Developmental reinstatement?

[Chuck]

Hello everyone,

I am an ATCS develepmental at ZSU (San Juan CERAP) enroute side. As you know we recently got devastated by 2 major hurricanes. I have suffered huge losses and am going to leave and go back to the states with or without the job. I read the reinstatement process only applies to CPCs. Does anyone know if its possible to bend the rules due to extreme circumstances? I know its a long shot but im just looking for any glimmer of hope that I could possibly get reinstated one day in the future. Thanks.

 

[breakaway2000]

The long and short of it... In terms of HR, I'll try to avoid using the words 'always' or 'never' because they rarely apply.

Without knowing the exact extent of your circumstances, you have a number of different avenues at your disposal you could try prior to quitting. These include...
1) Hardship - Would need to get a little creative and include the right buzzwords.
2) Extended Leave of Absence - With agency approval, you're placed on LWOP. You would be granted the ability to return after an agreed upon date (ex. when the island is up and running again). I'm going to assume you have (or had) some ties to PR to justify the selection and the pay cut in reference to other centers you could've chosen at the academy.
3) Withdrawal from training. Given what you guys have gone through, I have a hard time seeing your training team and ATM recommending termination (although they could do this). You'd go through the NEST and be granted a smaller level terminal facility. THIS IS YOUR BEST OPTION.

Once you quit, here's the black and white of it.
1) If you quit, it's recorded as a training failure.
2) Given that you are currently a trainee at ZSU, I'm going to assume you were selected on the all-source bid. If you were to apply again on the same bid, they are instructed to remove all academy and facility training failures.
3) If you were prior military and meet the minimum standards to be considered prior experience, you can apply to the prior experience bids. You do not qualify for these bids with your current FAA experience.
4) With how the CPC Reinstatement HRPM is written, it does not give the leeway to include prior developmentals.

 

[Mike Kilo]

I second the NEST option if you can afford the time for it to go through. You may be able to secure LWOP while awaiting NEST results if you withdraw and they decide to retain you. If nothing else just to see what options are offered as far as facilities.

 

[GO]

I second the NEST option if you can afford the time for it to go through. You may be able to secure LWOP while awaiting NEST results if you withdraw and they decide to retain you. If nothing else just to see what options are offered as far as facilities.

Third

 

[liondave]

3) Withdrawal from training. Given what you guys have gone through, I have a hard time seeing your training team and ATM recommending termination (although they could do this). You'd go through the NEST and be granted a smaller level terminal facility. THIS IS YOUR BEST OPTION.

There is no guarantee he would be granted another facility at all. Even if you assume he gets a recommendation from ATM and facrep, the decision is made by the NEST panel, located in Washington D.C., that has budgetary/political reasons for NEST recommendations that you can't hope to predict.

 

[breakaway2000]

There is no guarantee he would be granted another facility at all. Even if you assume he gets a recommendation from ATM and facrep, the decision is made by the NEST panel, located in Washington D.C., that has budgetary/political reasons for NEST recommendations that you can't hope to predict.

100% of people with a TRB recommendation for retention (almost exclusively due to the testimonies of the training team, FacRep, and FLM) and an ATM recommendation for retention have been retained since the inception of the NEST. The NEST panel follows the recommendation of the TRB and ATM if they are identical. The NEST panel will intervene if one or the other recommends termination.

 

[liondave]

100% of people with a TRB recommendation for retention (almost exclusively due to the testimonies of the training team, FacRep, and FLM) and an ATM recommendation for retention have been retained since the inception of the NEST. The NEST panel follows the recommendation of the TRB and ATM if they are identical. The NEST panel will intervene if one or the other recommends termination.

Maybe you're referring to only Enroute, and/or training failures? I don't want to share too many specifics, but I withdrew from terminal training and was terminated despite ATM/FacRep recommendations for retention. Maybe they felt I personally already had enough chances, but I got the distinct impression that voluntary withdrawal from training is viewed and treated differently than training failure. Also, I don't believe that voluntary withdrawals get a TRB.

 

[breakaway2000]

Maybe you're referring to only Enroute, and/or training failures? I don't want to share too many specifics, but I withdrew from terminal training and was terminated despite ATM/FacRep recommendations for retention. Maybe they felt I personally already had enough chances, but I got the distinct impression that voluntary withdrawal from training is viewed and treated differently than training failure. Also, I don't believe that voluntary withdrawals get a TRB.

Unfortunately, what an ATM/FacRep says and what they do are sometimes two different things. Looking at the data, one of two things occurred for you.
1) Your ATM never sent his recommendation for retention
2) Your ATM lied to you and recommended removal.

 

[liondave]

Unfortunately, what an ATM/FacRep says and what they do are sometimes two different things. Looking at the data, one of two things occurred for you.
1) Your ATM never sent his recommendation for retention
2) Your ATM lied to you and recommended removal.

That's fair to wonder, but my ATM showed me all paperwork involved in the process including recommendation for retention. I can't speak about the data but I'm 100% on what I went through. Anyways, good luck to Chuck and I hope his situation works out.

 

[GulfBravoPapa]

There is no guarantee he would be granted another facility at all. Even if you assume he gets a recommendation from ATM and facrep, the decision is made by the NEST panel, located in Washington D.C., that has budgetary/political reasons for NEST recommendations that you can't hope to predict.

I was going to mention this as well but in initial post they mentioned going back to the mainland with or without a job.... So at this point I don't think they care. Other than probably having to stay on the island longer for the processing I don't see anything to lose on withdrawing and going to the NEST. They don't care one way or another if they are retained. It'd be a perk but....

 

[Chuck]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to help by commenting and discussing your ideas and experiences. Especially breakaway2000 for the comprehensive list of best options going forward. I will see if I can withdraw with recommendations and take LWOP to have time to get me and my family off the island. Hopefully a satisfactory solution will present itself in the near future. Your discussions have given some hope in being able to retain this awesome career. Im thankful for all that you all do! Wish me luck. Gracias!

 

[breakaway2000]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to help by commenting and discussing your ideas and experiences. Especially breakaway2000 for the comprehensive list of best options going forward. I will see if I can withdraw with recommendations and take LWOP to have time to get me and my family off the island. Hopefully a satisfactory solution will present itself in the near future. Your discussions have given some hope in being able to retain this awesome career. Im thankful for all that you all do! Wish me luck. Gracias!

Good luck man. Like others have mentioned, there's no guarantees when you take the leap to withdraw, but given you current situation and the fact you're willing to quit to leave the island, withdrawing from training is your quickest/best option to potentially continue your FAA career stateside.

 

[rugbydog11]

*gets offered San Juan or st Thomas tower*