RIF Procedural Change Finalized

OPM published in the August 11 Federal Register final rules to carry out changes in RIF procedures that it says are needed because agencies are increasingly using pay banding and the basic RIF regulations can create inconsistencies in how employees are treated in a RIF depending on whether they are under pay banding or not. Under prior rules, a RIF competitive level for GS employees could include only positions having the same grade or classification series, but a pay band contains multiple grades and classification series. Under the new rules, an agency could create a competitive area that includes only positions covered under pay banding, or only positions not covered, if the competitive area otherwise would include a mix of both. Similar policies now apply to determining competitive levels.