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From: Kem Robinson
As I announced in my January 13th e-mail, "Engineering
Division Staff Announcement," we are beginning a Reduction
in Force (RIF) process in the Engineering Division effective
today, Wednesday, January 21, 2004. All hiring activity, promotions
and reclassifications are temporarily frozen. Our goal is
to conclude the RIF in a timely manner. The reason for this
RIF is financial. Our Division is not able to meet its Payroll
expenses during FY04. The Engineering Division has scrutinized
Overhead and Org Burden expenses to reduce costs wherever
possible. As a Division, we simply cannot stay financially
and programmatically solvent in the long term unless we have
a RIF immediately. Therefore, this RIF must encompass the
whole Engineering Division.
Engineering Management, including Laboratory Operations and
Human Resources, as a collective team is now finalizing a
RIF process that will assess all job categories and all employees
in the Engineering Division. Our goals for this process include:
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Mitigate the financial crisis in the Engineering Division
by reducing Staff Between Assignments (SBA) levels as well
as other indirect costs
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Minimize current and projected programmatic impacts
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Retain critical skills, knowledge and abilities within our
Division that are mission critical to the programmatic needs
of the Laboratory’s scientific divisions
Engineering Management, including Engineering Group Leaders,
are currently meeting with Partner Divisions to gather input
and to better define their programmatic needs through 2006.
The focus of these meetings is to determine what knowledge,
skills and abilities in job categories they will need from
Engineering. Individual employees are not being discussed
during these meetings.
Call for Volunteers: Volunteers will be considered
in lieu of the layoff of others. Engineering employees interested
in volunteering should submit requests to Rachel Sandoval,
Engineering HR Manager, by close of business, January 30,
2004. If selected, volunteers may be eligible to receive severance
pay in accordance with Laboratory policy. If you have any
questions please contact Rachel, x4904.
I am convening an All Hands Meeting before the end of January
to fully explain the reasons for the RIF and its timing. Also
present will be Sally Benson and Randy Scott. I will continue
to update you via email and/or Brown Bags over the next two
months or you may contact me by e-mail or phone, x6327, if
you have any questions.
Employees will be notified of their employment status between
February and mid-March 2004.
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CALENDAR
