SECTION 16.20  THE OUTPLACEMENT PROGRAM

Last Update:  4/04

 

 

1.       The purpose of the outplacement program is to assist State employees in finding other State employment prior to being laid off.

2.       When a layoff is anticipated, the department must provide the Personnel Officer assigned to the department with a list of the names of employees with permanent status in positions that may be affected by the layoff, their job class, and the anticipated date of the layoff.

3.       The Department of Administrative Services – Human Resources Enterprise (DAS-HRE) Employment Team will send outplacement enrollment materials to the Personnel Assistant.  Outplacement materials should only be distributed to those employees on the layoff list given to the Personnel Officer.

4.       The use of an Outplacement Eligible List issued for an Intraagency and Interagency vacancy is optional, the use of an Outplacement Eligible List for an All Applicant list is not optional.  Details of these procedures are listed below.

 

Steps to be followed in the hiring process:

 

1.       All transfer and recall provisions must be followed as outlined in the collective bargaining agreements and the DAS-HRE rules.

2.       Consideration of current state employees for promotion, demotion, reclassification, etc., prior to considering Outplacement candidates is permitted whether the applicant list is for Intraagency or Interagency candidates.  Intraagency vacancies may be posted in the  agency prior to using an Outplacement List.  Interagency vacancies are posted by DAS-HRE, however the use of this list is also optional prior to using an Outplacement Eligible List.  Outplacement candidates may be considered at the same time as promotional candidates, except for job classes included in the AFSCME Collective Bargaining Agreement.  Vacancies covered by the AFSCME Collective Bargaining Agreement do not allow the use of an Outplacement List until after you have cleared recall at the Pick 15 step in the AFSCME hiring process.

 

A.      The Outplacement Eligible List issued for an All Applicant vacancy must be considered after the Recall List and after all other mandatory steps in the hiring process have been cleared.  The hiring authority must justify why a hire will not be made from an Outplacement List, prior to an any offer of employment to an individual not currently employed within state government.  DAS-HRE will not post an All Applicant vacancy until after written justification is received and approved.  The required justification must include a reasonable explanation of why individuals on the outplacement list were not hired.  The justification must be sent to your DAS-HRE Personnel Officer.  The Personnel Officer will either approve or deny the exception.

 

B.      After justification is approved, and the DAS-HRE Employment Specialist is notified, the vacancy will be posted.


 

3.       Employees may apply to be on the outplacement list for any class(es) for which they qualify, except that non-supervisory employees may not apply for supervisory classes.  Examinations are not required except for Correctional Officer.  Keyboard tests are required if the employee has not previously held a position in a class requiring that qualification. Employees may add or delete classes or counties applied for on their Outplacement application form by contacting the DAS-HRE Employment Team.

 

4.       Employees are removed from the outplacement list when:

 

a.       laid off ( then eligible for recall);

b.       removed from the position targeted for layoff by promotion, transfer, demotion, or separation;

c.       two offers of an outplacement interview or outplacement hire are refused;

d.       the layoff date passes and the employee was not laid off.

 

5.       A department selecting an employee from the outplacement list must interview and offer the job to the employee prior to the layoff date. If the hiring department cannot put the person on their payroll before the layoff date, the Personnel Assistant from the hiring department should contact the department laying off the employee to arrange for a period of leave without pay so the employee has no break in service.

 

6.       An employee who is hired into another state job through the outplacement process is not eligible for recall rights.

 

Extended Outplacement for Non-contract Employees

 

1.       Non-contract employees who are laid off are eligible to be on the recall list only for the class and employing unit from which they were laid off.

2.       Due to the limitations for recall, an “Extended” Outplacement Program has been developed for non-contract employees subject to layoff.  This Program allows laid off non-contract employees to request to remain on the Outplacement eligible list for a period of two years from the date of layoff.  Non-contract, laid off employees may select up to 30 job classes for which they qualify and for which they will accept outplacement.

3.       Employees electing to bump in lieu of layoff, or accepting a permanent position with another state agency are not eligible for the Extended Outplacement Program.  Employees exercising a bumping option are eligible to only remain on the recall list for the class from which laid off.

4.       If, following layoff, an employee is reinstated to state government within two years of separation, either through the Extended Outplacement Program or using the current DAS-HRE reinstatement rule, the employee will have his/her original hire date, unused accrued sick leave bank  and vacation accrual rate restored in accordance with DAS-HRE rules 11-63.3(10) and 11-63.2(2).