What to expect when you’re expecting

Some interesting facts about federal reductions in force (RIFs):

1. Doing a proper RIF, while unfortunate for those of us affected, is better than trying to get around the rules and achieve cuts and restructuring without invoking a RIF.
2. Federal staff with term appointments are not permanent employees and are entitled to $0 in severance if affected by a RIF.
3. The existing rules for a federal RIF give affected staff 60 days notice starting the day after they are individually notified.
4. The practice of the current administration is to put people on administrative leave (still paid, but no access to work) from the time they are notified until their last day.
5. Current rules only allow for ten days of administrative leave. This may become an issue when the government needs to be kept open or reopened after March 14.
6. For people with no severance, this 60-day period combined with admin leave (however funded) represents a sort of consolation prize.
7. Proposed new rules will allow agencies to ask OPM for permission to only give 30-days notice.
8. It has been reported that some units in my agency have already been notified that they are being eliminated in this RIF, which may mean that it has technically begun already or they may still be making a gameplan. It’s hard to tell from where I sit.
9. Any sign of things adhering to lawful processes is a step in the right direction!