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Dana-Farber Cancer Institute announced a Voluntary Early Retirement Program for research-focused staff — a cost-cutting measure introduced amid uncertainties over the future of research funding.
“The VERP offers eligible staff the chance to retire on their own terms, while also helping the Institute navigate the current economic environment and anticipated financial headwinds,” wrote Heidi E. Conway, Dana Farber’s Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer, in a Friday letter to employees.
VERPs offer the option for employees to retire before the standard age of 67, often with financial incentive. But beyond giving employees a more flexible retirement path, VERPs are often used as a cost-cutting measure — providing companies with an alternative to layoffs by incentivizing eligible employees to leave their positions.
According to the United States Office of Personnel Management, voluntary early retirement can help facilitate “substantial restructuring, reshaping, downsizing, transfer of function, or reorganization” with “minimal disruption to the workforce.”
Dana-Farber’s move to institute a VERP comes amid continued federal funding uncertainty in the medical research sector. The Trump administration has cut more than $1.81 billion in National Institutes of Health grants to date. The cuts impact research institutes like Dana-Farber, which received $164 million in NIH grants in 2024.
A Dana-Farber spokesperson wrote that the VERP initiative is “ completely voluntary,” and “will not impact our support to patients.”
Staff eligible for Dana-Farber’s VERP include those above the age of 60 in general administration, “Direct Research roles” — non-faculty scientists, technicians, and clinical research coordinators — and “Research Infrastructure roles,” including employees working in research administration, Information & Analytics, and research safety.
Faculty, all patient-facing staff, union members, executives, and most staff in Cell Manufacturing Core Facilities – those working on cell-based products used in clinical trials and therapies — are not eligible for the program.
According to information posted on the DFCI online portal and obtained by The Crimson, participants in the program will “receive a one-time lump sum payment based on years of service at Dana-Farber and may be eligible for additional benefits.”
“Dana-Farber strives to care for and support our workforce in all that we do,” the Dana-Farber spokesperson wrote.
—Staff writer Stephanie Dragoi can be reached at stephanie.dragoi@thecrimson.com.
