Section One: Preparing for a Reduction
By Michael Rogers, PhD., Sharon Ginley, Nelson Alleman, and Mike Vajda
If your organization is planning to undergo a large reorganization, or resource reduction, there is a likelihood that a formal Reduction in Force (RIF) may occur. Agencies will typically verify accuracy of all RIF-related data as part of the RIF process. This review has a potential impact on how employees are addressed throughout RIF procedures. Employees also have a vested interest in ensuring this data is accurate for full consideration throughout RIF procedures. Employees should carefully review their personnel records to ensure accuracy. To do so, access your eOPF, self-service application, and any additional employment documentation you may have (such as leave and earnings statements (LES), performance appraisals, annual Personal Benefits Statement) to review your documentation.
If a RIF is initiated, agencies rely on 3 critical factors to build Retention Registers for each occupation, which determine employee standings:
- By Tenure group I, group II, group III
- Within each Tenure Group, employees are grouped by veteran’s preference – Subgroup AD (10% preference), Subgroup A (5% preference), and Subgroup B (no preference and non-veterans)
- Within each Subgroup, employees are listed by years of service (RIF-SCD), which is augmented by credit for performance, beginning with the earliest service date.
To ensure that your retention standing is determined accurately, employees should verify key personal data elements:
1. Personal & Employment Information
- Full Name – Ensure spelling and formatting match official records.
- Social Security Number (SSN) – Confirm it is correct in HR systems.
- Official Job Title – Matches the one in official personnel records.
- Series & Grade – Verify occupational title, series, and pay grade are correctly listed.
- Duty Station – Ensure the correct location is listed, as RIF impact can vary by location.
- Home Address – Ensure record reflects your current home address.
2. Service Computation Date (SCD)
- SCD for Leave – Determines annual leave accrual rate.
- SCD for Retirement – Impacts eligibility for retirement options. If you have prior service, check to ensure that your calculation includes this service time.
- SCD for Reduction in Force (RIF-SCD) – Used to determine retention standing.
- If any breaks in service, military service, or prior federal employment exist, verify they are correctly credited. SCD calculations involving military retirees or activations covered under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) are more complex and may require review by an agency HR representative.
3. Tenure Group (Determines RIF Retention Rights)
- Tenure Group 1 – Permanent employees, highest retention priority.
- Tenure Group 2 – Career-conditional employees with fewer than 3 years of service.
- Tenure Group 3 – Employees on term or temporary appointments, lowest retention priority.
4. Veterans’ Preference (Affects RIF retention priority)
Veterans have advantages over nonveterans in a reduction in force (RIF); however, special provisions apply in determining whether retired military members receive preference in RIF and whether their military service is counted in their RIF-SCD.
Check your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) and your final DD-214 (military service record) to ensure preference is applied correctly.
There are two primary levels of preference in federal hiring and RIF procedures:
5-Point Preference (TP – “Tentative Preference”) Awarded to veterans who:
- Served 180+ days of active duty (other than training) during a designated wartime period, OR
- Served during a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge or expeditionary medal was awarded (e.g., Southwest Asia Service Medal). The DD-214 must include the campaign or expeditionary medal to receive credit.
10-Point Preference (CP, CPS, XP) Awarded to veterans who:
- Have a service-connected disability rated at 10% or more by the Department of Veteran Affairs (CP = 10% to 29%; CPS = 30% or more).
- Are Purple Heart recipients.
- Are the spouse, widow/widower, or mother of a deceased or permanently disabled veteran under certain conditions.
5. Performance Ratings
Agencies use the most recent three years of performance ratings to determine RIF retention standing and adjust the RIF-SCD based on a cumulative score.
- Check that all ratings are recorded correctly in your Official Personnel Folder (OPF) and/or within personnel data systems.
- Higher ratings can improve your position in RIF retention rankings.
6. Position Description (PD) and Competitive Level
- Ensure position description is accurate – Your assigned duties should match what is documented on your PD.
- Competitive Level Code (CLC) – Employees in the same competitive level (same grade, series, and similar duties) compete in the RIF process.
- If your duties have changed significantly, request a review before the RIF occurs.
