SUBJECT: Phase I of Workforce Restructuring to begin November 28

To/MS: All Employees
From/MS: Jan A. Van Prooyen, A100
Phone/Fax: 7-5101/5-2679
Symbol: DIR-07-339
Date: November 27, 2007



SUBJECT: Phase I of Workforce Restructuring to begin November 28

This note updates the November 19 memo from Mike
Anastasio and his All-Employee Meeting about workforce restructuring.

The Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has formally approved our specific plan for workforce restructuring. Accordingly, we will open the self-selection window Wednesday, November 28. Below is a table of key dates associated with the Phase I Self-Selection Program (SSP):

Table of Key Dates for Phase I

Event Dates
SSP application open November 28 through December 6
Employee rescission period December 7 through December 13
Employees receive notice of acceptance December 20
Employee Departure meetings January 2 through January 8, 2008
Accepted employees separate from Laboratory January 10, 2008

When the window opens, each LANS employee will receive by interoffice mail a notice of his or her eligibility to apply for this program. Likewise, each employee in an excluded category will receive a notice by interoffice mail that he or she will not be allowed to participate in the Self-Selection Program. If you are a LANS employee and have not received one of these notices by close of business on November 28, please contact your line management. Additionally, tomorrow (Wednesday), the Human Resources Web site associated with Phase I will be activated. The web site will have resources and information regarding Phase I.

Also as noted last week, we will hold manager briefings and employee pre-application information sessions. The schedule for those meetings is as follows:

Manager Briefings for SSP

Date Time
Location
Wed., 11/28/07 9:00 am - 11:00 am NSSB Auditorium
Wed., 11/28/07 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm Physics Auditorium
Thurs., 11/29/07 3:15 pm - 5:00 pm NSSB Auditorium

Employee Pre-application Information Sessions for SSP

Date Time
Location
Wed., 11/28/07 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Physics Auditorium
Thurs., 11/29/07 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm NSSB Auditorium (live) with Physics Auditorium simulcast
Fri., 11/30/07 9:00 am – 11:00 am Physics Auditorium
Mon., 12/3/07 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm LANSCE Auditorium
Tues., 12/4/07 9:00 am – 11:00 am NSSB Auditorium

The main difference between the plan that we submitted (as discussed by Mike Anastasio on November 19) and the plan that DOE-NNSA just approved is the timing of our assessment of our flexible workforce populations. Concurrent with the Phase 1 Self- Selection Program, we will be designing and implementing a process for assessing our flexible workforce.

Further, we have amended Policy 114 (Reduction-in-Force) of the Laboratory’s Administrative Manual to remove a provision prohibiting a Self-Selection Program.

As noted in the Director’s All-Employee memo and his All-Employee Meeting, the decision to reduce our workforce is a very difficult one. It directly impacts people’s lives—not only those of our employees, but also their families and the communities of Northern New Mexico. Given the impact on these communities, we also will hold two community information sessions on our specific workforce restructuring plan next week. On Monday evening, December 3, we will hold an information session in Pojoaque from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Cities of Gold Conference Center. On Tuesday evening, December 4, we will hold an information session in Los Alamos from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the Duane Smith Auditorium.

We will continue to post questions and answers and other relevant information on our Restructuring Web site. If you have questions, I encourage you to attend one of the pre-application information sessions regarding the Self-Selection Program and/or the community information sessions mentioned above. I also ask that you use our Workforce Restructuring Web site. Finally, I urge you to engage your leadership chain with your issues and questions. Laboratory managers realize that this is an extremely important decision for our employees and will help you get the answers you need. Managers will be receiving information that will prepare them to best support you as you make your final
decision.