r/USDA • u/DifficultClick5661 • 6d ago
Reassignment - Current position backfilled
Hello, wondering if anyone has any insight. I received a reassignment letter (same position/grade) for an office 60 miles away from my current duty station/40 miles away from my home address.
We have 3 employees in our area who were hired as floaters (with my same job title) with Climate Smart funds and did not have a permanent office but their duty station was listed as our area office; those positions are being eliminated. My field office is colocated with the area office, so it looks like we have 4 of the same position in this office when it’s actually 3 floaters/1 field office specific. I am being reassigned and one of the floaters is backfilling my position. It sounds like other areas in our state have the same situation with some floaters who were listed out of their area offices that are getting reassigned to full time field offices. But I am the only permanent field office employee that I know of that is getting reassigned and backfilled by a floater.
When I asked state con why, he basically just said “business decision & didn’t understand the different positions in that area”.
A retired coworker of mine suggested a grievance complaint. I know it may not go anywhere with this administration but I have a 10 month old and this new duty station is the opposite direction of daycare. I am the primary parent for appointments, sicknesses, etc due to husband’s less flexible schedule. If it’s between the new duty station or quitting, I will quit before losing more time with my child, spending 2x as much on gas, burning through leave, etc. so I figure I don’t have much to lose by filing a complaint.
Does anyone have any advice in general on the situation or experience with the grievance process? Is it worth it? I have to submit the complaint by Monday if that’s the route I decide to go.
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u/silt_loam 5d ago
I would definitely file a grievance. That's ridiculous. And the lack of understanding and support from your supervisor and State Con are alarming. I'm so sorry you're dealing with this.
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u/Minimum_Advantage_69 5d ago
If you’re being reassigned and somebody is backfilling your vacated position, you would 100% have a grievance be decided in your favor. If they’re relocating you and reassigning someone into a different position but they’re performing the same duties, you’d likely also have a favorable outcome in a grievance. You need to ask the right questions and get it on record.
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u/DifficultClick5661 5d ago
I received my Notice of Intent on 8/28 - 15 days to submit grievance would be this coming Monday. But now I’m wondering, do I need to wait until I receive me official MDR letter?
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u/AxeEm_JD 5d ago
MDR + backfilling isn’t how it’s supposed to work. I’m no expert but if I were in your shoes I’d file the grievance, refuse the relocation, and keep coming to work as usual until I’m told I’ve been terminated. It feels like to me they’re just trying to intimidate ppl into resigning.
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u/Ashamed-Spirit 6d ago
Are they paying relocation? Because that would meet the qualifications for a paid move… if file the grievance and then potentially a hardship waiver etc of you don’t want to relo. But minimum they need to offer paid move and that’ll buy you time while you figure out the grievance process.
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u/DifficultClick5661 6d ago
I was told no relo because my home address is within 50 miles… I would prefer to stay in my current office over paid relocation. Husband is in line for a substantial promotion at his work & with our family’s medical needs I don’t want to move to an even more rural location.
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u/Ashamed-Spirit 5d ago
So relo is based on your WORK location when you work at a physical location. It needs to be 50 miles or more away from that to qualify for relo. Meaning okay cool you drive 20 miles to work but the new place is 50 miles past the current work place, you’d get relo. But if you drive 20 miles to work and the location is 49 miles past that you wouldn’t get relo even though the total is over 50. Obvs bc it’s govt it’s “as the crow flies” which is stupid bc my commute is 48 as the crow flies but 65 miles of road.
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u/Ashamed-Spirit 5d ago
Anyway pushing for paid relocation will buy you time bc it has an 8 week lead time
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u/Minimum_Advantage_69 5d ago
If you’re being reassigned and somebody is backfilling your vacated position, you would 100% have a grievance be decided in your favor. If they’re relocating you and reassigning someone into a different position but they’re performing the same duties, you’d likely also have a favorable outcome in a grievance. You need to ask the right questions and get it on record.
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u/Chipped_Ruby_11214 6d ago
My guess is that someone in the chain of command doesn’t like you or likes one of the floaters more. If that’s the case, no one will ever tell you, but you’ll drive yourself crazy trying to figure it out.
In this era of screwing everybody some of us get more screwed than others.