Reassignment

• Reassignment is the movement of an employee to another position for which he/she qualifies at the same grade level and with an equivalent promotion potential. A reassignment action may be directed by management or initiated at the request of the employee.
• A "management directed" reassignment is initiated by management to laterally move an employee to another position within the organization or between organizations. The agency's right to reassign includes the right to reassign an employee from a special rate position to a non-special rate position at the same grade, or to a position with less promotion potential than the present position. The position to which the agency reassigns an employee may be located in the same or a different geographic area (e.g., reassignment from Honolulu, HI to Washington, DC). This may occur to avoid reduction-in-force or for other reasons such as to better utilize the employee's skills in another equivalent position.
• An employee may also request to be reassigned to another position. If approved, this is considered a voluntary action.
• When considering a possible reassignment action management should consider the following questions:
  • Is there a legitimate organizational reason for the reassignment?
  • Is the vacant position at the same grade, or rate of pay (i.e., if the movement is between pay systems such as from a General Schedule position to a Federal Wage System position), as the employee's present position?
• A reassignment to a position with more promotion potential requires competition and merit promotion rules apply.