THE EMPLOYEE'S GUIDE TO CAREER TRANSITION U. S. OFFICE

THE EMPLOYEE'S GUIDE TO CAREER TRANSITION U. S. OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT WORKFORCE RESTRUCTURING OFFICE November 1999 (Revised) TABLE OF CONTENTS Description (1) (2) (3) INTRODUCTION WHERE CAN I GO FOR MORE INFORMATION? EMPLOYEES AFFECTED BY REDUCTION IN FORCE OR OUT-OF-AREA REASSIGNMENT (A) SPECIAL SELECTION PRIORITY FOR VACANCIES IN YOUR OWN AGENCY (CTAP) (B) AGENCY REEMPLOYMENT PRIORITY LIST (RPL) Page p. 3 p. 5 p. 5 p. 5 p. 13 p. 16 (C) SPECIAL SELECTION PRIORITY FOR VACANCIES IN OTHER AGENCIES (ICTAP) (4) REEMPLOYMENT AFTER ABSENCES DUE TO DISABILITY OR INJURY (A) EMPLOYEES SEEKING REEMPLOYMENT AFTER RECOVERING FROM JOB-RELATED INJURIES (B) EMPLOYEES SEEKING REEMPLOYMENT AFTER TERMINATION OF DISABILITY ANNUITY p. 23 p. 23 p. 24 (C) FORMER MILITARY RESERVE OR NATIONAL p. 24 GUARD TECHNICIANS RECEIVING SPECIAL DISABILITY ANNUITY (5) OTHER PROGRAMS FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEES (A) (B) (C) (6) (7) p. 25 DC DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS EMPLOYEES p. 25 PANAMA CANAL ZONE EMPLOYEES VETERANS IN CERTAIN RESTRICTED POSITIONS p. 25 p. 25 p. 26 p. 26 CAREER TRANSITION SERVICES JOB INFORMATION (1). INTRODUCTION As the Federal Government has continued to restructure and downsize, many employees have found themselves having to "transition" to new careers, sometimes to occupations in the private sector. Such a change can be frustrating and raises many questions from employees who are in the position of having to move from one career to another, perhaps for the first time in many years. The President recognized this and, in 1995, directed Federal agencies to provide more assistance to employees affected by downsizing. One of the primary goals of the President is that employees start viewing career transition as an opportunity to move to new or exciting second careers, including to positions in the private sector. Background On September 12, 1995, President Clinton issued a directive requiring Federal Executive agencies to provide career transition assistance to their employees who are affected by downsizing or restructuring. Since early 1996, Executive branch agencies have been required to have Career Transition Assistance Plans for their surplus and displaced employees. On June 9, 1997, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued final regulations implementing the President's directive. These regulations were originally scheduled to expire on September 30, 1999; however, they have been extended through September 30, 2001. Agency Career Transition Assistance Plans (CTAPs) Agency plans must consist of three parts: (1) Agency Career Transition Services Each agency provides career transition services to its employees in order to give them the skills and resources necessary to find other employment. These services can include, but are not limited to: skills assessment, resume preparation, counseling and job search assistance. The President's directive also requires agencies to develop policies for retraining their employees who are affected by downsizing. (2) Agency Special Selection Priority under the Career Transition Assistance Plan Well-qualified surplus or displaced agency employees who apply for vacancies within their own agency components in the local commuting area must be selected before any other candidate from within or outside the agency. When agencies recruit to fill vacancies, they should notify their surplus or displaced employees of their opportunity to ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 3 apply. (3) Agency Reemployment Priority Lists (RPL) Each agency is also required to establish and maintain an RPL for each commuting area in which it separates eligible employees due to a reduction in force. RPL registration is available as soon as the employee receives a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice. When an agency fills a position with a candidate from outside its workforce, employees registered on the agency's RPL must be selected before anyone from outside the agency can be hired. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) In addition, as part of this effort, OPM changed the manner in which displaced Federal workers are given selection priority for employment outside their former agencies. OPM suspended the Interagency Placement Program (IPP) through September, 2001, and replaced it with the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP). During the operation of the ICTAP, displaced employees are given the tools and resources to help them make successful career transitions. They have the opportunity to apply for positions in the local commuting area and exercise special selection priority for these positions. This means that an employee who has a RIF notice of separation, for example, can apply for a competitive service vacancy announced by another agency in the local commuting area, and if found well-qualified, must be selected for the position over an applicant from outside the agency. Based on the concept of "employee empowerment," this program differs from the former IPP, where displaced employees applied only once and were referred from a centralized inventory or “list”. Note to DOD Employees: The Department of Defense (DOD) is not required to provide selection priority through an internal CTAP because of its operation of the Priority Placement Program (PPP). This program continues to provide excellent agency placement assistance to Defense workers affected by downsizing. DOD also provides career transition services to its employees in accordance with the President's memorandum. In addition, displaced DOD workers can register for the DOD Reemployment Priority List (RPL), and are eligible for selection priority for jobs in non-DOD agencies through the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 4 (2). WHERE CAN I GO FOR MORE INFORMATION? For further information regarding your agency's specific services and programs, including CTAP and RPL, please contact your personnel office. Agency personnel representatives are available to assist you with information on career transition services. Agency personnel offices also have information on the ICTAP program and how it works. There are several websites you may want to visit. One which contains a wide range of career transition assistance and information is located at http://safetynet.doleta.gov . This site was established in partnership with the Department of Labor. This website also links to OPM's own website at www.opm.gov which provides access to information on a variety of human resources topics, including lists of Federal job opportunities worldwide. You can call OPM's Workforce Restructuring Office at (202) 606-0960. In addition, you can call the Workforce Restructuring Office’s Hotline at (202) 606-2425 to order additional copies of this or our other Employee Guides on various downsizing topics. Employee guides available through OPM's Workforce Restructuring Office include the "Employee's Guide to Reduction in Force (RIF)", the "Employee's Guide to Buyouts", and the "Employee's Guide to Benefits for Those Affected by Reduction in Force". Many of the guides and other career transition materials can also be downloaded from the Internet websites listed above. Comprehensive information on worldwide Federal job opportunities is available from OPM by phone (912-757-3000; 912-744-2299 for TDD), touchscreen computer kiosks located throughout the nation at OPM and various Federal buildings, and at www.usajobs.opm.gov on the worldwide web. Complete information on job search resources appears in the last section of this Guide. (3). EMPLOYEES AFFECTED BY REDUCTION IN FORCE (RIF) OR OUT-OF-AREA REASSIGNMENT (A). SPECIAL SELECTION PRIORITY FOR VACANCIES IN YOUR OWN AGENCY (CTAP) The following questions and answers apply to the minimum requirements that agencies must meet in providing their employees with selection priority for agency vacancies. Each agency will supplement these regulations with a specific Career Transition Assistance Plan to assist their workers. You should check with your agency's personnel office for the specific provisions ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 5 within your agency. Note for Department of Defense (DOD) Employees: This agency special selection priority does not apply to DOD employees. The DOD Priority Placement Program (PPP) remains in effect, and DOD employees are also eligible for RPL registration and for selection priority for positions in non-DOD agencies under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program. You can get more information on the PPP from the DOD Civilian Assistance in Re-Employment (CARE) Office at (703) 696-1799. 1. How do I get special selection priority for vacancies in my own agency? You become eligible for selection priority within your agency when you receive either a reduction in force notice, a certificate of expected separation, or other official certification issued by your agency indicating that your position is surplus or you are likely to be separated through RIF. You are also eligible for selection priority if you receive a notice of proposed removal for declining a directed reassignment or transfer of function outside of the local commuting area. With a few exceptions, when your agency recruits to fill a vacancy in the commuting area and it will last more than 120 days, it must post the position and give you the opportunity to apply. Agencies may use internal means of advertising vacancies to employees within the agency (such as the Federal Jobs database, email, hotline recordings, bulletin boards, etc.). If you are interested in an advertised vacancy, you are responsible for applying within the time frames established by the agency, and attaching proof of eligibility as explained below. If you are found well-qualified for the vacancy, you are entitled to be selected over any other candidate from within or outside of your agency. If you are among two or more eligible employees who are found well-qualified for the vacancy, the agency may select among you. Agencies may select internal agency candidates within their components only after all eligible surplus and displaced candidates within the component have been given selection priority. An example of a component is the Customs Service within the Department of Treasury. You should check with your agency to determine how they have defined “component” within the agency. 2. When am I considered an "eligible" employee? To be considered an "eligible employee" for the special selection priority in your own agency, you must meet all of the following conditions: ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 6 1. Be a surplus or displaced employee who is being (or may be) separated by reduction in force from an Executive branch agency which is required to follow OPM hiring procedures. Employees who have received a notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment outside of the local commuting area are also eligible; 2. Have a current performance rating of record of at least fully successful or equivalent (Level III); 3. Occupy a position in the same commuting area of the vacancy; 4. File an application for a specific vacancy that is at or below the grade level from which you are being (or may be) separated that does not have a higher career ladder within the time frames established by the agency; and 5. Be determined by the agency to be well-qualified for the specific vacancy. 3. What is a "surplus" employee? A "surplus" employee is a current agency employee serving under an appointment in the competitive service, in tenure group I (career) or tenure group II (career-conditional), who has received an official notice from the agency stating that he or she is likely to be separated by reduction in force. This notification may include: A certificate of expected separation; or Other certification issued by the agency which identifies the employee as being in a surplus organization or occupation, including a letter identifying the employee as being eligible for discontinued service retirement. At the agency's discretion, a "surplus" employee can also include an employee in the excepted service, serving under a Schedule A or B appointment without time limit, who has received one of the notices described above, a notice of separation through reduction in force, or a notice of proposed removal for declining a directed reassignment or transfer of function to another commuting area. Schedule A and B employees designated as "surplus" can only exercise selection priority for other permanent Schedule A or B positions within their agency, and within the same local commuting area. Note: Excepted Service employees are not eligible for special selection priority under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan. ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 7 4. What is a "displaced" employee? A "displaced" employee is a current agency employee serving under an appointment in the competitive service, in tenure group I or II, who has received a specific reduction in force separation notice, or a notice of proposed removal for declining a directed reassignment or transfer of function outside of the local commuting area. 5. Who is not eligible for special selection priority? You are generally not eligible for selection priority if you are an employee who is: In the excepted service, unless you have been given special selection priority within your agency under a separate and specific law, or under the agency’s policy; Downgraded or reassigned due to reduction in force, but are not actually separated; Located outside the commuting area where the vacancy is occurring; Being (or may be) separated from a temporary or term position in the competitive service; Being (or may be) separated from an agency other than an Executive branch agency that is required to follow OPM hiring procedures; or Being (or may be) separated from a Senior Executive Service (SES) position. 6. When does my eligibility begin? You are eligible for the special selection priority in your own agency when you receive a reduction in force separation notice, a notice of proposed removal for declining a directed reassignment or transfer of function to another commuting area, a certificate of expected separation, or other agency certification identifying you as being in a surplus organization or occupation. ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 8 7. When does my eligibility expire? Your eligibility for special selection priority for vacancies in your own agency expires on the earliest of: The date you are separated by RIF; The date you resign, retire or otherwise separate from the agency; The date of your removal from the competitive service because of your declination of a directed reassignment or transfer of function to another commuting area; Cancellation of the RIF separation notice, certificate of expected separation, or other agency certification identifying you as surplus or displaced (including cancellation of the notice because you have accepted another agency position, including a time-limited position); When you receive a career, career-conditional, or excepted service position without time limit in your own or any other agency; Whenever you are no longer scheduled to be separated by RIF. 8. What are the steps in the process ? (a) Application: If you are an eligible employee, you may exercise your special selection priority by: 1. Applying directly for a vacancy in your agency that is in the local commuting area from which you are being (or may be) separated; 2. Attaching proof of eligibility, examples of which are your RIF separation notice, certificate of expected separation, or notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area. (b) Qualifications Review: The agency will then review your application against the qualification requirements, ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 9 selective factors, and knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the position and determine if you are well-qualified for that particular job. The agency is required to include a definition of well-qualified on its vacancy announcements so that you will know the criteria against which you are being evaluated. If you are not found well-qualified, then the agency must conduct a second review of your qualifications and advise you in writing of the results of the second review. (c) Selection: If your agency finds that you are well-qualified for the vacancy, it must select you over any other employee who is not eligible for special selection priority from within or outside your agency. If more than one eligible employee is determined to be well-qualified, the agency may select any one over another, or it may decide the order of selection among eligible employees (e.g., select a displaced employee over a surplus employee). If no well-qualified eligible employees apply, the agency is free to fill the position with an employee who is not eligible for the special selection priority. 9. What does the term "vacancy" mean? A vacancy is a competitive service position lasting 121 days or more which the agency is filling, regardless of whether the agency issues a specific vacancy announcement. 10. What does “local commuting area” mean? Local commuting area is determined by the agency filling the vacancy and is the geographic area that usually constitutes one area for employment purposes. It includes any population center and the surrounding localities in which people live and can reasonably be expected to travel back and forth daily to their usual employment. 11. What does "well-qualified" mean? "Well-qualified" means that an eligible employee: Meets the qualification standards and eligibility requirements for the position, including any medical qualifications, suitability, and minimum educational and ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 10 experience requirements; Meets all selective factors where applicable. Meets appropriate quality rating factor levels as determined by the agency; or is rated by the agency to be above minimally qualified in accordance with the agency's specific rating and ranking process; Is physically qualified, with reasonable accommodation where appropriate, to perform the essential duties of the position; Meets any special qualifying condition(s) that OPM has approved for the position; and Is able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry. If an agency determines that you are not well-qualified, you are entitled to a second review of your application. The agency must advise you in writing of the results of the second review. 12. Does the definition of well-qualified vary between positions or agencies? Yes. Each position has its own qualification requirements, selective factors, and knowledge, skills, and abilities. Since each determination is different, it is best to tailor your resume for each position for which you apply. 13. May I exercise this priority for higher graded positions? No. You can only be given selection priority for positions that are at or below the grade level of the position from which you are being (or may be) separated, and which do not have any higher promotion potential. 14. Am I limited to certain occupational series where I may exercise my selection priority? No. You may apply for any position for which you are interested and qualified, but you will not receive priority for selection unless you are found well-qualified for the job. Before you apply for a lower-graded job, you might want to check with your agency on their pay-setting policies. You should not apply for a job you don’t think you would accept, because if you turn down a valid job offer for a permanent position, the agency has the right to discontinue your selection priority for other vacancies it advertises. ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 11 15. I'm not sure that I'm qualified for a particular position. Where may I go to find out if I am? Your personnel office or agency career transition center is available to assist you in determining the positions for which you may be qualified. 16. What happens if I decline a job offer? Do I lose my eligibility? Agencies have the option of discontinuing your special selection priority if you apply for a vacancy within the established time frames, are determined to be well-qualified, and are offered, but decline, the position. The position offered must be without time limit, i.e., if you decline a temporary position with the agency, it cannot discontinue your special selection priority for permanent positions. 17. What happens to my eligibility if I accept a part-time job? You would lose your eligibility for selection priority if the job offered is a permanent part-time position (e.g., filled with a career or career-conditional appointment). 18. If I take a temporary or term job, do I lose my special selection eligibility? Yes, because you are no longer being separated by RIF. 19. What happens if I accept a position outside of the Federal Government? Am I still eligible for the special selection priority? Once you separate from the agency either involuntarily (such as by RIF) or voluntarily (such as through resignation), you are no longer eligible for special selection priority in your former agency. However, if you were involuntarily separated, you may be eligible for selection priority in other agencies (see Section 3 (C) of the Guide). 20. What if I want to move? Am I eligible for the special selection priority for agency vacancies in a different geographic area? No, not unless your agency chooses to expand the area in which it wants to afford the ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 12 priority. You can always apply for jobs in your new location as a competitive or noncompetitive candidate, but you would receive no special selection priority for jobs in the new location. 21. Where can I go if I have a complaint about my agency's decision if I'm determined not to be well-qualified? Each agency should have a problem resolution coordinator to handle these types of situations, but if that is not the case, your personnel office should be able to help you. 22. What type of assistance is available for employees who are not eligible for special selection priority? Section 6 of this guide discusses services that Executive Branch agencies may provide to employees affected by downsizing. All employees, including those in the competitive, excepted, and Senior Executive Service (SES), are eligible to receive some type of career transition assistance or services. SES employees are eligible for placement assistance through a special SES placement program. If you are an SES employee who is being (or may be) separated from the SES by reduction in force, your agency personnel office will have more information regarding this program. Although agencies which are not required to follow OPM hiring procedures are exempt from the directive to provide career transition services to their employees, many are doing so. Consult your personnel office for further details. (B). AGENCY REEMPLOYMENT PRIORITY LIST (RPL) In addition to affording eligible current employees special selection priority for internal vacancies through the CTAP as described above, agencies also maintain Reemployment Priority Lists (RPL) to give rehiring priority to employees who have RIF separation notices and those who have been separated from competitive service positions by RIF. 23. What is a Reemployment Priority List (RPL)? The RPL is a mechanism by which agencies give reemployment priority to their competitive service employees who are being or have been separated by RIF. Under ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 13 OPM regulations, each agency must establish an RPL for each commuting area in which it separates competitive service employees by reduction in force. 24. Does being on the RPL give me hiring preference in other agencies? No. The RPL gives you hiring preference in other components of your agency that are in the local commuting area of the position from which you were (or are being) separated. It does not give you consideration for jobs in any other Government agencies besides your former agency. The ICTAP (see section 3(C) below) is the program that lets you apply for jobs in other agencies. 25. When am I eligible for the RPL? When does this eligibility expire? If you are a career or career-conditional competitive service employee, you are eligible for registration on your agency's RPL when you receive a specific reduction in force separation notice or an official certificate of expected separation. You must register within 30 calendar days after the RIF separation date. If you are separated as a career employee, you will be given two years of rehiring priority by your agency, starting from the date when your name is added to the agency RPL. If you are separated as a career-conditional employee, your eligibility will last for one year. Your eligibility also expires if you: Request removal from the RPL; Receive a career, career-conditional, or excepted service appointment without time limit in any agency; Decline an offer of a career, career-conditional, or excepted service appointment without time limit; Fail to respond to an agency's inquiry of interest; Separate for some other reason before the RIF separation takes effect (such as retirement or resignation); or Decline an interview or fail to appear for a scheduled interview (if this condition is explained up front by the agency). ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 14 26. How do I apply for the RPL? Your agency will provide you with an agency-developed application form. On this form you must specify the conditions under which you will accept employment including: grade(s), occupation(s), and minimum hours of work per week. You will probably also be asked if you want to be considered for temporary and/or term jobs, as well as permanent positions. You can register for as many positions as you like. Your agency personnel specialist should be available to help you determine which positions you are qualified for and how to complete the RPL application. 27. Am I limited to certain series or grades? You can only be considered for positions that are at or below the grade level of the position from which you are being (or may be) separated, and with no higher promotion potential. You may list any position for which you are interested, but you will not receive priority for selection unless you are qualified for the job. Before you register for lower-graded jobs, you might want to check with your agency on their pay-setting policies. You should not apply for a job you don’t think you would accept, because turning down a valid job offer for a permanent position could limit or terminate your future RPL consideration, depending on the grade level and type of offer. 28. When does the agency have to consider me through the RPL? Agencies must give RPL registrants priority consideration when filling competitive service vacancies from outside the agency, regardless of whether the agency plans to make a temporary, term, or permanent appointment. This means that if you indicate interest on your RPL application for a nonpermanent job, the agency must consider you for nonpermanent positions. When a qualified RPL registrant is available, an agency may not fill a permanent or time-limited competitive service position by: A new appointment (unless the individual appointed is a 10-point veteran); or Transfer or reemployment (unless the individual appointed is exercising restoration or reemployment rights). ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 15 29. Can the agency fill positions with other candidates without having to consider me from the RPL? Yes, agencies may fill positions without having to consider RPL registrants under the following circumstances: The job is being filled from within the agency’s current workforce; No qualified RPL registrants are available, they decline the position, or they fail to respond to an agency inquiry of interest; A current, qualified agency employee is available through detail, noncompetitive conversion to the competitive service; reappointment without a break in service; or extension of a temporary appointment; The position is being filled by a 30-day special needs or 700 hour appointment for persons with disabilities; or The job is being filled at a grade level different from that for which you are registered, or has greater promotion potential than the last position you held. (C). SPECIAL SELECTION PRIORITY FOR VACANCIES IN OTHER AGENCIES (ICTAP) 30. When am I considered an "eligible candidate?" To be considered an "eligible candidate" for the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and receive special selection priority, you must meet the following conditions: 1. Be a career (tenure group I) or career-conditional (tenure group II) employee in the competitive service who: (a) has been (or is being) separated from an Executive branch agency through reduction in force, or because of a declination of a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area; or (b) was separated because of a compensable injury, whose compensation ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 16 has been terminated, and whose former agency is unable to place him or her; or (c) retired with a disability and have been notified that your disability annuity has been or will be terminated; or (d) is in receipt of a RIF separation notice who retired on the effective date of the RIF or under the discontinued service option; or (e) is a former Military Reserve or National Guard Technician who is receiving a special OPM disability retirement annuity. 2. Have a current (or last) performance rating of record of at least fully successful or equivalent (Level III). (Note: this requirement does not apply to those who qualify for ICTAP under 1. (b), (c), (d) or (e) above); 3. Occupy or have been displaced from a position in the same commuting area of the vacancy; 4. Apply for a vacancy that is at or below the grade level from which you are being (or may be) separated that does not have a higher career ladder within the time frame established by the agency; and 5. Be determined by the agency to be well-qualified for the specific vacancy. 31. Who is not eligible for special selection priority? You are not eligible for selection priority for vacancies in other agencies if you are an employee who is: Downgraded or reassigned by a reduction in force, but not actually separated; Being (or may be) separated from a temporary or term position in the competitive service or from an excepted service position; Being (or may be) separated from an agency other than an Executive branch agency that is required to follow OPM hiring procedures (this includes Postal Service, legislative and judicial branch agencies, etc.); or Being (or may be) separated from a Senior Executive Service (SES) position. ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 17 32. If I took a buyout, am I eligible for career transition services or the special selection priority? If you retired or resigned with a buyout, you are not entitled to placement assistance because employees volunteer to leave the Federal service with an incentive payment. Placement assistance is for employees who are involuntarily separated. 33. When does my eligibility begin? You are eligible for special selection priority in other agencies upon the date (whichever is earliest): The agency issues your RIF separation notice, or a notice of proposed removal for declining a directed reassignment or transfer of function to another commuting area; OPM has notified you that your disability annuity has been or will be terminated; An agency certifies that it cannot place you after you were separated due to compensable injury; or The National Guard Bureau or Military Department certifies that you received a disability retirement and are receiving the special OPM annuity. 34. When does my eligibility expire? Your eligibility for special selection priority for vacancies in other agencies through ICTAP expires on the earliest of: One year after your involuntary separation; One year after your agency certifies that you cannot be placed after being separated because of a compensable injury; One year after you receive notification that your disability annuity has been or is being terminated (if you retired with a disability); When you receive a career, career-conditional, or excepted service appointment without time limit in any agency; ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 18 When you no longer meet the eligibility requirements (e.g., the RIF or other action is canceled; you are no longer being separated by RIF; you accept and are moved to another position–time-limited or permanent–prior to the RIF date; or you separated by resignation or non-discontinued service retirement prior to the RIF effective date); or With a specific agency, if you decline an official offer of a permanent position with that agency. 35. What are the steps in the process ? When an agency recruits to fill a vacancy with candidates from outside the agency, it must post the vacancy in OPM's Federal Job Database. The posting will contain all qualification requirements, selective factors, and knowledge, skills, and abilities that candidates must possess to be considered well-qualified. See the last section of this Guide for information on how to access the Federal Jobs Database. (a) Application: If you are an ICTAP eligible candidate, you may exercise your special selection priority by: 1. Applying directly for a vacancy that is in the local commuting area from which you are being (or may be) separated; 2. Attaching proof of eligibility (e.g., your RIF separation notice or notice of proposed separation for declining a directed reassignment or transfer of function to another commuting area). If you have already been separated, a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, documenting your separation from Federal Service, can serve as adequate documentation. (b). Qualifications Review: The agency will then review your application material against the qualification requirements, selective factors, and knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the position and determine if you are well-qualified for that particular job. (c). Selection: When filling a position, the agency must first select its own employees who are eligible ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 19 for special selection priority under its Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP). If there are no eligibles under the agency's CTAP, then the agency may fill the job from within its current workforce, or they may select an eligible employee from its Reemployment Priority List (RPL). Once candidates have been afforded selection priority through the agency's CTAP and/or the RPL, then if the agency recruits from outside its own work force and you are deemed well-qualified for the vacancy, the agency must select you over any outside candidate who is not eligible for selection priority. At any time during the recruitment process, the agency may choose not to fill the vacancy, or to select any of its own employees, after giving selection priority to its own employees under CTAP. In addition, if there is more than one well-qualified ICTAP candidate, then the agency may choose among them. 36. Do I get priority for every Federal job? As an eligible candidate, you may apply for and exercise selection priority for vacancies that are: In the local commuting area; In any Executive Branch agency (the Postal Service, courts, etc., are NOT Executive Branch agencies); At or below the grade level with no higher promotion potential than the position from which you were (or are being) separated; and Those which the agency plans to fill from outside its own workforce. 37. When can an agency fill a position without having to provide eligible employees selection priority? Agencies must select a well-qualified ICTAP eligible candidate before selecting any other candidate from outside the agency when effecting the following actions: Competitive appointments (e.g., from competitive examining and delegated examining); noncompetitive appointments; movement between agencies (e.g., transfers); reinstatements (except for former agency displaced employees); and time-limited appointments of 120 days or more to the competitive service. There are several other situations where agencies may fill positions without the ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 20 interagency special selection priority being a factor. Examples of these exceptions include the following (please note that this is not a comprehensive list): Reemployment of former agency employees exercising regulatory or statutory reemployment rights; noncompetitive movement of displaced agency employees or employees moved as the result of a formal reorganization or transfer of function; selection of agency employees; appointments of 10 point veterans, if reached through an appropriate appointing authority; and conversions of specific excepted appointments. 38. What does "local commuting area" mean? Local commuting area has the same meaning as described in the section on CTAP (section 3 (A), Question 10). 39. What does "well-qualified" mean? "Well-qualified" has the same meaning as described earlier in the section on CTAP (section 3 (A), Question 11). 40. May I exercise this priority for higher graded positions? No. You can only be given selection priority for positions that are at or below the grade level of the position from which you are being (or may be) separated, and that does not have any higher promotion potential. 41. Am I limited to certain occupational series for which I may exercise my selection priority? No. You may apply for any position for which you are interested and qualified, but you will not receive priority for selection unless you are found well-qualified for the job. Before you apply for a lower-graded job, you might want to check with the agency on their pay-setting policies. You should not apply for a job you don’t think you would accept, because if you turn down a valid job offer for a permanent position, the agency has the right to discontinue your selection priority for other vacancies it advertises. 42. What happens if I accept a part-time job? If it is a permanent part-time job (e.g., career or career-conditional), you would lose your eligibility for selection priority. ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 21 43. If I take a temporary or term job, do I lose my special selection eligibility? It may depend on when you accept the position. If you receive a separation notice, but accept and move into a temporary or term job before the involuntary separation is carried out, your eligibility for selection priority ends because you are no longer scheduled to be separated by RIF. However, if you are separated involuntarily and accept a temporary or term job afterward, you could continue to exercise selection priority for permanent jobs. Once you receive a career, career-conditional, or excepted appointment without time limit in any agency, your eligibility for selection priority ends. Before accepting any employment offer, permanent or time-limited, you should check with a personnel specialist about the effect such an acceptance could have on your eligibility for these programs. 44. What happens if I accept a position outside of the Federal Government? Am I still eligible for the special selection priority? If you resign or retire before the RIF or other involuntary separation is carried out, you will lose your ICTAP eligibility. However, after you have been separated involuntarily, accepting employment outside the Federal Government has no effect on your ICTAP eligibility, and it will continue until it expires or you accept a permanent Federal position. 45. What happens if I move? Am I eligible for the special selection priority for Federal vacancies in my new geographic area? No, interagency selection priority only applies in the local commuting area from which you were (or are being) separated. You can always apply for jobs in your new location as a competitive or noncompetitive candidate, but you would receive no special selection priority for jobs in the new location. 46. Where can I go if I have a complaint about an agency's decision if I'm determined not to be well-qualified? Each agency should have a problem resolution coordinator to handle these types of situations, but if that is not the case, the agency personnel office should be able to help you. ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 22 47. What type of assistance is available for these employees who are not eligible for special selection priority? Section 6 of this guide discusses services that each agency must provide to all of its employees. These employees may use the agency services to prepare them for other employment. SES employees are eligible for placement assistance through a special SES placement program. If you are an SES employee who is being (or may be) separated from the SES by reduction in force, your agency personnel office will have more information regarding this program. Although agencies which are not required to follow OPM hiring procedures are exempt from the directive to provide career transition services to their employees, many are doing so. Consult your personnel office for further details. (4). REEMPLOYMENT AFTER ABSENCES DUE TO DISABILITY OR INJURY (A). EMPLOYEES SEEKING REEMPLOYMENT AFTER RECOVERING FROM JOB-RELATED INJURIES If you are a career or career-conditional competitive service employee who left the Government due to job-related illness or injury, were eligible for Workers’ Compensation benefits (OWCP), and recovered from your injury within one year, you are eligible for immediate restoration to your former agency. You should contact your former agency’s personnel office for information on how to formally request this restoration. If it has been more than one year since you left with OWCP benefits, you can apply for priority consideration for reemployment in your former agency under the agency’s Reemployment Priority List (RPL). You must apply for your former agency’s RPL within 30 days of the date your workers’ compensation benefits end. If your agency is unable to place you in your former commuting area, you may be entitled to broader consideration for other jobs and/or other locations. For general information on the RPL, read section 3(B) of this Guide. ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 23 If your former agency certifies that they are unable to place you through their RPL (for example, the type of job you are qualified to do no longer exists in the agency), you will also be eligible for selection priority through the ICTAP for jobs in other agencies in the commuting area you were in when you separated. The agency certification is your proof of eligibility for the ICTAP and must be submitted with all job applications. Your eligibility under ICTAP ends one year from the date of the agency’s certification. You need not include the current or last performance appraisal required for other ICTAP candidates. For general information on the ICTAP, refer to section 3(C) of this Guide. (B). EMPLOYEES SEEKING REEMPLOYMENT AFTER TERMINATION OF DISABILITY ANNUITY If you are a career or career-conditional competitive service employee who left the Government through disability retirement, your annuity may be terminated because you were found medically recovered or because your earnings exceeded established limitations. If you receive notification from OPM’s Retirement Office that your benefits have been or will be terminated, you should first check with your former agency to see if they are able to re-employ you. In addition, you are eligible for selection priority through the ICTAP for jobs in agencies other than your former agency in the commuting area you were in when you separated. The notification of annuity termination is your proof of eligibility for the ICTAP and must be submitted with all job applications. Your eligibility under ICTAP ends one year from the date of the notification. You need not include the current or last performance appraisal required for other ICTAP candidates. For general information on the ICTAP, refer to section 3(C) of this Guide. (C). FORMER MILITARY RESERVE OR NATIONAL GUARD TECHNICIANS RECEIVING A SPECIAL DISABILITY ANNUITY If you are a career or career-conditional competitive service employee receiving a special disability annuity from OPM as a former Military Reserve Technician or National Guard Technician, you are eligible for selection priority through the ICTAP for jobs in other agencies besides your former agency in the commuting area you were in when you separated. The notification of special disability annuity is your proof of eligibility for the ICTAP and must be submitted with all job applications. Unlike other ICTAP eligibles, however, your eligibility under ICTAP does not expire one year from the date of the notification. You need not include the current or last performance appraisal required for other ICTAP candidates. For general information on the ICTAP, refer to section 3(C) of this Guide. ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 24 (5). OTHER PROGRAMS FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEES (A). DC DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS EMPLOYEES In 1998, some employees of the District of Columbia (DC) Government’s Department of Corrections (DOC) became eligible for selection priority for certain Federal positions, nationwide. This program applies to DC DOC employees separated due to closure of the Lorton Correctional Complex. This priority is similar, but not identical, to the ICTAP program described in section 3(C) of this Guide. The specific regulations covering this program can be found in Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 330, Subpart K. (B). PANAMA CANAL ZONE EMPLOYEES In 1999, some employees of the Panama Canal Commission and other Federal agencies in the Panama Canal zone became eligible for selection priority for certain Federal positions, nationwide. This priority is similar, but not identical, to the ICTAP program described in section 3(C) of this Guide. The specific regulations covering this program can be found in Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 330, Subpart L. (C). VETERANS IN CERTAIN RESTRICTED POSITIONS If you are a preference eligible veteran in a “restricted” Federal position who is displaced due to contracting out activities carried out under procedures described in Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-76, you may be eligible for selection priority under the ICTAP. “Restricted” positions include Custodians, Elevator Operators, Guards, and Messengers. The specific regulations covering this program can be found in Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 330, Subpart D. Your eligibility under ICTAP ends two years from the date of the separation. All other provisions of the ICTAP apply. For information on the ICTAP, refer to section 3(C) of this Guide. ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 25 (6). CAREER TRANSITION SERVICES 48. What types of services are available to me to help me find another job? Your agency will determine which services best fit its employees' needs. Some examples of career transition services include: skills' assessment, resume and cover letter preparation, networking and interviewing techniques, counseling, job search assistance, and more specific retraining (if necessary). 49. When am I eligible to use agency career transition services? When does this eligibility expire? Career transition services are available to surplus or displaced employees. Employee use of these services can continue up to separation, but an agency may provide policies for use of the services after separation. 50. How will these services help me find another job, including employment in the private sector? The career transition services you receive from your agency are invaluable. The resume is the most widely used tool to land an interview in the private sector, and agencies can provide special computer programs to help employees develop their own resumes, tailored to positions. Agencies can also help you locate job opportunities through State and local government employment information services. Agencies can also help you practice interviewing techniques and conduct skills' assessments to help you determine occupations which specifically suit your talents. (7). JOB INFORMATION 51. How do I find out about other Federal vacancies? Job seekers can use OPM's Federal Employment Information Highway to find out about Federal career opportunities in the following ways: ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 26 USAJOBS USAJOBS is easily accessible Federal employment information. USAJOBS provides worldwide job vacancy information, employment information fact sheets, job applications and forms, and has on-line resume development and electronic transmission capabilities. In many instances, job seekers can apply for positions on-line. USAJOBS is updated every business day from a database of more than 12,000 worldwide job opportunities. USAJOBS is available to job seekers in a variety of formats, ensuring access for customers with differing physical and technological capabilities. It is convenient, user friendly, accessible through the computer or telephone, and available 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week. USAJOBS consists of: INTERNET - The official world wide web site for jobs and employment information, may be accessed at http://www.USAJOBS.opm.gov. On the web site, job seekers can access worldwide current job vacancies, employment information fact sheets, applications and forms, and in some instances, apply for jobs online. Complete job announcements can be retrieved from the web site. The USAJOBS web site also has an Online Resume Builder feature. Using the resume builder, job seekers can create online resumes specifically designed for applying for Federal jobs. Resumes created on the USAJOBS resume builder can be printed from the system for faxing or mailing to employers, and saved and edited for future use. For many of the vacancies listed on the site, job seekers can submit resumes created through USAJOBS directly to hiring agencies through an electronic submission process. TOUCH SCREEN COMPUTER KIOSK - A kiosk network of self-service information providers located in OPM offices and many Federal buildings nationwide. At the touch of a finger, job seekers can access worldwide current job vacancies, employment information fact sheets, and applications and forms. Complete job announcements can be retrieved from the kiosk. AUTOMATED TELEPHONE SYSTEM - An interactive voice response telephone system which can be reached at (912) 757-3000 or TDD (912) 744-2299 or at 17 OPM Service Centers located throughout the country (local numbers listed in the blue pages). By telephone, job seekers can access worldwide current job vacancies, employment information fact sheets, and applications and forms, and in some instances, apply for jobs by phone. ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 27 METROPOLITAN AREA REEMPLOYMENT CENTERS For the metropolitan Washington, DC area, there are five Metropolitan Area Reemployment Centers available for Federal employees who are facing job loss. These centers offer career assessment and counseling, job search assistance, skills retraining, and computer lab facilities. For more information on these services, call the Washington, DC center at (202) 606-9088; the Maryland centers at (301) 946-1806 (Wheaton), (301) 386-5522 (Landover), and (410) 396-9030 (Baltimore); and the Northern Virginia Center at (703) 324-7390. You can also get specific locations and information from either www.opm.gov or http://safetynet.doleta.gov . USACAREERS This is a state-of-the-art career transition resource base and self-assessment tool, which has been designed to help agencies ensure that an employee has the competencies necessary to meet the demands of the workplace, now and in the future. USACareers includes assessment tools, training opportunities, resume preparation, employment search, and on-line job application in one comprehensive package available through the Internet, LAN/WAN or stand-alone personal computer. For more information, call (202) 606-2307 or (202) 606-2370. Users can also get a quick demonstration of USACareers at www.usacareers.opm.gov. OPM AND DOL WEB SITES Department of Labor and OPM jointly established a web site called "Planning Your Future - A Federal Employee's Survival Guide." This site is located at http://safetynet.doleta.gov and provides a wide range of critical information to Federal employees who are affected by downsizing and are attempting to make successful career transitions, including tips and resources for your job search. The OPM web site at www.opm.gov also has a variety of information on career transition and related downsizing topics, as well as other human resources information and materials. 52. How do I find out about vacancies in State and local Governments or the private sector? Your agency's career transition center will have information on local job information networks which can help you locate employment in your particular area. For more information on training or retraining opportunities, you should contact your local State employment services department and ask about training/retraining possibilities under the Economic Dislocation and Worker Adjustment Assistance Act (EDWAA). The U.S. Department of Labor administers a dislocated worker program authorized under ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 28 EDWAA to assist workers who have been laid off and who are unlikely to return to their previous industry or occupation. The dislocated worker program authorizes a wide range of services to help individuals obtain meaningful re-employment. These services may include assessments of skills and interests, job development, counseling, job search assistance, career exploration, and occupational skills retraining, like computer training. The particular mix and availability of services are decided upon by the States and their local substate grantees that administer the program. The program is funded by U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration, Office of Work-Based Learning, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N-5426, Washington, DC 20210; the telephone number is (202) 219-5577, and the web site address is www.doleta.gov/programs/progams.htm . ____________________________________________________________________________ OPM Workforce Restructuring Office Employee’s Guide to Career Transition 29