The Air Force has announced plans to abolish some 1,000 civilian positions by early April due to funding restrictions and in order to “rebalance” the workforce.
The service said the number subject to possible job loss due to RIF actions was reduced by several rounds of early retirement and buyout authorities and hiring controls over 2014-2015.
It also said that it expects to outplace most of the affected employees through RIF provisions including downgrading and use of the DoD priority placement program.
A provision of the 2016 DoD authorization bill requires the department to make performance the first determinant of RIF standing rather than the last, but that is not yet effective pending the issuance of implementing guidance.
The AFGE union, which represents some Air Force employees, predicted that the RIFs will lead to greater reliance on military personnel and contractors, saying the workload hasn’t decreased.
