RIF

[James A. Landau <JJJRLandau@netscape.com>]

>From official OPM (Office of Personnel Management) Web sites:

http://www.opm.gov/rif/general/rifguide.asp

"In the Federal Government, layoffs are called reduction in force (RIF) actions.  When an agency must abolish positions, the RIF regulations determine whether an employee keeps his or her present position, or whether the employee has a right to a different position.

"The RIF regulations are derived from section 12 of the Veterans' Preference Act of 1944 and other statutes.  These laws are codified in sections 3501 through 3503 of title 5, United States Code (5 U.S.C. 3501-3503).  OPM implements these statutory requirements through regulations published in part 351 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations (5 C.F.R. part 351)."

I was not able to find a copy of the Veterans' Preference Act but it certainly seems as if "Reduction in Force" appeared in that act.

Note that whoever composed that Web site equated "layoffs" and "RIFs" which is not strictly true.  When we say a person was "laid off" we mean that person is out in the street.  However, if a person is RIF(t)ed, then s/he has specified bumping rights and might remain on the Federal payroll, although probably at a lower grade.

http://www.opm.gov/veterans/html/vghist.asp#VPACT44

"1876
First VP [Veterans' Preference] in reduction in force (RIF) law "

This Web site suggests that the term "Reduction in Force" was used in 1876, although it will be necessary to locate the text of that law in order to find out for sure.
OT:   Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:24:18 Zulu minus 0500 Barbara Need bhneed at GMAIL.COM wrote:
<quote>
I mostly use EYE-ther and have for most of my life. I recall an
incident in 8th grade. I was hanging in the unused language lab with
other 8th graders who had walked over to the High School for our Latin
2 class (the High School and Jr. High had slightly different schedules
so we had to wait for 2nd period to start) and someone called me on it
(i.e., saying EYE-ther) and asked something like, isn't it EE-ther?
And I said, "You can say it EYE-ther way."
</quote>

My daughter had a similar situation with Geometry.  She started her morning with Geometry in the High School, then walked across the street to the Middle School for the rest of the day.  Due to differing schedules, it was Second Period Geometry in the High School, followed by Second Period in the Middle School.  Hence her school day had two Second Periods and no First Period.

OT:  there is a pun on “most” meaning “very” that was recorded during the Thirty Years War.  The King of Spain was “His Catholic Majesty” and the King of France was “His Most Christian Majesty”.  The Pope was supporting France, which was allied with the Protestants in Germany, against Spain, which was allied with the Catholics.  The joke went “Is the Pope by any chance a Catholic?”  “Hush, he is Most Christian.”

At the beginning of World War II the British had a security classification of “Most Secret”.  The Americans objected on the grounds that it sounded like “Almost Secret”, so the two Allies agreed to use the designation “Top Secret” instead.


         James A. Landau
         Test Engineer
         Northrop-Grumman Information Technology
         8025 Black Horse Pike, Suite 300
         West Atlantic City  NJ  08232  USA

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