How to Manage Staff Reductions at My Agency
A reduction in force (RIF) is a layoff, furlough, or salary reduction of one or more employees. This may be necessary because of shortages, organizational or operational change, or to strengthen an agency’s stability. An RIF plan must be filed with the Department of Administrative Services (DOAS).
- Determine that an RIF is appropriate based on your agency’s budget and funding.
- Identify the type of RIF, whether a layoff, furlough, or salary reduction. See “Rules of the State Personnel Board: 478-1-.04 Reduction in Force” for the terms and definitions of each.
- Determine the scope of the reduction, including the segments of the agency, jobs, and number of employees.
Terms to know:
- “Competitive Area” means an organizational, budgetary, or geographic part of the agency to which the RIF applies, such as a particular worksite, budget unit, function, or the entire agency. A reduction in force may include multiple competitive areas.
- “Competitive Jobs” means those job titles or codes to which the RIF applies.
Identifying the affected employees may or may not require a competitive process.
- A competitive process is not needed when all employees in the same competitive job within a competitive area will be laid off on the same date, furloughed the same number of days, or reduced in salary under the same conditions.
- A competitive process is needed when:
- An RIF affects only some employees within the same competitive job and area.
- If any employees within the same competitive job and area will experience a layoff, furlough, or salary reduction differently.
See “Rules of the State Personnel Board: 478-1-.04 Reduction in Force” for the competitive process details for both classified and unclassified employees.
- An RIF plan must be filed with DOAS, preferably before the RIF is implemented.
- Use the RIF Tool Spreadsheet on the DOAS website to enter the information. The completed spreadsheet may be submitted as your RIF plan.
If the reduction eliminates 25 or more positions or if 25 or more employees will be laid off:
- You must notify the President of the Georgia Senate and the Speaker of the Georgia House of the proposed reduction at least 15 days before notifying employees.
The notice will include:
- The facilities and operations affected, the estimated number of employees, and the reasons for the proposed reduction.
See “Sample Agency Legislative Notification Letter” on the DOAS website as a reference.
Employees must be notified of the reduction in writing, unless an agency doesn’t have sufficient funds to pay employees’ salaries. (See #12, “Advance Notice Exception Based on Unavailability of Funds” in “Rules of the State Personnel Board: 478-1-.04 Reduction in Force” on the DOAS website.)
- Classified employees who will be laid off, furloughed, or have their salary reduced must be notified in writing 30 days in advance. The notice will include a statement of the proposed action and an explanation of their right to appeal. In a layoff, the notice will also include any opportunity to continue employment or apply for other roles, and an explanation of their rights and options related to employment benefits.
See “Sample RIF Notice Letter for Classified Employees” on the DOAS website as a reference.
- Unclassified employees who will be laid off, furloughed, or have their salary reduced must be notified in writing. The 30 days advance notice is not mandatory, but recommended. The notice may include information similar to a classified employee’s notification, without the right to appeal.
See “Sample RIF Notice Letter for Unclassified Employees” on the DOAS website as a reference.
- When possible, reinstate any classified employees:
- For a period of 1 year from the date of separation, a classified employee has the right to be reinstated to any vacant, classified positions in the same competitive area if they were laid off, and meet all qualifications.
Access the RIF Toolkit on the DOAS website for relevant resources and tools.
