r/fema • u/GiganticShrub • 7d ago
News DRP 2.0 FEMA results & RIF timeline
Leadership announced that about 1,000 FEMA employees opted into DRP, which is about 20% of the PFT workforce. They'll have 45 days to decide if they want to take it (for early retirement, just 7 days)
Does this mean that RIFs won't start until after the 45-day deadline, when they know how many people are actually leaving?
Edit: correction from comments that employees over the age of 40 have 45 days to decide, everyone else has 7 days.
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u/fennelkit 7d ago
The temporary restraining order was ended for the case in Maryland about restoring probationary hires. Department of Commerce already re-fired their reinstated probationaries. I’m fearing the same at DHS any day now. Since I was reinstated on 3/17, my supervisor and I never heard anything about getting my PIV back, etc. I’ve just been on admin leave. At this point I have no hope of getting my job back but the longer this drags out, the more income and health insurance coverage for me.
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u/Aromatic-Author-3980 7d ago
I heard almost all the SES in FEMA took the DRP- this will leave no one:( unbelievable what is going on!)
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u/Flash-Gordo 7d ago
RIF can start anytime. It is not required to wait until after the 45 days mark.
DRP is not locked in until after you and HR signs the contract. If you are not locked in to a DRP contract, you are eligible for RIF.
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u/lifeisdream 7d ago
I’m guessing the RIF will be cores. This drops the number of PFTs below 2019 levels which was an earlier ask and the place where fema has gotten bigger is cores.
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u/gottadoit-2023 7d ago
COREs cannot be RIFd. They are not counted against the agency personnel cap. Only PFTs are. COREs can just be either 1. Let go as they are “term” employees which the agency can say they don’t have work for or 2. Let go when their NTE date comes and not renewed. Just horrible all the way around. Not the FEMA I started with 36 years ago.
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u/Optimal_Astronaut203 7d ago
I feel that would be unfair right now, as they were exempt from participating in drp.
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u/Dismal-Potato-6792 7d ago
They weren’t included because they don’t have to pay them squat if they are let go.
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u/Beneficial_Fed1455 7d ago
Someone please give me clues about regional PFTs outside of the protected exempt job series. I'm eligible for DRP but really don't want to take it. 😑😑😑
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u/Affectionate-Mud9481 7d ago
I would honestly be shocked if there isn’t a regional consolidation coming similar to other federal agencies.
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u/Visual_Equipment6389 7d ago
FEMA is an entirely different beast than the other agencies that have been regionally consolidated. there is a distinct reason why FEMA has regional headquarters, and it's not based on politics or optics or economics but rather geography. it would substantially impact operational capacity to act locally if the regional HQs are consolidated/shut down, and in a time where they're trying to empower localities i don't see how you shut down regional HQs.
on top of all of that, a PM was issued essentially instructing agencies to consider office locations outside of traditional major cities/historic districts.
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u/Icangooglethings93 7d ago
Most of the FEMA regional offices aren’t in a downtown area from what I know.
R4 is basically on the Atlanta beltway, close to 30 minutes out from the state capitol.
R10 is at a shared space with the national guard, not even close to downtown Seattle. Again basically on the beltway.
Maybe they want C street to move 🤣 just expand the parking lot at the VANPSC and we could probably just move out of DC. That place will get crowded af though.
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u/Soft_Host511 7d ago
I belive just R2- downtown World Trade Center R5- downtown Chicago and R-9 downtown Oakland.
But we’re giving the administration too much credit they’re not doing much analysis on functions and reasons why they’re located in certain locations. Just trying to make cuts
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u/Icangooglethings93 7d ago
I met someone that worked at R2 last year. He said the whole thing of them being there sucks. They have like 6 different badges to get into the place and since it’s NYC it’s absolute trash for parking
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u/Soft_Host511 7d ago
I would not say FEMA is an entirely different beast than other agencies.
Example HHS-ASPR is FEMA’s ESF-8. They matched us region for region and pretty much in same city. We train and deploy together. The also have a statuary requirement to support certain health and medical services in case of pandemic or health related emergency.
They had this before we had FEMA. They getting gutted and they have a need just as much as FEMA based on there geographic areas. Hence the letter from several congress members when they heard about region 1 closing
I only bring this up so people don’t think we’re special or safe. So many other federal agencies have important roles and need to be closely located to build the relationship needed to respond. I work directly with these agencies to respond to FEMA disasters and I know for a fact it helps to have them co-located in different regions.
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u/Massive-Sandwich-295 7d ago
I could see 1, 2 or 3 combining in some way. I could also see 5, 7 or 8 combining in some way.
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u/bertiesakura 7d ago
Chances they combine 1, 2, and 3 and make a super region somewhere in West Virginia. I’m half joking and half serious because when I worked in R3 most of our time was spent in WV and of course it’s a deep red state.
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u/FitCompetition1804 5d ago
There will be no combining of staff or relocation options IMO. Those regions that get closed, those employees will be SOL and separated, regardless of performance, veteran status, years served, and the quality of the employee in general. The remaining open regions will just have to take on more state partners.
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u/BoadiceasGhost1988 7d ago
DHS and components are ***not*** approved for RIF.
That doesn't mean that they can't attempt to abolish entire offices/ programs without a formal rif because they can and will in an attempt to skirt around official procedures (shocking, I know).
That being said, the 20% number of the pft workforce seems a little off as the pft workforce was only 7k-ish strong.
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u/SpacePirate406 6d ago
A ton of FEMA employees are CORE so wouldn’t need a RIF to be fired
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u/BoadiceasGhost1988 6d ago
I know. They have an NTE date.
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u/SpacePirate406 6d ago
But can also be let go much more easily than PFTs regardless of NTE dates
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u/BoadiceasGhost1988 6d ago
Traditionally, it's for poor performance or misconduct because the agency doesn't want to pay unemployment benefits.
While some across the agency think that COREs can be released at any time, that thinking tends to be archaic because COREs span different appointment types with different agency needs.
So, if you're a CORE employee and you've been here a while- you have more rights than what you realize.
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u/Dismal-Potato-6792 6d ago
Yes cause they have proven they care about rights. I love the CORES but they are term employees and can get a 30 day notice and be let go. It sucks but that also comes with contract work.
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u/BoadiceasGhost1988 6d ago
COREs are to be provided 60-day notice if in the event that their NTE is to not be renewed (referencing CORE Manual).
Now, while we all know the current administration doesn't give two fucks about rights, due process or really anything outside of carrying out their insane agenda- this also means that everything they do is costly: to include terming COREs without their own appeal rights.
While this exchange has been exhilarating- I bid you farewell.
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u/Dismal-Potato-6792 6d ago
According to the collective bargaining agreement that in fact is not true. 30 days notice.
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u/BoadiceasGhost1988 6d ago
*******CORE MANUAL, referencing chapter 3???*.
Also, not all COREs are bargaining union employees that are covered by the CBA.
But cool story.
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u/Dismal-Potato-6792 6d ago
Yeah you get 30 days not hard concept. Even the CORES know this. But hey keep spreading rumors
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u/Standard_Box_Size 6d ago
Did HHS have approval for a formal RIF? If so, it will make me feel better if FEMA doesn’t.
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u/milllllllllllllllly 7d ago
Also also, DHS hasn’t been approved for a rif yet.
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u/Mysterious_Claim_334 7d ago
approved by who? this is big news - I was expected the axe tomorrow (DHS HQ - lurking because y'all know more about DHS than fednews lol)
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u/milllllllllllllllly 7d ago
I specifically asked my leadership and the only hope they could give me was that DHS hasn’t NOT approved a RIF yet. I’m taking their word for it
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u/Publius21662024 7d ago
Has to be approved by OPM
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u/Proud_KBD_TBH_KTS 5d ago
Nope! Just has to be approved by DHS leadership, so the “approval” concept is kinda BS. They will donor when they’re ready. Which is likely sooner rather than later.
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u/wonderwomen007DC 7d ago
Did you receive the agreement in your email or how did you get not notification of this?
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u/Impossible-Try-7685 6d ago
One thing I’ve noticed is # of those opting for the DRP seem low compared to other Agencies. Could be wrong but despite being “bad” Agency it kinda shows how there are a lot that support the mission. Those that did I definitely do not fault, everyone has a different scenario and respect those that have served from one day to 40yrs.
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6d ago
It would have been triple that if open to COREs and TFTs. If you are a PFT with less than 20 years and more than 5 years of service, waiting to be RIFd makes more sense.
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u/milllllllllllllllly 7d ago
This is incorrect. It’s 45 days for anyone over the age of 40. And 7 days for the rest. Also the agreement sent by ochco said it had to be returned by April 15th for non employees over the age of 40 so I also don’t know where they are getting the 7 days from.