Brace yourself, federal employees: 'Reductions in force' are coming

The Hill ^ | Apr 15, 2017 | BY DEBRA D'AGOSTINO, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR

[11th_VA]

While Congress has yet to pass a budget, the Trump administration has drawn how it would like to see the federal government "reshaped," and most anticipate that reductions in force (RIFs) will be a part of this shape shifting. Congress is supposed to pass a budget resolution by April 15, although it's better known for passing continuing resolutions instead of meeting deadlines, and the budget at issue is for the fiscal year beginning on October 1. So, there is time before the RIF tsunami strikes, but like with any threatening forecast, preparation is key.

First and foremost, this is a good time to assess whether you want to stay in the government. From the RIFs that occurred in prior decades, we know that incentives for early retirement tend to be more cost effective than executing the demotions and terminations that come with RIFs, so it is expected that several agencies, especially those prominently featured on the chopping block like the EPA and the State Department, will obtain Voluntary Early Retirement Authorization (VERA).

To be eligible for an early out, an employee must have 20 years of service and have reached the age of 50, or have 25 years of service regardless of age. Along with VERA, agencies typically also offer a buyout, officially called a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP), of $25,000, although DoD obtained authorization to offer $40,000. These lump sum payments are taxable, so plan accordingly if this route appeals to you.

[hal ogen]

RIF them...maybe, then, they’d have to find real jobs and work rather than harassing Citizens in their offices between watching porn.

[butlerweave]

If this drags on where will the Unions get the cash they have to pay the Dems ,LOL

[Bonemaker]

Excellent! Maybe the throngs of Obama year hires will depopulate NOVA and go back to the shitholes from whence they slithered.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

These people enjoyed the 8 years of obumer with no down turn for them while the rest of us suffered and scrapped by.Nice to see the shoe on the other foot and now they get to experience looking for a real job.You people will love obumercare.LOL

[chiller]

The anonymous opinion piece brought this to light today, just 2 days shy of the point that RIF could commence. I don't know if DJT has been thinking about this (probably Miller or Mulvaney or someone in the inner circle has) but I'll bet he is now.

This is a key part of the plan to put the budget in order. Employment is in great shape. RIFers could find work, perhaps outside of DC. Production efficiency would improve. Huge budget reductions. Deep State neutered. Man o' man.

YUUUUUUGGGE.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

BEAUTIFUL

[MrEdd]

Why would you consider replacing the TSA with Marines when what they do has been done by the Coast Guard during past times of war, and has always been considered part of the mission.

Marines would be replacing one redundancy with another.

[Grampa Dave]

Sounds even better two years later!

[Not A Snowbird]

Don’t count on it. RIFs are extremely complicated affairs.

[Bonemaker]

“...especially those prominently featured on the chopping block like the EPA...”

I think maybe 10 people or so would be sufficient to do the phaseout of this Nixon gift to the country...before they too are axed.

[samadams2000]

Fire 1/3 of them. Then in 2019 get down to the serious cutting.

[IronJack]

Armageddon is just around the corner! How will the world function without a legion of desk pilots and chair warmers meddling in every facet of peoples' lives???

And where will this swarm of parasites find real jobs after years spent collecting paychecks for scratching their ... heads ... and watching porn?

[faithhopecharity]

i believe the federal Swamp can (and should) be cut at least 50%. So MANY MANY activities the fed govt is NOT constitutionally intended to even be involved with... for starters.

[867V309]

Where, oh where, will all the affirmative-actioned federal employees find real jobs?

maybe the machines making burgers at micky d's will need a dufus with an oil can standing by...

[AFreeBird]

RIFs happen.

[McGruff]

Maybe we can save $5 Billion right here.

[DJ Taylor]

I’m retired now, but when I was on the job, Veterans like me were exempt from a RIF.

[Pontiac]

From the RIFs that occurred in prior decades, we know that incentives for early retirement tend to be more cost effective than executing the demotions and terminations that come with RIFs, so it is expected that several agencies, especially those prominently featured on the chopping block like the EPA and the State Department, will obtain Voluntary Early Retirement Authorization (VERA).

I know from my own experiance and from my own reading that in the private sector RIF based on early retirement usually does not work out well.

The company loses their most experienced workers, irreplaceable knowledge and the mentors to the younger workers.

But in the public sector this may not be true.

The work ethic in the public sector is not the same.

I have know a few government workers and they did not strike me as workers of the same sort.

[LouieFisk]

Probably pulled some time ago, here’s the archive version of the page, though -
https://web.archive.org/web/20170903110439/https://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/lawmaker-news/328899-brace-yourself-federal-employees-the-reductions-in-force-are%3famp

[Okeydoker]

Nonsense article.

Each RIF is particular to the needs of the time and requires a number of notices, etc. This 2017 article is literally now fake news since no one in the govt has even hinted this as a possibility.