Federal retirement applications go digital under DOGE reform
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has announced a major modernization of the federal retirement process, set to begin June 2, 2025. The DOGE retirement change eliminates paper-based applications, moving the system fully online for faster, more accurate processing.
This shift marks a significant milestone in federal workforce reform, part of broader efforts driven by President Donald Trump’s administration to streamline government operations.
What is the DOGE retirement change?
Starting June 2, federal agencies that use the National Finance Center or Interior Business Center must use DOGE’s new Online Retirement Application (ORA) system. Key details include:
- Paper retirement applications will no longer be processed after this date.
- Agencies outside these shared services may use a separate electronic method provided by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
- Retirement processing times are reduced from 3–5 months to under 1 month.
DOGE described the update as a “modern digital leap” that will enhance efficiency and reduce delays that have long frustrated federal employees.
Why is this change happening now?
Scrutiny of outdated practices, including using an underground limestone mine in Boyers, Pennsylvania, to manually process paper retirement records, spurred the overhaul.
According to DOGE, the facility, nicknamed “Iron Mountain,” houses over 400 million records and processes 10,000 applications monthly using 700 underground workers and 26,000 file cabinets.
In a February post, DOGE stated:
“Federal employee retirements are processed using paper, by hand, in an old limestone mine… There is room for improvement here.”
What officials and experts are saying
Elon Musk, the outgoing de facto leader of DOGE, posted on May 8:
“Retirement is now digital, so much faster and more accurate! Nice work by many.”
Charles Ezell, Acting Director of OPM, emphasized the impact in a May 7 memo:
“The federal workforce deserves a retirement process that matches the demands of the 21st century. Legacy systems have delayed retirements and frustrated employees.”
This coordinated effort between DOGE and OPM reflects a rare interagency collaboration aimed at reducing inefficiency and improving service quality for federal workers.
What federal employees need to do
To prepare for the June 2 transition:
- Training and onboarding are being provided to all affected agencies.
- Employees nearing retirement should verify whether their agency uses NFC or IBC, as this determines the required application method.
- Agencies must ensure all retirement submissions after June 2 comply with the new digital standards to avoid delays.
What happens next
This DOGE-led initiative marks one of the most dramatic tech upgrades in federal human resources in recent history. It follows a string of high-profile DOGE efforts to digitize and secure government systems, including mass credit card deactivations and infrastructure reviews.
The change is expected to:
- Speed up benefit delivery to retirees.
- Reduce government spending on outdated manual processes.
- Improve accuracy in retirement calculations and recordkeeping.
As DOGE leadership transitions, this reform sets the stage for continued modernization under new federal digital initiatives.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- June 2 marks the official end of paper retirement applications for most federal workers.
- The new Online Retirement Application system will reduce wait times to under 30 days.
- Agencies must train staff and adopt new procedures before the deadline.
- The change follows criticism of outdated methods like underground paper storage.
For updates or to access the new ORA system, visit the Office of Personnel Management or check with your HR department. You can also follow or subscribe to FingerLakes1.com for the latest updates on retirement, social security, and DOGE.
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