RIF Lawsuit Update
Bad News: The RIF pause has been undone by the Supreme Court in an unsigned decision. This means that the admin can begin RIFs again and we unfortunately expect them to act on this news relatively quickly.
Good News: Peace Corps leadership has continued to emphasize to us that they plan to follow the 21 day notice and time required by our CBA to comment on the RIF and/or re-organization plans.
Silver-lining News: This is not the end of the lawsuit. The Supreme Court declined to comment on the lawsuit as a whole - so it can proceed in the lower court. The case as a whole is not lost, only the injunction.
What happens next?: We will keep BUEs informed as soon as we hear about when and how the agency will be conducting RIF procedures. We plan to be as transparent as possible during this difficult time and if you need support, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Some quick reminders on RIFs:
1) ONLY your annual leave will be paid out if you are RIFed. Sick leave can be carried over to another agency if you are hired by a federal employer in the future and it can count towards your service hours for retirement but is not otherwise paid out. You should consider ALL other leave as use it or lose leave in the event of a RIF.
2) The Union should be notified 21 days BEFORE RIF notices are sent out and then we are given some time to negotiate based on our concerns. AFTER the 21 days are up, employees who are being RIFed will be notified by HR 60 days before you are separated from the agency. We do not know at this time if you will be placed on admin leave immediately or expected to work as usual during the 60 days.
3) RIF should not impact your NCE (but you should pursue an NCE letter by emailing Peace Corps). You will also have priority hiring status for Federal employment once the Hiring Freeze is over.
4) If you are RIFed you can file for unemployment at the END of the 60 day period. We strongly recommend you apply with at least 1 week to spare as most states have a 1 week waiting period.
5) As a reminder, download ALL of your personal documents I.e. your SF-50, retirement contributions, etc and send them to a private computer ASAP. Make sure you also keep at least the past 3-5 Earnings and Leave statements as well since you will likely need these to file for unemployment.
Direct Link to the Supreme Court Opinion: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a1174_h3ci.pdf
Good News: Peace Corps leadership has continued to emphasize to us that they plan to follow the 21 day notice and time required by our CBA to comment on the RIF and/or re-organization plans.
Silver-lining News: This is not the end of the lawsuit. The Supreme Court declined to comment on the lawsuit as a whole - so it can proceed in the lower court. The case as a whole is not lost, only the injunction.
What happens next?: We will keep BUEs informed as soon as we hear about when and how the agency will be conducting RIF procedures. We plan to be as transparent as possible during this difficult time and if you need support, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Some quick reminders on RIFs:
1) ONLY your annual leave will be paid out if you are RIFed. Sick leave can be carried over to another agency if you are hired by a federal employer in the future and it can count towards your service hours for retirement but is not otherwise paid out. You should consider ALL other leave as use it or lose leave in the event of a RIF.
2) The Union should be notified 21 days BEFORE RIF notices are sent out and then we are given some time to negotiate based on our concerns. AFTER the 21 days are up, employees who are being RIFed will be notified by HR 60 days before you are separated from the agency. We do not know at this time if you will be placed on admin leave immediately or expected to work as usual during the 60 days.
3) RIF should not impact your NCE (but you should pursue an NCE letter by emailing Peace Corps). You will also have priority hiring status for Federal employment once the Hiring Freeze is over.
4) If you are RIFed you can file for unemployment at the END of the 60 day period. We strongly recommend you apply with at least 1 week to spare as most states have a 1 week waiting period.
5) As a reminder, download ALL of your personal documents I.e. your SF-50, retirement contributions, etc and send them to a private computer ASAP. Make sure you also keep at least the past 3-5 Earnings and Leave statements as well since you will likely need these to file for unemployment.
Direct Link to the Supreme Court Opinion: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a1174_h3ci.pdf
Hiring Freeze Extended
The Hiring Freeze for Peace Corps (and most federal agencies) has been extended to Oct 15, 2025. It may end at that point or be extended but please be aware as this affects staff trying to get promotions, change positions, etc.
HR Email sent Monday
We received the email CHCO sent Monday regarding documenting schedules the same as our BUEs. We expressed our concerns to HR about how this information will be used and the purpose of the schedule. We received the following information to share with BUEs:
1) HR stated that this information is being gathered "to help inform supervisors of when their employees will be working." They also emphasized accountability and concerns about employees not being in office for the time they are supposed to be.
2) HR stated that employees will record their typical schedule and then report any MAJOR changes that may come in the future. For example, if you have to adjust your start time to account for school drop off in the fall but do not have to come in at that time in the summer. It is NOT meant to be updated each time an employee on the Maxi-Flex schedule chooses to flex their time.
We still have some concerns about how this information may be used but we will keep you informed. For now, we recommend filling out the survey to the best of your ability and working with your supervisor if you need to flex your hours.
1) HR stated that this information is being gathered "to help inform supervisors of when their employees will be working." They also emphasized accountability and concerns about employees not being in office for the time they are supposed to be.
2) HR stated that employees will record their typical schedule and then report any MAJOR changes that may come in the future. For example, if you have to adjust your start time to account for school drop off in the fall but do not have to come in at that time in the summer. It is NOT meant to be updated each time an employee on the Maxi-Flex schedule chooses to flex their time.
We still have some concerns about how this information may be used but we will keep you informed. For now, we recommend filling out the survey to the best of your ability and working with your supervisor if you need to flex your hours.
SpaceMatch
We have had a number of BUEs reach out with concerns about the SpaceMatch program. We are pursuing a few solutions and will hopefully send updates soon but for now, we encourage you to keep being persistent and reach out if you need additional support. More info to come soon!
Reasonable Accommodations
We know that many employees who were hired as Fully Remote or partial Telework may not have reported conditions or situations that would qualify them for a Reasonable Accommodation (RA). We urge everyone who has a condition that might qualify them for an RA to reach out to HR and pursue this option if you need it! We are always happy to help support employees who are having trouble navigating the RA forms, and we are going to try hosting some informational sessions about RA options in the near future at Office Hours. Please email either Union email account if you need support!
Final Thoughts
The Union exec team has been working hard behind the scenes to gather as much information as possible about everything that is going on at the agency and around the US. However, like all of you, we have lives, jobs, and blind spots. If you hear about something or have concerns about something please do not hesitate to reach out to us via email or join one of our meetings bi-weekly or weekly meetings. I know things are hectic right now and everyone has a lot on their plates but do not be afraid to ask for support if you need it. Take care of yourselves and each other. Take time to breathe, and remember that we have your back and are working hard to push for positive change.
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