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Restructuring Information Handbook Module 4

Transfer of Function

Unit A, Required Procedures

(June 2002 version)

 

Introduction

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management developed the Restructuring Information Handbook to assist Federal agencies in identifying the mandatory statutory and regulatory procedures that apply to restructuring situations. 

 

The Handbook also offers agencies options for minimizing or even eliminating the disruption that often results from restructuring.

 

There is no requirement for Federal agencies to use this Handbook.

 

 

The structure of the Handbook assists the user in locating as much or as little restructuring information as the user needs.  Some Modules contain only one Unit, while other Modules have two or more Units.

 

 

For subjects with mandatory statutory or regulatory requirements, Unit A (Mandatory Requirements) provides the user with both a crash course on the subject, and also with detailed information, complete with citations of requirements contained in law and regulation. 

 

When appropriate, Unit B (Guidance) provides the user with useful guidance, including key appeals decisions from appellate bodies such as the Merit Systems Protection Board. 

 

The summaries of appeals decisions are guidance prepared by individual OPM employees. The appeals summaries do not represent official summaries approved by OPM, the Board, or other appellate organizations, and are not intended to provide legal counsel or to be cited as legal authority.  Instead, the appeals summaries inform and help the user locate relevant appellate precedents on a specific downsizing subject.

 

Other Modules may contain additional Units, such as Unit C (Appeals References), and Unit D (Samples). 

 

 

We welcome comments on the Restructuring Information Handbook.

 

Send any comments and suggestions to the Office of Employment Policy, Staffing and Restructuring Policy Division (SRPD) at (202) 606-0960; FAX (202) 606-2329; or e-mail Thomas A. Glennon of SRPD at taglenno@opm.gov.

 

Contents

OPM's Restructuring Information Handbook Modules contain the following topics:

 

Topic

Module

Unit(s)

Planning and Alternatives for Restructuring

1

B

Human Resource Responsibilities in Restructuring

2

B

Reduction in Force

3

A, B, C,D

Transfer of Function

4

A, B

Reduction in Force Furlough

5

A, B

Reemployment Priority List

6

A, B

Career Transition Assistance

7

A

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan

8

A

Voluntary Early Retirement

9

A, B

 

Using the Handbook

The Modules contain many cross-references to additional pertinent material.  To assist in searches, each Module features a unique index system that assists the user in readily locating information in that Module or in the other Modules.

 

 

For example, a reference to "3-A-15-3" refers to:

 

(1)               Module 3 ("Reduction in Force"),

 

(2)               Unit A ("Required Procedures"),

 

(3)               Section 15 ("Credit for Performance in Reduction in Force"),

 

(4)               Paragraph 3 ("Time Period Covered by Employees' Performance Ratings").

Continued on next page


 

Using the Handbook

(continued)

For a second example, a reference to "3-B-6-5-(b)" refers to:

 

(1)               Module 3 ("Reduction in Force"),

 

(2)               Unit B ("Guidance"),

 

(3)               Section 6 ("Reorganization and Job Erosion"),

 

(4)               Paragraph 5 ("Use of RIF Procedures in Job Erosion Situations"),

 

(5)               Subparagraph (b).

 

 

All of the Modules use the same index system. 

 

For example, a reference to "4-A-4-3" refers to:

 

(1)               Module 4 ("Transfer of Function"),

 

(2)               Unit A ("Required Procedures"),

 

(3)               Section 4 ("Determining Whether the Transfer of Function Provisions are Applicable"),

 

(4)               Paragraph 3 ("Basis for Transfer of Function Decisions").

 


 

RESTRUCTURING INFORMATION HANDBOOK MODULE 4

TRANSFER OF FUNCTION

Unit A, Required Procedures

(June 2002 version)

 

Introduction

Restructuring Information Handbook Module 4 provides guidance on OPM's Transfer Of Function regulations published in part 351 of title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations (5 CFR part 351).  Module 4 consists of two Units: (1) Unit A, "Required Procedures," and (2) Unit B, Guidance.  This is the January 2002 version of Unit A.

 

Contents

This publication contains the following topics:

 

Topic

Begins at Page

Overview of Transfer of Function

1-1

Transfer of Function Definitions

2-1

Applicability of the Transfer of Function Regulations

3-1

Agency Responsibility to Apply the Transfer of Function Regulations

4-1

Applying the Transfer of Function Regulations in Any Situation

5-1

Identification of Employees and Positions with a Transferring Function-General

6-1

Identification Method One

7-1

Identification Method Two

8-1

Employees of Losing Competitive Area

9-1

Employees of Gaining Competitive Area

10-1

Transfer for Liquidation

11-1

Transfer of Function Canvass Letters

12-1

Volunteers for Transfer

13-1

Transfer of Function Appeals and Grievances

14-1

 


RESTRUCTURING INFORMATION HANDBOOK MODULE 4

TRANSFER OF FUNCTION

Unit A, Required Procedures

(June 2002 version)

Table of Contents

 

Section 1. Overview of Transfer of Function…………………………………………..1-1

 

1-1             Legal Basis for Transfer of Function

1-2             Purpose of the Transfer of Function Regulations

1-3             Transfer of Function Because of Organizational Change

1-4             Transfer of Function Because of Relocation

1-5             Identification of Employees With a Transferring Function

1-6             RIF in Transfer of Function

1-7             Transfer of Function Canvass Letters

1-8             Transfer of Function Appeals

 

Section 2. Transfer of Function Definitions………………………………………….…2-1

 

2-1             Definition of Transfer of Function

2-2             Definition of Competitive Area

2-3             Definition of Function

2-4             Explanation of Function

2-5             Definition of Competing Employee

2-6             Other Definitions

2-7             Definition of Reorganization

 

Section 3. Applicability of the Transfer of Function Regulations………………………3-1

 

3-1             The Two Situations When the Regulations Apply

3-2             Authority for Transfer of Function

3-3             A Transfer of Function May Be Intra- or Interagency

3-4             A Function Must Continue in Identifiable Form

3-5             Movement of a Function Within a Competitive Area is not Transfer of Function

3-6             Transfer of a Function for Liquidation is not Covered by the Regulations


Table of Contents (continued)

 

Section 4. Agency Responsibility to Apply the Transfer of Function Regulations……4-1

 

4-1             Management's Right to Make Transfer of Function Decisions

4-2             Management Right to Take Other Actions

4-3             Basis for Transfer of Function Decisions

 

Section 5. Applying the Transfer of Function Regulations in Any Situation………..5-1

 

5-1             The Same Transfer of Function Provisions Potentially Cover All

Movement of Work

5-2             Importance of Cooperation Between the Losing and the Gaining

Competitive Areas

 

Section 6. Identification of Employees and Positions with a Transferring

Function-General…………………………………………………………………………6-1

 

6-1             Responsibility of Losing Competitive Area to Identify Positions and

Employees

6-2             Agencies Use Two Procedures to Identify Positions and Employees

for Transfer

6-3             The Two Identification Procedures are Mandatory

6-4             Use of Identification Method One Versus Use of Identification Method

Two

6-5             Using the Position Description to Identify Employees for Transfer

6-6             Supplementing the Position Description to Identify Employees

 for Transfer

 

Section 7. Identification Method One…………………………………………………….7-1

 

7-1             Identification Method One-General

7-2             Grade-Controlling Duties Must Support Grade of Position

7-3             Identification of Positions When Both Methods One and Two Apply to

 the Same Register

 

Section 8. Identification Method Two………………………………………………….…8-1

 

8-1             Identification Method Two-General

8-2             Number of Employees With Right to Transfer

8-3             Developing Retention Registers

Continued on next page


Table of Contents (continued)

 

Section 8. Identification Method Two (continued)

 

8-4             Using Retention Registers to Identify Employees for Transfer

8-5             Identification of Positions When Both Methods One and Two Apply to Same Register

 

Section 9. Employees of Losing Competitive Area…………………………….……..9-1

 

9-1             Right of Employee to Transfer

9-2             Separation of Employee Who Refuses to Transfer

9-3             Use of RIF Procedures in the Losing Competitive Area

 

Section 10. Employees of Gaining Competitive Area…………………….…………10-1

 

10-1        No Impact in Gaining Competitive Area Without Other Organizational

Changes

10-2        Transferring Employees Compete on Basis of Positions of Record

10-3        Rights of Transferred Employees in the Gaining Competitive Area

10-4        Actual Relocation of Transferring Employees Not Necessary Before RIF

10-5        Employees Separated by RIF Covered by RPL in Gaining Competitive

Area

10-6        Status of Competitive Service Positions

 

Section 11. Transfer for Liquidation…………………………………………………….11-1

 

11-1        Limited Rights After Transfer for Liquidation

11-2        No Right to Transfer With Terminated Function

 

 

Section 12. Transfer of Function Canvass Letters…………………………………….12-1

 

12-1        Purpose of Canvass Letters

12-2        Canvass Letters Are Optional

12-3        Transfer of Function Canvass Letters Used Only In Geographic Move

12-4        Content of Canvass Letters

12-5        Acceptance of Offer to Transfer

12-6        Declination of Offer to Transfer

 


Table of Contents (continued)

 

Section 13.  Volunteers for Transfer……………………………………………………13-1

 

13-1        Use of Volunteers-General

13-2        Optional Use of Volunteers

13-3        Temporary Employees May Volunteer

13-4        Volunteers and Retention Standing

 

Section 14. Transfer of Function Appeals and Grievances………..……………….14-1

 

14-1        No Basic Right to File a Transfer of Function Appeal or Grievance

14-2        Transfer of Function Issues in a Grievance

 


Section 1, Overview of Transfer of Function

 

Introduction

This section provides an overview of OPM's transfer of function regulations.  Each paragraph in Section 1 summarizes a specific transfer of function topic.  For more detailed information on a topic, each paragraph in Section 1 has a reference to the appropriate section in Module 4.  The "Additional Information" paragraph below lists these references.

 

Contents

This overview section contains the following topics:

 

Topic

See Paragraph

OPM's Transfer of Function Regulations

4-A-1-1

Purpose of the Transfer of Function Regulations

4-A-1-2

Transfer of Function Because of Organizational Change

4-A-1-3

Transfer of Function Because of Relocation

4-A-1-4

Identification of Employees With a Transferring Function

4-A-1-5

RIF in Transfer of Function

4-A-1-6

Transfer of Function Canvass Letters

4-A-1-7

Transfer of Function Appeals

4-A-1-8

 

Additional

Information

This section in Restructuring Information Handbook Module 4, Unit A, has references to other sections in Unit 4-A for more detailed information on specific transfer of function topics.

 

To find additional information in this Module on the overview paragraph below in Unit 4-A,

In Unit 4-A see section, or paragraph:

4-A-1-2

4-A-2-2

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