OK Senate workers have additional time to decide on buyout plan

The deadline for Senate employees to decide whether they will take advantage of an early retirement plan has been extended.

Senate had until today to decide if they would accept a buyout package. Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, said that deadline was extended because of a series of bills that passed the Senate on Wednesday. Those measures outline a voluntary buyout plan for state employees and allocate funding to pay for the early retirement package that includes $5,000, cash to pay for 18 months of health insurance premiums and a longevity check.

Coffee said Thursday about 20 employees have expressed interest in the plan so far. That could shave about $1 million off the Senate’s costs, he said.

The Senate has 133 full-time employees.