How Do I Reassign Employees?

Definition: Reassignment is the noncompetitive movement of an employee to another position for which he/she qualifies at the same grade level and with an equivalent target grade if applicable.

Typical Scenarios: You want to change one of your employees from one position to another without promotion to work with a different program for which they are qualified.

Principle: A reassignment eligible is considered a noncompetitive candidate, or is a non-competitive referral, because he/she has already competed for and currently holds, or has held, an equivalent position to the one being filled, therefore competition is no longer required.

Rules and Flexibilities: Reassignments can be "management directed" - these actions are initiated by management to laterally move an employee to another position within the organization or between organizations. This often occurs when placing employees in order to avoid reduction-in- force actions or for other reasons when an employee's skills can be better utilized in another equivalent position.

A reassignment can also be a "voluntary request." This action is initiated by an employee wishing to move to another position, who has submitted a written request to be referred noncompetitively for vacancies.

Reassignment candidates may be referred when the selecting official requests to review this recruiting source or at any time along with Merit Promotion candidates. They would be referred with other noncompetitive candidates such as change to lower grade and repromotion eligibles.

Reassignments to restructured positions (e.g., Upward Mobility Program) which are targeted above the grade level currently held by the employee, must be processed competitively. This means that all merit promotion rules apply and competition must occur between all merit promotion candidates within the area of consideration.

Basic Steps: Submit a Request for Personnel Action (SF-52) to reassign the incumbent. The Workforce Management Office will clear any regulatory process, such as the Career Transition Assistance Program, when necessary, before finalizing the reassignment action.


A Note on SES:

Reassignment: SES members may be reassigned to any SES position in the same agency for which qualified, but career appointees must have at least 15 days advance written notice (60 days if reassigned between commuting areas). Senior Executives may be removed from the service for failing to accept a directed reassignment.