CONFIRMED: President Trump Can Start Laying Off Furloughed Workers After 30 Days With ‘Reduction In Force’ Procedure

President Donald Trump’s administration will have the option to lay off all furloughed government workers after their furlough reaches 30 days. President Trump will reach Day 30 of the shutdown on Sunday January 20.

President Trump can save taxpayers more than $1 billion per week if he lays off the approximately 800,000 non-essential government workers who are not getting paid. That would save enough money to cover the cost of Trump’s wall in six weeks, or three pay periods.

The trade site The Balance Careers previously published an explainer on the “Reduction in Force” (RIF) procedures, documenting:

The US Office of Personnel Management is responsible for overseeing RIFs by federal agencies. These agencies may choose when they want to implement a RIF, but they must follow the rules set forth by OPM.

In deciding who stays and who goes, federal agencies must take four factors into account:

1. Tenure

2. Veteran status

3, Total federal civilian and military service

4. Performance

Agencies cannot use RIF procedures to fire bad employees. Adverse personnel actions must be taken on an individual basis. While performance is a factor in RIFs, it is only one factor. Agencies can’t simply get rid of their lowest performers.

When agencies furlough employees for more than 30 calendar days or 22 discontinuous work days, they must use RIF procedures.

An employee can be terminated or moved into an available position. The new position does not have to be at the same pay grade, but it does have to be within three grades or grade intervals of an employee’s current position. There can be a series of “bumping” that can go on as employees are placed in lower positions displacing employees in filled positions.

Agencies must give employees 60 days notice before being terminated. In extreme circumstances, OPM can allow agencies to give as little as 30 days notice.

If employees believe they have been unfairly treated, they can file an appeal with the Merit System Protection Board. The appeal must be filed within 30 days of the RIF action.

The Balance Careers passage ends

The Center for American Progress built a helpful chart illustrating how much money President Trump can save.

 

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