FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 24, 1997

CONTACT: Mary Ann Maloney (202) 606-1800 mamalone@opm.gov

NEW REGULATIONS PROVIDE MORE ACCURATE MEASURE FOR PAST PERFORMANCE CREDIT DURING A REDUCTION IN FORCE

Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Office of Personnel Management has issued final rules regarding retention service credit for federal employees during reductions in force based on their actual job performance.

Four factors determine an employees relative retention standing when reductions in force are conducted. These factors are tenure of appointment, veterans preference, length of service, and job performance.

Under existing rules, performance has been recognized in the reduction in force (i.e. layoffs) process by giving employees up to 20 additional years of retention service credit based on the average of their three most recent performance evaluations received during the four years prior to the reduction in force. If employees have received fewer than three actual ratings, agencies have been required to substitute an assumed rating of fully successful for each missing rating.

OPMs regulations add several significant provisions to current regulations on the use of performance ratings in reductions in force. The regulations will:

• Provide for assigning additional retention service credit only to actual ratings of record; and

• Give agencies with employees who have been rated under different patterns of summary rating levels a mechanism to take this into account when awarding employees additional retention service credit based on the employees performance ratings of record.

The regulations do not alter the relative importance of performance as it relates to other retention factors, such as veterans preference. In addition, the rules do not change the present range of 12 to 20 years additional retention service credit provided to good performers during reductions in force.

The final rules will be published in the Federal Register on Monday, November 24.

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