Hiring Freezes?? Forum

[haus]

I am an AUSA who got hired in another office and my start date was March 6 (which is literally the next start date after Feb 22 because you can't start in the middle of a pay period).

I dunno how it works exactly, but I've known multiple people who've transferred from one agency to another with an official start date in the middle of a pay period.


eta; my guess is that it's a huge headache for HR to do it so they basically usually tell people it's not possible.

maybe it's just my agency; they never let anyone start except at the beginning of a pay period.

For the IT/InfoSec division of the agency I have worked at for the last 5+ years, I have only seen one person brought in on a day other than the first day of a pay period, and that was an executive they rushed in the day before the inauguration, seemingly in hopes of avoiding the potential stupidity of a hiring freeze.

[los blancos]

DOJ is about to get the smack down I think...

Would you mind being less cryptic?

Presumably this.

Yes that. Sorry I should have been more clear. This is the potential catalyst for a purge. Whether it happens or not, he now has the ammo to say this justifies the view DOJ is a political entity now and needs to be cleaned out. Given his recent actions elsewhere (EPA for instance) I think this is likely to happen.

Read somewhere that Yates is the last political appointee left in the sr leadership; if that's true I'm not sure there's anyone else he could purge?

[andythefir]

As a matter of employment law, what is the status of a frozen offer? If the offer says it is contingent on A funding and B background check, and you satisfy both, what is the status of that offer? I know the Reagan freeze litigation concluded that it isn't a job offer until there's a butt in a seat, but does that also apply to the employment law requirements of the job seeker? Could people with frozen job offers apply to new jobs?

[A. Nony Mouse]

People can always apply for new jobs, can't they?

[haus]

People can always apply for new jobs, can't they?

For federal civilian jobs, I agree that you should always have the option for applying for another job if you want to. Military would be a different kettle of fish, but to the best of my knowledge, they are not included in this particular mess.

[lapolicia]

More detailed guidance just came out:

https://cdn.govexec.com/media/gbc/docs/ ... 3117e3.pdf

Clarifies that career ladder promotions are not affected and includes some exceptions for those already working at government like switching FTE to different component of same agency and for Pathways participants, like PMFs, to get converted to permanent positions.

[Anonymous User]

More detailed guidance just came out:

https://cdn.govexec.com/media/gbc/docs/ ... 3117e3.pdf

Clarifies that career ladder promotions are not affected and includes some exceptions for those already working at government like switching FTE to different component of same agency and for Pathways participants, like PMFs, to get converted to permanent positions.

Anyone have an interpretation as to how this affects Honors Program offers that won't begin until this fall? It sounds like a case-by-case decision to me...

[FSK]

Well, we have an acting AG for justice, and we have a memo, so I guess we should know eventually.

[jhepp22]

So it sounds like tentative offers without a start date are up to the head of the agency from what I get from the memos. So going on a case by case basis, would they consider the head of the agency the head person in Washington or would it be the boss or director at the office or place of work you applied for?

[lapolicia]

So it sounds like tentative offers without a start date are up to the head of the agency from what I get from the memos. So going on a case by case basis, would they consider the head of the agency the head person in Washington or would it be the boss or director at the office or place of work you applied for?

It's head of the agency (e.g. Attorney General, Secretary of Energy) in Washington. Although in practice I would be surprised if the actual decision weren't delegated to the Chief Operating Officer/Head of HR of the agency or some equivalent.

[jhepp22]

Well this sucks. So be honest what do you think is going to happen to tentative offers? I'd like to think the head of agencies would give some leadway but idk. The department I got an offer for is with USDA and more specifically Farm Service Agency. I graduated college last May and have been unemployed since. It would suck to finally have an offer and then get it ripped away.

[Anonymous User]

Our government is so messed up. To think a freeze will help. It's going to cost more money in the long run.

[haus]

Our government is so messed up. To think a freeze will help. It's going to cost more money in the long run.

iPOTUS will surely run up record deficits, saving money means squat to him, this is about jerking people around.

[jhepp22]

Well jhepp22, I think your screwed. Idk if they are gonna honor tentative offers it sounds like no or I havent heard of any I guess. It looks like a job with FSA would not qualify for any special circumstances. All I can say is that you should have been aware of the freeze and started applying earlier. It's no one else's fault but yours you don't have a job out of college.

Mod edit: user has been warned for using the anonymous feature to sock puppet.

[zot1]

Well jhepp22, I think your screwed. Idk if they are gonna honor tentative offers it sounds like no or I havent heard of any I guess. It looks like a job with FSA would not qualify for any special circumstances. All I can say is that you should have been aware of the freeze and started applying earlier. It's no one else's fault but yours you don't have a job out of college.

Mod edit: user has been warned for using the anonymous feature to sock puppet.

Dude...

[jhepp22]

Um OK I guess it is no one else's fault but mine. And I think I still have a really good chance at getting my job even with a tentative offer. I have actually read people getting there tentative offers honored(someone can correct me on that if I'm wrong) I'll just see what happens and thanks for the support

[Anonymous User]

FWIW, my agency (different from yours) has told me that they still want me to work there and will try to get an exception for me. I don't think anyone's gone through that process yet to say how likely it is or what it entails or how long it will take, since when I talked to them yesterday they didn't know yet what would be required. So I would at the very least talk to your agency and find out what they intend to do.

[jhepp22]

Thanks for responding. Yeah I've talked to the office where I will be working and the executive director said they wanted me to come aboard and that's why we did my fingerprints and other paper work before the 22nd(I had them sent in on the 18th). They are hoping maybe beings we took those steps before the freeze maybe they will honor it. I'm trying to stay positive. What agency did you apply for if you don't mind me asking?

[Anonymous User]

Part of DOJ.

[jess]

.

[TheFutureLawyer]

x

[Npret]

5. Effective Dates. The guidance in this memorandum is effective immediately. Within 90 days of the publication of the PM issued on January 23, 2017, the Director of OMB, in consultation with the Director of OPM, shall recommend a long-term plan to reduce the size of the Federal Government’s workforce through attrition. The hiring freeze will expire upon implementation of the OMB plan.

I know the link o the memo is here already but FYI:
https://www.chcoc.gov/content/federal-c ... e-guidance

Thoughts on this requirement to reduce through attrition and the idea of exemptions being sought? Is this just wait for 90 days and see what the plan will be?

[Anonymous User]

Apparently DOJ ORAM is formally requesting an exemption for entire honors program, as all offers were extended pre 1/22/17

[Anonymous User]

For what it's worth, the DOJ just posted an attorney opening yesterday with the Professional Responsibility Advisory Office.

[Anonymous User]

Apparently DOJ ORAM is formally requesting an exemption for entire honors program, as all offers were extended pre 1/22/17

How do you know this? Did they request exemptions for lateral hires with offers pre-Jan 22 as well?