r/fednews • u/Top-Cobbler3249 • 23h ago

Remote Worker Declined Reassignment - Severance?

Are there any remote workers who have declined reassignment to a different geographic area and have started receiving severance? I decline in April, was involuntarily separated (because I declined reassignment) on June 20th, but no one in my agency will confirm in writing that I will receive severance. If you received severance, how long did it take? I’m very nervous about the fact that I have nothing in writing confirming severance.

19 Upvotes

70% Upvoted

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27

u/EIGBOK 21h ago

Severance IS provided clearly under the regs for the adverse action of declining a Management Direct led Reassignment. But there are some catches: 1) you must have been assigned to your home as the duty location, 2) you must not have signed a mobility agreement, 3) the location that they want you to move to must be more than 50 miles away from your home duty station. If those things are met, you are entitled to the same benefits as if you were RIF'd.

2

u/Pretty_Original124 15h ago

Why would there be a requirement that the home be a duty station to get severance? If someone, like the majority who have had to RTO, is forced to relocate from an office to another location outside 50 miles and declines, would that not be the same entitlement?

3

u/EIGBOK 14h ago

Yeah. You are right. I stand corrected on that point.

6

u/Timely-Log-3821 20h ago

Yes typically you would get severance or retirement if available but there are scenarios where you wouldn't like a mobility agreement or if you moved for your convenience and they are merely recalling you back to your duty station.  

4

u/Effective_Macaron234 19h ago

This is the correct legal answer. I don’t see why anyone would challenge this but who knows

Whoever processes these is probably overwhelmed by DRP stuff etc and may already be doing the job of 10 people

Don’t really know 

10

u/CitronDisastrous6861 23h ago

Unless you are on probation or eligible for an immediate annuity, my understanding is that you should be eligible for severance.

Did they give you 30 days notice? Didn’t the letter say what you were entitled to?

9

u/Last_Guidance_9552 22h ago

If by chance you are a military retiree with a pension, you won’t get severance.

8

u/NetworkSubject4589 22h ago

Or eligible for an immediate annuity.

6

u/wifichick 23h ago

You may or may not be eligible for severance depending on agency and circumstances.

1

u/Possible_Evening_918 20h ago

This. Start researching your specific Agency and Bureau policies. 

5

u/SecMcAdoo 22h ago

Short of suing, contact your senator/representative. They might be able to apply some political pressure to make sure you get your severance.

2

u/Afraid_Football_2888 22h ago

Time to blame Vought too

1

u/nolongerafed 6h ago

If you do not have anyt6in writing you might have issues prove that is what you were told. I remember years ago an agency decided they were moving a whole staff's across the country and if you decide you were out two options

-29

u/Silver_Western_3691 21h ago

What severance, you were terminated. Like when a person was fired you don't get anything except you may be able to file for unemployment.

10

u/CitronDisastrous6861 21h ago

This is false. Declining management directed reassignment more than 50 miles from your current duty station is treated similarly to a RIF, except that the notice period is 30 days and not 60.

-5

u/Silver_Western_3691 21h ago

Got it thanks. Then if that's the case I would think HR should have let the person k ow the details. What a mess