Then, after 30 years at the same school, she accepted an early-retirement package and suddenly found herself able to do whatever she wanted.

Some said they hoped an early-retirement package offered by the school system would do away with the need to lay off teachers.

But the company made it clear that he would not be granted a transfer back to the United States soon, and offered him an early-retirement package.

But Tuesday is his first day of retirement, a result of having accepted an early-retirement package offered by the government.

Executives who want to accept early-retirement packages must sign a similar waiver.

Fraser's suspension ended in mid-2006, when an early-retirement package took effect.

He was offered an early-retirement package as a result of rationalisation, following the merger.

Another bill would enable towns to offer early-retirement packages to public employees who lose their jobs under regionalization plans.

A proliferation of early-retirement packages helped thin the ranks of workers before they entered the 55-to-64 age group.

The early-retirement package gave him an out, and in the weeks before his departure, he searched for another job.