In order to ensure that the movement of employees between District agencies does not impede government operations, it is critical that District agencies communicate and coordinate with one another during the movement process. A collaborative and consistent separation procedure between District agencies is essential for protecting the interests of both the employee and the District government.  This DPM instruction provides general information on the procedures that shall be followed when releasing employees through the competitive and non-competitive process, and separation by resignation from the District government.

The movement of District government employees between agencies can occur either through the competitive or non-competitive process. The following are some examples of competitive and non-competitive movements:

Transfers to another Agency

Transfers that result in the movement of an employee to another agency under a different personnel authority without a break in service may occur as a result of:

• Promotional Recruitment – When an employee is selected for a position at a higher grade;
• Lateral Recruitment or Involuntary Transfer – When an employee moves to another agency at the same grade through a competitive or non-competitive placement process; and
• Organization Change – When a position’s functions are moved to another agency under a reorganization plan.

Reassignments to another Agency

Employees may move or be moved to another agency under the same personnel authority through a reassignment through a competitive or non-competitive process. A reassignment occurs when the employee:

• Moves to another agency under the same personnel authority;
• The movement occurs without a break in service; and
• The movement is neither a promotion nor demotion.

Conversions to another Agency (including promotions and demotions)

A conversion occurs when an employee moves (without a break in service of 1-day or more) to another agency and his or her rights or duration of appointment are impacted by the position change. The following are some examples of conversion actions:

• Movement between the Career, Management Supervisory, Educational, Excepted, Legal, and Executive Services with less rights or benefits. For example,
  • An employee who is serving under an Excepted Service appointment or a temporary appointment may be competitively converted to a Career Appointment (Permanent or Probationary)) if he or she meets the requirements for the new appointment.
  • An employee who is serving under a Legal Service appointment competes and is selected for a position at the higher grade in the Management Supervisory Service may be converted to a Management Supervisory Service appointment.
• When a temporary or term employee is given another temporary or term appointment in another agency without a break in service. For example,
  • An employee who is serving under a Career Service (Temporary) appointment at the Grade level 9 may be converted to a Career Appointment (Term) appointment at the Grade level 11 in another agency if he or she meets the requirements for the new appointment.
• When an employee in a time limited appointment (i.e. temporary, term, TAPER) competes and is selected for a position in Career (Permanent or Probationary) appointment or in another service. For example,
  • An employee who is serving under a Career Service (Term) appointment competes and is selected may be to a converted to a Career Appointment (Permanent or Probationary) if he or she meets the requirements for the new appointment.
• When an employee competes for a position in another service type and line of work at a lower grade (demotion) in another agency without a break in service. For example,
  • An employee who is serving under a Career Service appointment competes and is selected for a position at the lower grade in Educational Service may be converted to an Educational Service appointment.

Movement of an employee from one agency to another as outlined in the above section requires communications between both impacted agencies.

Movements by Competitive Actions

• When the selection is final, the HR Advisor, in consultation with the selecting official shall contact the HR Office at the employee’s current agency to coordinate an official release date.
• Prior to providing an official release date to the receiving agency, the sending agency’s HR Office is responsible for coordinating with appropriate agency officials to ensure minimal operational impact.
• The selectee must be released within 2 weeks or at the end of the 1st full pay period after the release date has been officially requested, unless a longer period is approved by the Director of DCHR.

Movements by Non-Competitive Actions

• Before providing the employee with written notification of a transfer or reassignment from one agency to another, the HR Advisor must contact the impacted agency HR Office to obtain an official release date.
• The employee must be released within two weeks or at the end of the first full pay period after the release date has been officially requested. The time period may be extended by a maximum of 1 additional pay period for personnel actions with no change in salary, when a mutual agreement is reached between the releasing and receiving agency. Approval by the Director of DCHR is required for any time beyond the one additional pay period.

Notification to Supervisor

The HR Office in both impacted agencies shall ensure that the employee’s immediate supervisor is consulted in the release process to ensure that the agency is not negatively impacted. The HR Advisors in both the sending and receiving agency must also ensure that their respective Chief of Staff or Director is aware of the action.

Notification from Employee

Once an employee accepts an offer for a new position at another agency, he or she must immediately notify their supervisor in writing. Because the employee will be moving to another District agency without a break in service, this is not considered a resignation; rather, it is a transfer to another District agency.

Resignations[1] are voluntary actions that are initiated by the employee, and occur when he or she is separating from the District government.

Notification Requirement

As a professional courtesy, employees shall provide at leave a two-week notice prior to the anticipated effective date of their separating from the District government.

Employee's Reason for Resignation

1. An employee should submit her or her resignation in writing. Email is one option for submitting a written resignation. When the employee orally informs an agency of his or her intent to resign, the agency should ask the employee to provide written confirmation. If this is not possible, the employee at the agency who learns of the oral resignation should be asked to document it in a memorandum that will go in the resigning employee’s official personnel file (OPF).
2. Employees are not required to provide a reason for the resignation, but should be encouraged to provide one.
3. The reason for the resignation, if provided, must be included in the remarks section on the SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action.

Submission of Resignation to the D.C. Department of Human Resources

HR Advisors shall be responsible for ensuring that the resignation documentation is submitted to DCHR for processing before the effective date to ensure that the separating personnel action is processed in a timely matter.

Resignation Notices are Inappropriate for Movements between Agencies

The District of Columbia is a single employer. Therefore, when an employee is reassigned, transfers, or otherwise moves from one agency to another, there is no separation of employment. Accordingly, resignation notices are not appropriate or required.

Employees who are either moving to another District agency or separating from the District government must be scheduled for pre-exit interviews[2] to ensure that all District government property is returned and to provide an opportunity to discuss any questions or concerns related to employment prior to the effective date of separation. Employees who fail to return any agency property, including keys, credit cards, cellular phone(s), laptop(s), and other equipment, will result in administrative action being taken.

The pre-exit interview clearance process consists of the following:

• The surrender of all District government-owned property or equipment;
• The return of all library loan materials including books, projectors, screens, records, tapes, and audio visual equipment, etc.;
• The surrender of all passes, special identification badges and credentials, passwords, combinations, etc., issued in connection with employment in the agency; 
• The return of all official files, sensitive materials, file cabinet(s), and office and/or desk keys, manuals and handbooks, etc.;
• The liquidation of all debts owed to the District government for outstanding advances for travel, salary overpayments, leave, and other purposes, including the failure to fulfill written service agreements such as training or allowance/bonus agreements, or relocation expenses agreements; and the return of all District government-issued travel vouchers, purchase or fleet charge card, etc.; and
• The submission of a detailed written explanation of the circumstances surrounding the failure to account for and clear any accountable items.

The provisions of this instruction apply to those District government agencies which are subordinate to the Mayor's personnel authority. Other personnel authorities or independent agencies may adopt any or all of these procedures to provide guidance to employees under their respective jurisdictions.

For additional information concerning this instruction, please contact the D.C. Department of Human Resources, Policy and Compliance Administration, by calling (202) 442-9700 or by sending an e-mail to [email protected].