Memorandum on Career Transition Assistance for Federal Employees

Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

Subject: Career Transition Assistance for Federal Employees

Our highly trained and dedicated Federal work force is one of the Federal Government's most valuable resources. In order to help Federal employees who have dedicated their careers to public service find new job opportunities as Federal organizations undergo downsizing and restructuring, the executive branch must implement programs that provide Federal employees with career transition assistance. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Interagency Advisory Group has recommended that appropriate career transition assistance services be provided to Federal employees who either have been or are likely to be separated from Federal service due to a reduction in force. The goal of such services is to assist employees in taking charge of their own careers by providing them with the support they need to find other job offers, either with government or in the private sector.

I hereby direct the head of each executive department or agency (hereafter collectively "agency" or "agencies"), to the greatest extent practicable and in accordance with the guidance and any necessary regulations to be provided by OPM pursuant to this memorandum, to establish a program to provide career transition assistance to the agency's surplus and displaced employees. Such a program shall be developed in partnership with labor and management and shall include:

(1) collaborating with State, local, and other Federal employers, as appropriate, to make career transition services available to all of the agency's surplus or displaced employees;

(2) establishing policies for retraining displaced employees, as appropriate, for new career opportunities, either in government or with the private sector;

(3) establishing policies that require the selection of a well-qualified surplus or displaced internal agency employee who applies for a vacant position in the commuting area, before selecting any other candidate from either within or outside the agency; and

(4) establishing policies that require the selection of a well-qualified displaced employee from another agency who applies for a vacant position in the commuting area before selecting any other candidate from outside the agency.

I direct the Director of the OPM, in consultation with the Interagency Advisory Group, to: (a) prescribe minimum criteria for and monitor the effectiveness of agency career transition programs and (b) provide guidance and any necessary regulations for the agencies on the implementation of this memorandum. The OPM shall work with the Interagency Advisory Group to facilitate interagency cooperation in providing career transition services. The OPM shall work with agencies to maximize the use of existing automated job information and skills-based recruiting systems and develop new systems, as necessary.

Nothing in this memorandum shall affect the Priority Placement Program operated by the Department of Defense.

Independent agencies are requested to adhere to this memorandum to the extent permitted by law.

This memorandum is for the internal management of the executive branch and is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable by a party against the United States, its agencies or instrumentalities, its officers or employees, or any other person.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON