Jobs

The issue dates back to the Great Recession.

"If we're going into a depression, where there's going to be hardship, people will wait until they have enough, and then they'll have babies," Art Laffer said.

The government-sponsored enterprise has offered early retirement packages to one-quarter of its workforce who meet certain requirements, four people briefed on the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. That's about 1,650 employees. Freddie Mac expects about 6 percent of those offered the buyout to take it.

Three-quarters of firms plan to increase headcount in 2020

"Wages are rising. It’s just an extraordinary economy right now," Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia said in his first interview since being sworn in.