USPS: Understanding The General Reduction In Force (RIF) Notice

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There have been questions about the General Reduction in Force (RIF) Notices that were mailed by Human Resources (HR) on April 28 — including why some employees got one and others did not.

  • HR used the information available at the time the General RIF Notices were issued — including which employees took the Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) — to determine which competitive areas may still be subject to RIF and, if a RIF is conducted, which employees could be impacted.
  • Based on the information gathered through April 28, employees were mailed a General RIF Notice if:
    • Their positions were abolished.
    • Their positions were reduced in authorizations.
    • The employee is within three grades (and in limited cases within five grades) of a preference-eligible employee who could be impacted.
  • Notices can take up to 1 week to reach employees. They were sent Certified Mail with a return receipt that requires a signature.
  • If you did not receive a General RIF Notice, don’t speculate on what that could mean. You may not have received your Notice because it has not reached you through the mail or, because at the time the Notices were generated, you fell into one of the groups that was not identified as potentially being impacted by a RIF.
  • As happens often in any organizational change after General RIF Notices are mailed out, circumstances can change in a competitive area. For example, an employee’s preference eligibility status could change, in turn changing which employees could be potentially impacted by a RIF within the competitive area. In other words, more employees could now be impacted.
  • Once HR determines if a RIF is necessary, Specific RIF Notices will be issued to employees who did not receive a RIF placement or were placed in a different position.*
  • Here’s what you can and should be doing now. Get your profile created or updated in eCareer by May 11. That profile is going to be your professional resume and will be an important tool during the position placement portion of the RIF process.

*The Specific RIF Notice issue date has changed from May 25 to May 27.

source: USPS

5 thoughts on “USPS: Understanding The General Reduction In Force (RIF) Notice”

  1. Prior to FY2004, the Naval ICP (Mechanicsburg, PA) issued a RIF Notice of Separation dated 7/01/2003 to begin 10/01/2003. Then before 8/01/2003, they emailed that everybody at the Philly and Mechanicsburg ICPs was going to receive a $500 bonus. I saw the conflict and questioned if what they were doing was legal? Because of my refusal to accept the $500 bonus, they debarred me from the installation and claimed that I was a RIF casualty as a federal employee. To make a long story, short–my 2nd attorney got me a hearing with the MSPB. They heard my case in court and dismissed it for lack of jurisdiction. One of my U.S. Senators and U.S. Congressman both mailed me a copy of the Navy’s RIF authorization letter the showed me a signature different from the name listed as being authorized. It was signed by “B. Houdershall” for Stephen P. Slocomb. I questioned if this was legal? In hindsite, I never received a certified mail notice or signed a presentment for receiving this RIF Notice. It would seem to me that for the RIF to be legal, the Navy would need my signature on either the certified mail receipt or the RIF presentment. Any info about the legality of the Navy’s RIF action would be appreciated. Thank you.

  2. I’m with big Bill.Give me a package deal like mgmt. got, my full 30yrs and then color me GONE.If mgmt would give the csrs employees the package deal you would not have to let anybody go!!!

  3. You could get rid of 90% of the useless overpaid managers and the mail would still get delivered. On the other hand if you were to get rid of 50% of the people that process the mail and maintain the equipment and facilities and the mail will not be delivered.

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