal: if they accept, they will receive four months’ pay and leave the job by July 15.

Typically, WHO workers can retire at 65 years old. However, those who joined before 2014 can retire at 62, and those hired before 1990 can retire at 60. If they accept the early retirement, these workers will need to work for three more months to help pass on their tasks. They will also receive payment for 45 days of vacation time they didn’t use. If they are international workers, they will get money to help them move back to their home countries.

This is part of WHO’s plan to save money after the U.S. cut its funding significantly. The U.S. has contributed $1.3 billion to WHO since 2022, helping the organization fight diseases like HIV, polio, Ebola, and the recent Marburg virus outbreak. WHO’s Director General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, disagreed with the U.S. decision, saying the reasons given for leaving are not based on facts.

While this early retirement plan could save money, it might also mean the loss of some of WHO’s most skilled workers. It’s still uncertain whether the organization will need to lay off any employees if not enough choose to retire early.