Feel depressed about the USDA relocation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am completely okay relocating in normal times, but I would not relocate now. These aren't real "relocations". They are just saying you need to relocate so that you quit. They don't actually want you anymore. So you could make the $$$ decision to have your spouse quit their job, sell your house, relocate and then you're still RIFed.

This is why OP should negotiate a relocation package. If this is just a bluff then the agency will ultimately decline to move OP. Also, you can use the relocation expenses for temporary housing until you can find a rental. You could wait to sell your house until you get a better feeling about RIF chances.

[Anonymous]

OP, I'm at USDA, too. Rollins said in an interview that folks should expect to start work in their new location before the new year. So, I'd imagine this will all be happening in the next three months. Possible timeline: letting us know in September after the "comment" period closes, give a few weeks to decide (if we're lucky), then two months to relocate.

Friends who are looking for work right now have shared how terrible it is (and these are talented people), so that's not giving me hope. That said, since any of the five possible locations are outside of my commuting area, OP guidelines dictate I'd get severance, which should hold me over for about a year. Maybe I'm being optimistic, but I feel like I can find something in a year, even if I don't love the new job. The issue is, for those of us mid-career, we're giving up half the value of our pension by leaving government work (if you were planning to stay until retirement). And we're giving up our lifetime health insurance, which is like gold down the road. If I left, I'd be trying to return in the near future...if sanity returns.

DH's job is flexible, so the biggest issue for me is I have young kids. Pulling them out of school mid-year isn't an option for me. And I can't imagine living somewhere without them during the week for half a year until the school year ends. Plus, we'd be uprooting from our home and community into a complete unknown. AND there are absolutely no guarantees we won't be RIFd later.

For all that are asking, we haven't been given an option on locations. When they're ready, they'll give us the location and it will be a take it or leave it situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am completely okay relocating in normal times, but I would not relocate now. These aren't real "relocations". They are just saying you need to relocate so that you quit. They don't actually want you anymore. So you could make the $$$ decision to have your spouse quit their job, sell your house, relocate and then you're still RIFed.

This is why OP should negotiate a relocation package. If this is just a bluff then the agency will ultimately decline to move OP. Also, you can use the relocation expenses for temporary housing until you can find a rental. You could wait to sell your house until you get a better feeling about RIF chances.

I like that you think we are in a position to negotiate here. have you seen how this administration is treating feds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am completely okay relocating in normal times, but I would not relocate now. These aren't real "relocations". They are just saying you need to relocate so that you quit. They don't actually want you anymore. So you could make the $$$ decision to have your spouse quit their job, sell your house, relocate and then you're still RIFed.

This is why OP should negotiate a relocation package. If this is just a bluff then the agency will ultimately decline to move OP. Also, you can use the relocation expenses for temporary housing until you can find a rental. You could wait to sell your house until you get a better feeling about RIF chances.

I like that you think we are in a position to negotiate here. have you seen how this administration is treating feds?

+1. There isnt anything to negotiate anyways, GSA rules set forth how relocations are reimbursed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would go to Fort Collins before Raleigh. Fort Collins is a great town and great lifestyle

Honestly, it may not be an option, or not everyone will get his/her first choice.

1. First, it is better for whole division staying together, not some people here and some other people there.
2. If every can choose, I guess there will be quite many NCR employees choosing Raleigh (since it is close to DC and family members) than other locations. It is unlikely that too many employees are relocated to some hubs, and too few employees are relocated to other hubs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm at USDA, too. Rollins said in an interview that folks should expect to start work in their new location before the new year. So, I'd imagine this will all be happening in the next three months. Possible timeline: letting us know in September after the "comment" period closes, give a few weeks to decide (if we're lucky), then two months to relocate.

Friends who are looking for work right now have shared how terrible it is (and these are talented people), so that's not giving me hope. That said, since any of the five possible locations are outside of my commuting area, OP guidelines dictate I'd get severance, which should hold me over for about a year. Maybe I'm being optimistic, but I feel like I can find something in a year, even if I don't love the new job. The issue is, for those of us mid-career, we're giving up half the value of our pension by leaving government work (if you were planning to stay until retirement). And we're giving up our lifetime health insurance, which is like gold down the road. If I left, I'd be trying to return in the near future...if sanity returns.

DH's job is flexible, so the biggest issue for me is I have young kids. Pulling them out of school mid-year isn't an option for me. And I can't imagine living somewhere without them during the week for half a year until the school year ends. Plus, we'd be uprooting from our home and community into a complete unknown. AND there are absolutely no guarantees we won't be RIFd later.

For all that are asking, we haven't been given an option on locations. When they're ready, they'll give us the location and it will be a take it or leave it situation.

That(before the new year) would be too bad, I still hope to drag out for one year or so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you go to Raleigh? The other locations are not great.

Probably, this is only "acceptable" location. I may go there temporarily, till finding a new fed job within 50 miles.

If Raleigh, I may just sleep in my SUV and go home very weekend.

I thought Fort Collins was a possibility. Raleigh sucks compared to Fort Collins. If somebody ordered me to move to Colorado I'd feel like I won a major award. Raleigh is hot, humid, and a terribly boring location.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm at USDA, too. Rollins said in an interview that folks should expect to start work in their new location before the new year. So, I'd imagine this will all be happening in the next three months. Possible timeline: letting us know in September after the "comment" period closes, give a few weeks to decide (if we're lucky), then two months to relocate.

Friends who are looking for work right now have shared how terrible it is (and these are talented people), so that's not giving me hope. That said, since any of the five possible locations are outside of my commuting area, OP guidelines dictate I'd get severance, which should hold me over for about a year. Maybe I'm being optimistic, but I feel like I can find something in a year, even if I don't love the new job. The issue is, for those of us mid-career, we're giving up half the value of our pension by leaving government work (if you were planning to stay until retirement). And we're giving up our lifetime health insurance, which is like gold down the road. If I left, I'd be trying to return in the near future...if sanity returns.

DH's job is flexible, so the biggest issue for me is I have young kids. Pulling them out of school mid-year isn't an option for me. And I can't imagine living somewhere without them during the week for half a year until the school year ends. Plus, we'd be uprooting from our home and community into a complete unknown. AND there are absolutely no guarantees we won't be RIFd later.

For all that are asking, we haven't been given an option on locations. When they're ready, they'll give us the location and it will be a take it or leave it situation.

Take the RIF. You should get a decent payout. Use that to buy yourself some time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you go to Raleigh? The other locations are not great.

Probably, this is only "acceptable" location. I may go there temporarily, till finding a new fed job within 50 miles.

If Raleigh, I may just sleep in my SUV and go home very weekend.

I thought Fort Collins was a possibility. Raleigh sucks compared to Fort Collins. If somebody ordered me to move to Colorado I'd feel like I won a major award. Raleigh is hot, humid, and a terribly boring location.

To each his own. I have a lot of east coast relatives and wouldn’t be interested in living in Colorado. NC sounds nicer to me than VA. I’m a southerner and like hot weather.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know how other people live in car for long term, maybe take shower in a gym?

Living in a car may become my life soon.

what if they have to use the bathroom in the middle of the night? Both types? I would rent a room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My dad worked for private industry and when they closed our location and offered people tell to really crappy places in the middle of nowhere it was majorly depressing. It’s okay to have feelings about this. We really couldn’t move because my mom had health issues. I had friends whose parents moved and left them behind so they could finish out HS. There were a ton of kids crashing in other families basements. It really stank. It’s bad enough when private industry does this for bottom line issues. It’s worse when the fed government does it for nonsensical reasons — basically punishing people who don’t support the current administration. OP, I’m really sorry.

This happened to some of my relatives, in private industry. It is not uncommon.

[Anonymous]

VA and NC have a tax treaty. Someone living in VA but working in NC will not be double-taxed.

Raleigh has good schools, good housing options at lower cost than much of NoVA, and no river crossings to complicate the commute. NC also has multiple good in state public university options. What is not to like?

IBM and other private companies move people around the US all the time. The Federal Government is the oddity by not regularly moving its civil service workforce.

[Anonymous]

Military families get moved all the time. Their kids turn out fine - usually more resilient than other kids. The kids who move will be fine with a mid-year move, will make new friends, and will adjust to any different school routines.

I do not get all the angst about this. Ft Collins or Raleigh would be a great place to live and raise a family.

[Anonymous]

If you are in Raleigh, see if you can share an apartment with others in the same situation. I'm sure many won't want to sell either and it's just a place to sleep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:VA and NC have a tax treaty. Someone living in VA but working in NC will not be double-taxed.

Raleigh has good schools, good housing options at lower cost than much of NoVA, and no river crossings to complicate the commute. NC also has multiple good in state public university options. What is not to like?

IBM and other private companies move people around the US all the time. The Federal Government is the oddity by not regularly moving its civil service workforce.

It’s not like the employees get to choose which location they go to. If their unit is being moved to Kansas City, that’s where they go.

I can potentially understand the logic of moving to lower cost areas if was purely for mission related reasons. However everyone knows this is just to drop scientists and weaken the agency.