RIF Plans at US DOT (Transportation)

[Anonymous]

Anyone know what is happening there or will happen there? They seem to be the only agency without any RIF news ...

[Anonymous]

Maybe Transportation will be lucky.

[Anonymous]

Have you read Project 2025? I’d assume whatever cuts have been proposed there will eventually be implemented. They’re focusing first on agencies with more left-leaning programs, but I’m sure they’ll get around to the lower priorities too.

I say this as someone who works in another agency with little to no RIF news. It’s unsettling to watch the horror play out elsewhere as you wait for the other shoe to drop.

[Anonymous]

So they are cutting stuff that actually helps people survive. Great. What a freaking mess this country is going to be.

[Anonymous]

Federal transit had a supervisors meeting yesterday to go over RIF plans. It looks like a ‘normal’ RIF with bump and retreat. Rumor is there will be big (around 50%) cuts there but only a rumor.

[Anonymous]

6:03 here. I should say that the plan looks to be VERA/incentive payments first, followed by a 'normal' RIF with bump and retreat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:6:03 here. I should say that the plan looks to be VERA/incentive payments first, followed by a 'normal' RIF with bump and retreat.

But none 9f the RIFs have been "normal" with bumps and retreats. Why would any subsequent ones be different?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:6:03 here. I should say that the plan looks to be VERA/incentive payments first, followed by a 'normal' RIF with bump and retreat.

But none 9f the RIFs have been "normal" with bumps and retreats. Why would any subsequent ones be different?

FTA doesn't have that many people, but I know it's not a bump and retreat. They can't do that in such short time even at their staffing levels. They are doing the same as elsewhere--cutting the entire unit. We already know that one of our units will be gone. So not sure who the poster was at 6:03 but that is inaccurate.

[Anonymous]

6:03 here. I've no inside information but at the meeting they talked about bump/retreat and the info they sent out post meeting went into a bit of depth on bump/retreat. They didn't name units but explained that as the RIF process.

They also said, though, that they didn't have details on the size of cuts, so maybe this was just HR talking through the formal (historical) process without knowledge of how it would actually work. But why schedule a meeting to go over it if this isn't the process?

Separate from that, people in some regional offices seem to think their entire region will be cut. I don't know whether the concerns are founded or not. But if that's the case, it would suggest a combination--some units cut 100% and others cut <100% which would lead to bump/retreat.

[Anonymous]

Any updates? Getting a bad feeling about the extent of RIFs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:6:03 here. I've no inside information but at the meeting they talked about bump/retreat and the info they sent out post meeting went into a bit of depth on bump/retreat. They didn't name units but explained that as the RIF process.

They also said, though, that they didn't have details on the size of cuts, so maybe this was just HR talking through the formal (historical) process without knowledge of how it would actually work. But why schedule a meeting to go over it if this isn't the process?

Separate from that, people in some regional offices seem to think their entire region will be cut. I don't know whether the concerns are founded or not. But if that's the case, it would suggest a combination--some units cut 100% and others cut <100% which would lead to bump/retreat.

Thanks for the clarification. Yes, the first line managers all received the standard RIF process explanation. The AAs are aware of the units that are being targeted. That said, I think some staff will be "moved" and others will be RIF'd. I know the AA of Adm is keeping a close hold on the actual numbers/units being targeted.

[Anonymous]

Here's another way to look at it also. IIJA provided a lot of funding for many DOT OAs. Those programs and program staff can all be linked to statutory work. There has been no indication that the Administration is looking to reduce IIJA funding (maybe only in potential links to climate programs). So, could it be possible that the smaller OAs aren't hit as hard. I'm surprised that FMSCA is looking to reduce by half. That doesn't make sense. What about NHTSA? (I'm sure Elon is targeting them, though a lot of NHTSA people leave to go to Tesla.)

[Anonymous]

Any updates as the RIF plans were due to OPM/OMB yesterday?

[Anonymous]

It's suprising that modal leadership isn't sharing with management, OST isn't sharing with management. It's just not being discussed and every ED is saying "nothing is firm yet" and "we don't have any information" while you're the head of the OA. What BS!

[Anonymous]

It seems like the RIF is becoming more unpopular by the day, nationwide. Maybe it's good if they go slow and keep things quiet. It gives them a greater ability to scale back without losing face.