CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE

Unless otherwise specified in this Agreement, the Agency will provide career transition assistance in accordance with HRPM EMP-1.22, Career Transition Program, to all employees who have received an Agency reduction-in-force (RIF) separation notice or who have been separated through RIF procedures in the Agency (displaced employees), as well as to employees who are likely to face displacement through anticipated Agency RIF or internal reorganization/realignment to a different position (surplus employees).

A Certification of Surplus Status (CSS) will be issued by the head of the line of business, or his/her designee, within thirty (30) days of the determination that an employee is surplus and can cover a period of up to six (6) months. Certifications may be renewed in increments of up to six (6) months each for as long as the employee is surplus.

An employee who has declined a directed reassignment or transfer of function reassignment outside the local commuting area and who has received a proposed separation notice or has been involuntarily separated will be considered an affected employee.

The Agency will make every reasonable effort to provide surplus employees with up to sixteen (16) hours of duty time per pay period to pursue career transition activities.

The Agency agrees to provide displaced employees with a minimum of thirty-two (32) hours of duty time per pay period. Subject to staffing and workload, affected employees will receive up to thirty-two (32) hours of duty time per pay period to pursue transition activities.

Surplus, displaced, and affected employees shall be given reasonable access to government local and long distance telephone service, copy machines, computers, Internet access and email, printers, and fax machines, where available. This equipment may be used to pursue transition activities when not in use by the Agency.

The Agency shall supply closeout performance evaluations to any displaced or affected employee who has been working under an existing position description for at least ninety (90) days.

Affected employees who have received a proposed separation notice, but who have not yet received a final separation notice, shall receive priority consideration for vacancies within the Air Traffic Organization (ATO) for which they are qualified, within the local commuting area.

For two (2) years following their date of separation, affected employees shall be given first consideration for reemployment into a vacant Agency position in which they are qualified for under the following conditions:

a. the vacant position is at or below the grade level from which the individual was separated;

b. the area of consideration stated in the vacancy announcement includes any non-FAA applicants;

c. the individual submits a timely application under the vacancy announcement; and

d. the individual includes with his/her application, a copy of the first consideration eligibility letter that was provided with the separation notice.

First consideration means that the resume/application of the involuntarily separated applicant(s) for a position will be forwarded to the selecting official for consideration ahead of candidates outside the Agency. Relocation expenses are not authorized for affected employees under the provisions of this Article.

Affected employees who are involuntarily separated shall be provided a letter explaining their eligibility for first consideration. This letter shall be given to an employee simultaneously with the final separation notice.