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