Frequently Asked Questions - Human Resources
Screening Partnership Program
What does “Right of First Refusal” and "Priority Employment" mean, and is there a difference?
No, they mean basically the same thing. TSA developed the concept of "Priority Employment" to provide employees with options equivalent to Right of First Refusal. TSA’s goal is to ensure opportunities for as many Federal employees as possible to move to private employment if that is their wish.
Priority Employment requires the contractor to give qualified government employees whose jobs are abolished the chance to consider and accept an offer for employment before new non-managerial employees are hired from any other source. However, the contractor has some discretion in hiring. For example, TSA cannot tell a private contractor how many jobs to fill or require it to create vacancies to accommodate all displaced employees. Because TSA cannot require a contractor to hire a certain number of employees, every displaced Federal employee may not be offered a position if the contractor decides to perform the work with fewer employees. So employees should clearly understand that this provision does not guarantee a job offer for every displaced Federal employee. If, for example, 15 Federal jobs are abolished but the contractor plans to perform the work with only12 employees, the contractor, and not TSA, will decide which 12 qualified Federal employees will receive job offers from the contractor. TSA has no insight or input into such contractor decisions.
What will happen to my federal service time if I accept a job with the private contractor?
Seniority/service is not directly interchangeable between private employers and Federal agencies or between different private employers. However, some companies do recognize experience with other organizations and grant seniority credit for some purposes when hiring new employees. The government will hold your Federal records to document your TSA and other Federal service, in case you return to Federal service later or become eligible for a Federal retirement benefit.
Can I apply for jobs with other Federal Agencies?
Yes, you can find information on Federal job opportunities at www.USAJobs.opm.gov In addition to applying for Federal jobs open to the general public, most TSA employees with at least one year in TSA under a permanent appointment are also eligible to apply for positions in other Federal agencies that are open to Federal employees only. This eligibility lasts for one year after separation. You should indicate on your application that the interchange agreement between TSA and OPM, dated 2/1/05, makes you eligible to apply as a status candidate (under the agency’s Merit Promotion/Internal Selection procedures) as long as the agency is accepting applications from non-agency employees. You should attach a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) if the vacancy announcement requests it. You should also include any other documents requested in the vacancy announcement.
Another valuable resource for general employment information and opportunities is the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration website at http://www.doleta.gov/. This website provides information on every step of the job search process - researching new opportunities, finding training to acquire different skills, starting a new job and making long-term career plans.
Are Transportation Screener Manager Positions affected by an airport that has applied to Opt-out?
Only the TSO positions are directly affected (abolished) by joining the SPP.
What will happen to my Federal benefits if I become a contract employee?
If your position is eliminated because screening operations at a specific airport are privatized you will most likely be involuntarily separated through work force reduction procedures (layoffs). If this happens, the effect on Federal benefits (health, life, retirement, etc.) is the same as for employees laid off for other reasons. In general, you would have a limited period of time to transfer health and life insurance coverage to a non-group policy. You would also be eligible for a lump sum payout of your annual leave. Employees not eligible for retirement may also receive some severance pay (approximately one week of pay for each year of Federal service.) You will be given more specific information about your benefits, as well as opportunities to ask questions, if you are affected by an airport privatization.
Will pending and unresolved Pay and HR issues be resolved before a TSO is separated? (i.e.; pay, benefits, EEO, discipline, military leave)?
Airport Human Resources representatives and the TSA Office of Human Capital will make every effort to resolve pending requests (corrections, etc) before an employee is separated. If there are issues still pending, TSA will continue to work to resolve them. Former employees should contact People Line after separation for human resources-related questions.
Peopleline
Monday to Friday, 7am to 7pm
Phone: (866) 274-6438
FAX: (703) 947-7872
TTY/TDD(866) 438-4532
Email: TSAHRServices@accenture.com
What are the minimum legal and financial obligations the TSA owes to employees who lose their jobs as a result of SPP?
TSA employees whose Federal TSO positions are eliminated because screening operations at a specific airport are privatized will likely be involuntarily separated through work force reduction procedures (layoffs). The rights of such employees are the same as for employees laid off for other reasons such as the closure of an airport. (See response to Q. 5 above)
Does Title 5 apply to TSOs at an airport affected by an Opt-out and if so, what does it mean?
For most purposes,Title 5 will not apply. TSA has a great deal of flexibility in human resources management under its establishing statute (the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA), P.L. 107-71, November 19, 2001). For most specific HR program areas, TSA will have its own policies which may deviate from the rules that many other Federal agencies must follow pursuant to Title 5 of the U.S. Code and implementing regulations.
Would all TSOs at an airport be affected by an airport that applies to Opt-out?
Yes, all TSOs would be affected if an Opt-out privatization occurs at an airport. The TSOs would be eligible to apply for jobs with the private contractor, apply to another federal agency or position, or apply to work at another TSA Federal airport as a TSO.
How will TSA decide which TSOs at an Airport will be involuntarily separated through workforce reduction if the airport decides to Opt-out?
If an airport decides to Opt-out, all TSOs at the airport will be affected by the involuntary separation process.
Depending on the number of TSOs at an airport, the transition from Federal to private contractor may be done in phases, which may have TSOs departing at various times. The decision to do a phased transition would be made after contract award, but all TSO positions would become private when the transition is completed.
Is there a federal requirement for notification of job loss? What is the interval? How will employees be notified about outplacement benefits? Will there be opportunities to transfer or join other federal agencies?
TSA policy provides that employees will receive a minimum of 7 days advance written notice before their involuntary separation from TSA, but will actually know much earlier when the airport transition will occur. TSOs will be kept informed by their FSD and FSD Staff, SPP staff and HR contacts during the entire SPP transition process.
If an airport submits an application to Opt-out, the Screening Partnership Program (SPP) will immediately establish communication contact with the airport. Acceptance of the airport’s application does not guarantee that a contract for private security screening will be awarded. The final determination will be contingent on the Assistant Secretary’s decision and upon successfully entering into a contract with a qualified private screening company.
Once a Security Screening contract is awarded, a transition date will be determined. TSOs will be kept informed through both oral and written communications about the status of the airport’s application to Opt-out, their options and decision time frames. TSOs will not be involuntarily separated until after they have been given advance written notice of involuntary separation through workforce reduction, including the effective date of their separation.
See response to Question 3 for information on job opportunities at other Federal agencies.
What are my options if I prefer to stay with TSA as a Federal employee?
TSOs may apply to work at another TSA Federal airport with TSO vacancies if they wish. TSA may in some cases elect to offer an incentive (bonus) to current employees willing to voluntarily relocate, especially in areas where the agency has had difficulty recruiting candidates.
Can displaced TSA TSOs transfer to other positions in DHS or in other agencies?
Yes, but only if they apply for specific positions and are selected. See Q 3 for more information.
Will current TSO (recertification) test scores be valid for an Opt-out TSO position?
A: Yes.
What happens to my annual and sick leave if I accept a position with the contractor?
Annual Leave and Compensatory Time: After separation, you will receive a lump sum payment for unused hours of annual leave and/or compensatory time. Payment for annual leave is based on the hourly rate of pay you would have received if you remained with TSA until expiration of the period covered by the leave. Compensatory time is paid out at the overtime rate at which it was earned.
Sick Leave: No payment is made for unused sick leave. Instead, your sick leave hours are kept on record and may be re-credited if you are reemployed in any Federal agency.
More information on leave: http://www.opm.gov/oca/leave/HTML/factindx.asp
Can I withdraw my money from my TSP account?
When you leave Federal service, you will receive information about your TSP withdrawal options. It is important that you read these materials before you choose a withdrawal option.
More information on TSP: http://www.tsp.gov/
Will I have to resign my position with TSA before I accept a job offer with the Contract Company?
No, you do not need to resign your TSA position in order to accept a job offer. TSA and the Contractor will work together to determine the transition date from Federal to Private. In most cases, TSA and the Contractor will coordinate the effective dates of Federal separations and Contractor hiring dates to avoid any unnecessary gaps.
If I elect not to accept a position with the contractor and do not transfer to another federal position, how will my federal employment be terminated?
Anyone who has not accepted another federal position, or retired or resigned voluntarily, will be involuntarily separated. You will be given written notice of your separation date and related benefits (severance pay, rehiring priority, etc.). A Notification of Personnel action (SF 50) for the separation will be processed to reflect the effective date of your separation.
During a SPP Airport transition, what decisions or questions can my FSD answer?
The FSD will be your contact for information on the SPP process; they will also be the decision maker for the following:
- Use of annual or sick leave during the SPP transition
- Approval to transfer to another airport prior to the SPP transition
- Use of excused absence for an airport transfer
- Airport transfer availabilities at Hub/Spoke airports
- Out-process – clearance procedures – ID badges—uniform disposition.
During a SPP Airport transition, what decisions or questions can the Contracting Company answer?
The Contracting Company will be your contact for information on the following policies/processes:
- How much annual or sick leave will I earn a year?
- When will I be able to take annual or sick leave?
- What will be my work hours – full or part time position?
- Is there an option to earn compensatory time versus overtime?
- Will I earn holiday pay? Night differential?
- What will my salary be?
- Are there potential bonuses, awards?
- Will I be a lead or supervisory security screener?
- What will be my health insurance coverage options? How much will these cost?
- Will I have life insurance coverage?
- What type of benefits will be provided for retirement?
- What are the Contractor’s FMLA requirements?
- How and when will the job offer be made?
How long will my medical insurance and life insurance cover me after my federal employment ends?
Health Insurance
After Employment Terminates: Health benefits are continued at no cost for 31 days in the same enrollment category held at the time of separation and you will have the opportunity to convert to a private policy with your current health benefits plan. The 31 day no-cost coverage extension period begins on the first day of the pay period which follows your separation date (for example, if you are separated on the first Friday in a pay period, your health insurance coverage will continue for the remainder of that pay period and the 31 day no-cost coverage extension period will begin on the second Sunday following your separation date so you will have no break of coverage during this time).
Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) Eligibility: Most separated employees are also eligible to request a longer extension of health benefits coverage through the Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) option. You must request TCC within 60 days of your separation OR within 65 days of the date of the TCC eligibility notification from TSA, whichever is later. You must pay both the employee’s and government’s share of the health benefits premium, plus an administrative fee of approximately 2% of the total premium. If you elect TCC, the total length of extended health benefits coverage is 18 months from date of separation. After separation, you will receive more specific information about your eligibility for TCC.
More information on FEHB: www.opm.gov/insure/health/index.asp
Life Insurance
Conversion: Life insurance coverage terminates 31 days after separation. However, you may apply (convert) for an individual life insurance policy. TSA will provide the appropriate certification forms. Written application and payment of the first premium must be made within 31 days after your insurance stops or within 31 days after you receive notification of its termination, whichever is later. Premiums will likely be higher than those paid under the Federal group policy. More information: www.opm.gov/insure/life/index.asp
Will TSA or my local airport provide me with additional job hunting and training skills?
Career coaching services are available for up to 60 days after your separation. Career coaches are available to provide career counseling, resume assistance, skills assessment, and a variety of other career transition services.
To contact a career coach, please call toll free 1-866-619-3697. Relay services are available by calling TTY at 1-800-877-8339 and requesting connection to 1-866-542-9096.
More info: http://www.tsacareercoaching.com/
If I accept a position at another airport, will TSA pay partial or full relocation expenses?
All relocation expenses are the responsibility of the employee. In some cases TSA may elect to offer an incentive (bonus) to current employees willing to voluntarily relocate, especially in areas where the agency has had difficulty recruiting candidates. Such incentives are optional but if offered, the bonus can be used by the employee for any purpose they wish.
