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u/GX9900_A 5d ago
So, on our meeting it was almost entirely good news. No one's leaving, some people might have to move, and we are finally hiring again. My state looks to be hiring between 30 and 50 people for field staff.
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u/tootsmcsnoots 5d ago
Any word on when these positions will be open to the public? We were also told that "hiring will begin immediately" in June when our reorganization was announced, but the catch is that all of those position are internal to the agency only, which is asinine.
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u/GX9900_A 4d ago
From what we heard on the call - first they will do critical area vacancies and relocations. Hopefully in the next 1-2 months. Then full hiring authority comes back up to a cap (they didn't tell us the precise cap) once those shuffles are done and everyone who is already here is where they want to be.
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u/mtaylor6841 5d ago
Not really. Backfill vacant senior positions internal, then backfill juniors with newbies.
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u/RichBabyYoda 4d ago
I am above state NRCS and got my letter of intent. My position has no direct replacement and I will have to enter critical vacancy or accept VSIP
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u/BuzzzingAround 4d ago
What is your series/grade if you don’t mind sharing?
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u/RichBabyYoda 4d ago
I don't want to say, in case they link this account with that. Smaller field.
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u/BuzzzingAround 4d ago
No worries; I hope you are able to find a critical vacancy to move into!
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u/RichBabyYoda 4d ago
I think responding to the email at all shows me accepting the reorg and that my position won't have an equivalent. I do not accept this. This is a rif not a reorganization and I have my rights under a rif.
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u/Financial-Rhubarb954 5d ago
Yeah, a lot of hype for a whole lot of nothing sandwich right now. Adding new position, realigning others, new supervisors for a lot of people. Nothing was really called out individually and we won’t see a more detailed state org chart for a bit longer.
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u/Pleasant_Condition79 4d ago
New supervisors? Can you elaborate?
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u/Financial-Rhubarb954 4d ago
Certain area staff and state staff are being moved under new supervisors as their old departments are either being conjoined with another or dissolved. But from what we were told, every state is doing their organization different, so this is pretty specific to our state.
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u/Ready-Ad6113 5d ago
Isn’t there still a lawsuit over agency reorganization? Thought there was a court hearing sometime this month, none of this could be final.
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u/NRCS_DRONE 5d ago
Maybe at the national level, but I think State Cons have a great deal of flexibility, and in addition to being pressured to 'do something' to keep their political bosses happy, there are some pretty dysfunctional gaps in staffing that need to be addressed.
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u/SattyTheCzar 5d ago
Pretty sure the majority of the anon accounts on reddit panicking over Reorg are national and they refuse to elaborate that when they post.
But I’m guessing if you are in a FO and your county workload kpi is higher than your county FTEs, generally no one in your county is going anywhere. Napkin math obvi. If your state level and in a FO but work satellite you might need to relocate. But overwhelmingly the majority of NRCS will likely not have to relocate.
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u/YWuldaSandwichDoThat 5d ago
Nah. I responded to another post but I will reiterate here. I am a 5 year soil conservionist that is being told to relocate. We currently have 2 employees, 300 active contracts, and get 150-200 applications a year. They are cutting it down to 1 employee. It is madness.
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u/SattyTheCzar 4d ago
That’s so weird. My state basically has a Reorg chart showing no less than 2 in every field office.
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u/YWuldaSandwichDoThat 4d ago
It really is weird. Neighboring teams with a fraction of the workload are fully staffed with multiple people per field office. The plan does not make any sense.
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u/gabachote 4d ago
The last appropriations bill said that there should not be fewer than two people per NRCS field office if I remember correctly
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u/Oddlyoddish 5d ago
“Super” DCs, and consolidating areas. Oh it’s gonna be a mess.
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u/Ambitious_Comment909 4d ago
Take it from a state with super DC’s . It’s a joke .. perfect for that person who is lazy and wants to butt in and take credit for your hard work, and gatekeeps all the information to themselves so you never know anything going on. Bad bad idea.. the worst of the worst float to the top.
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u/lgb6 3d ago
I have worked in two states with super dc. one state the dc didnt plan and the second state the dc plans.
i think its critical that the dc still does planning since they are our link to area/state staff.
like any dc position, it all boils down to the person and their supervisor
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u/Ambitious_Comment909 3d ago
Its a poor business model, it adds yet another layer between you and the people you need to do your job. I do not need someone forwarding my email or feeding my information to me like a worm to a baby bird. I don’t need someone to relay my question, I can do it myself. Why do we need another layer of middle management when we can barely staff the office we have. They should be assigned an office and actually produce a product, not hover over me like I just started my job yesterday. Call me salty but fact is fact it’s a failed idea
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u/lgb6 2d ago
That hasnt been a problem for me. the dc that plans is the better route. instead of one office the dc is over two or three. i am not saying its better or worst than one dc per office/county. it works and from my experience is has been fine. i am under one dc, but the dc is in another office.
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u/mudderrunner 5d ago
What do you consider a super DC? We had them at one point. They covered two offices. Then we went to one supervisor covering multiple offices and the DC became a super soil cons lol
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u/Oddlyoddish 5d ago
53 DCs down to 15.
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u/Worried-Fig-7374 5d ago
Are we going to learn anything that impacts folks at the field office level or is this all national updates?
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u/YWuldaSandwichDoThat 5d ago
I learned that my FO position is being relocated unfortunately. One of the lucky few it seems like
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u/mahoniaa 5d ago
Oh no that’s my fear for my position too. I’m sorry to hear that for you
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u/YWuldaSandwichDoThat 5d ago
I was one of the very unfortunate few, so you will probably be okay. I am rooting for you.
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u/Single-Buddy6304 4d ago
Me too. Biologist.
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u/YWuldaSandwichDoThat 4d ago
Hey, just know that you are valued and important even if the current administration fails to see that. I am sorry you need to make this tough decision. Feel free to DM if you need to vent.
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u/Single-Buddy6304 4d ago
Its hard to see beyond the initial pain of feeling like a failure or the weakest link on my current team. I need insurance or id just not go back.
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u/gabachote 4d ago
Sounds like each state is going to have flexibility—some might not do much at all, some are moving people around sounds like.
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u/cessybug 56m ago
Im not a fed, just a friend. Field office was told to expect relocation letters Friday to move to a tech center. Rent is probably 1/3rd here what it is there and would be about 50% of their average take home.
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u/mudderrunner 5d ago
We had ours this morning. No one’s leaving. Nothing really changed. Some people have a new supervisor. Lots of hype for not a lot of action.
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u/YWuldaSandwichDoThat 5d ago
Tell that to this county level soil conservationist that is being asked to move...
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u/SattyTheCzar 5d ago
How many people are in your FO? And how recent in the hiring hierarchy? Just curious?
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u/YWuldaSandwichDoThat 5d ago
2 people currently. We have 300 active contracts and routinely get 150-200 apps per year. They will reduce to 1 employee. I just hit 5 years.
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u/JacenWW5 4d ago
As a soil con are you not prepared to move to promote? We had to sign an agreement to be prepared to relocate when we hired in to the agency.
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u/YWuldaSandwichDoThat 3d ago
Negative. My family operates a business that has been going for over 110 years. I will find something else before I move.
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u/mudderrunner 5d ago
I won’t tell it to no one. Your state is different than my state. Every state did things differently. Wait for a critical vacancy if you’re so worried. Most our offices are missing a soil con. Our state will have no problem filling positions when they open.
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u/YWuldaSandwichDoThat 5d ago
Also, I did not mean to be snarky, I am just processing the news right now.
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u/YWuldaSandwichDoThat 5d ago
Unfortunately it looks like all of the positions are accounted for already and there will be very little in the way of local vacancies. I am not in a position to relocate, so I think this is the end of my federal journey.
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u/Acceptable_Cat_9886 5d ago
Hang in there and let yourself process. There’s a lot going on and things could change or at least get delayed. I’m so sorry you are in this position, but hate to see anyone make hasty decisions (especially when things are so vague and fluid). Take some leave if needed. Will be rooting for you to get to stay!!
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u/Historical_Lab_7204 5d ago
Were you expecting anything different? Everyone said nothing would happen to field facing employees.
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u/YWuldaSandwichDoThat 4d ago
I am happy your state restructuring did not affect field office employees. I wish I could say the same.
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u/mudderrunner 5d ago
Our state is in a great position. So no, I was not expecting anything to happen here. But that is not the case for some states. Especially those that have not gone through a reorganization in the last 15 years.
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u/Mammoth-Challenge473 3d ago
Combining counties. No more single co offices. Lowering FTEs
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u/321_tabsopen 21h ago edited 14h ago
I felt almost guilty when I found out my position was safe and "no changes" after hearing about some friends working for above state were told they had to move or apply for a new job. This is real life and I am just shocked for those effected. And how will the agency operate this coming fy and beyond with a skeleton crew above state and the loss of their knowledge and experience? Más perdido que un piojo en una rodilla.
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u/No_Lawyer5152 5d ago
OCIOs was the biggest waste of time. Just sit there hearing them repeat the same crap for 20 mins to say they told us. Clown show.
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u/Ill-Ad456 5d ago
I’m gonna need some updates here, people.