MRPBS Publications - Human Resources Desk Guide

Subchapter 4330
Career Transition Assistance Plan
Introduction

• Purpose of this Subchapter
• Related Regulations
• Glossary

Return to 4330 Table of Contents

Related Topics

• Contact Us (all HRD)
• Directives & Ad Notices:
  • APHIS
  • GIPSA
• OPM (Office of Personnel Management)
• Other Issuances & Regulations covering Federal Employees
• External Links:
  • AMS Issuances
  • USDA Directives
  • OHRM Bulletins, DPM’s, DR’s, Personnel Letters

Purpose of this Subchapter

The USDA Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and this Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP) Subchapter were developed to provide employees certain rights and eligibility if they are displaced due to Government reductions, downsizing, streamlining, or reorganization. The purpose of this Subchapter is to assist MRP employees, supervisors/managers, and personnelists in providing guidance on or obtaining career transition assistance.

Related Regulations

This Subchapter supplements the following regulations:

• Presidential memorandum "Career Transition Assistance for Federal Employees," dated 9/12/95;

• Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 330; and

• USDA Personnel Bulletin 330-5, "USDA Career Transition Assistance Plan," dated 12/2/97.

• MRP Directive 4330.1 (PDF), Career Transition Assistance Plan

Glossary

ACTAP -The Agency Career Transition Assistance Plan, administered by USDA, which facilitates placement of surplus and displaced USDA employees in the local commuting area (LCA).

Agency - For CTAP purposes, agency means an Executive Department

(e.g., USDA). The specific components of USDA’s MRP mission area will be referred to collectively as MRP or individually as AMS, APHIS, and GIPSA.

Component - The first major subdivision of an agency (e.g., USDA) that is separately organized and clearly distinguished from other components in work function and operation. AMS, APHIS, and GIPSA are each components of USDA.

Displaced Employee - A current agency employee serving under a career or career-conditional appointment in the competitive service who has received a specific reduction-in-force notice or a notice of proposed removal for declining a reassignment (see Title 5 CFR 330.604(c)(1)).

Eligible Employee - To be considered ‘eligible’ for special selection priority, an employee must meet all of the following conditions:

1. Must have been notified by the servicing personnel office that he/she is a surplus or displaced employee who is being (or may be) separated by reduction-in-force, or by declining a directed reassignment out of the local commuting area, from an Executive Branch agency which is required to follow Office of Personnel Management (OPM) hiring procedures.

2. Have a current or last performance rating of at least fully successful or equivalent.

3. Apply for a vacancy that is at or below the grade level from which he/she is being (or may be) separated that does not have a higher career ladder than the position he/she is being separated from.

4. Occupy a position in the same commuting area of the vacancy.

5. File an application for a specific vacancy by the closing date.

6. Be determined by the servicing personnel office to be well-qualified for the specific vacancy.

ICTAP - The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan which facilitates placement of displaced employees in other Federal agencies in the local commuting area.

Local Commuting Area (LCA) - The geographic area that usually constitutes one area for employment purposes. It includes any population center (or two or more neighboring ones) and the surrounding localities in which people live and can reasonably be expected to travel back and forth daily to their usual employment. The LCA is generally a 35-mile radius of a vacancy’s duty station.

Reemployment Priority List (RPL) - A list of USDA’s eligible separated employees within a LCA. 

Surplus Employee - A current USDA employee serving under a career or career-conditional appointment in the competitive service who has received notification that he/she is likely to be separated by reduction-in-force. This notification may include a certificate of expected separation or other certification issued by USDA which identifies the employee as being in a surplus organization or occupation.

Well-Qualified - Describes an affected employee who meets all of the following conditions:

• Meets the qualification standard and eligibility requirements for the position, including any medical/physical qualifications, and minimum education and experience requirements.

• Meets all selective factors where applicable. Meets appropriate quality ranking factor levels as determined by the agency. Selective and quality ranking factors cannot be so restrictive that they run counter to the goal of placing displaced employees.

• Is medically/physically qualified, with reasonable accommodation where appropriate, to perform essential duties of the position.

• Meets any special qualifying condition(s) that OPM has approved for the position.

• Is able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry.