NASA GRC Internal Memo: Workforce Transformation Planning Update

NASA Glenn Research Center
Cleveland, Ohio

September 8, 2005

TO: Glenn Civil Service Employees

FROM: A/Director

SUBJECT: Workforce Transformation Planning Update

As you may recall, last year the Agency prescribed a variety of Workforce Transformation actions such as buyouts, early outs, and job fairs to help each Center achieve its transformation goals. All of these efforts, and many more, are aimed at reshaping the NASA workforce to implement the President’s Vision for Space Exploration and elements of the Presidential Management Agenda to assure NASA remains a high performing organization.

As I conveyed in my e-mail to you on August 29, my commitment is to communicate openly and to the fullest extent possible to all employees during these challenging times. Therefore, I am providing this update regarding the Center’s Workforce Transformation Activities to date:

• One hundred twenty-one civil servants have accepted voluntary buyouts or early-out options. There is a potential for additional buyout/early-out opportunities in early 2006.
• Headquarters is currently offering Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) services to selected Centers with employees interested in exploring alternative career opportunities. Glenn’s CTAP office is open to all civil servant employees and is located in Building 500, Rooms 2513 and 2514.
• Sixty-six employees have decided to pursue other opportunities outside GRC with other NASA Centers or Federal agencies.
• Also in my August 29 communication, I mentioned that although there will not be a reduction in force (RIF) in FY06, the Center currently is in the process of preparing for a RIF, should this become necessary in FY07. Reduction in force preparation activities that are currently underway include:
• Updating all Civil Servant position descriptions (PDs)
• Reviewing every employee’s Official Personnel Folder (OPF) to ensure that all data elements are correct
• Contracting with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to offer educational briefings on the RIF process

All civil servants are invited to attend one of the OPM RIF educational briefings in the DEB Auditorium on September 26, 27, or 28, 2005. More information about the sessions will appear soon on Today@Glenn.

The briefings will provide important information on how the RIF process operates. If you have questions that are not covered in the OPM Briefings, you are encouraged to discuss these issues with your supervisor and visit http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/OHR/Transformation/, GRC’s Workforce Transformation Web site, for regular updates. The OPM Employee’s Guide to Reduction in Force, also located on this Web site, is another excellent resource to answer ques-tions you may have. We will continue to update you as we receive additional information from Headquarters. In the meantime, please plan to attend one of the OPM education sessions and ask questions.

Lastly, to keep employees informed on the Agency’s Workforce Transformation and other transitional activities, Glenn’s DLT Meeting Notes and Today@Glenn will include a “Transfor-mation Corner” section to keep employees informed on changes as they occur. Thank you for your ongoing support and understanding during this challenging time for the Agency.

/s/

Julian M. Earls