Ask the Lawyer received the following question (paraphrased for easier reading and clarity) from a reader on a legal matter that might be of interest to the entire audience.
Q:
I am a career-conditional probationary employee with veteran status. I am pending a move of my position, supposedly a management-directed reassignment (MDR), to another facility approximately 50 miles away as part of transformation efforts. The move date I was given three weeks ago is about 3-4 weeks away. I continue to be told they are working on MDR letters, but my supervisor who is disillusioned with my command states I am unlikely to receive anything before the move date.
What are my rights to move or not move if I have not been given any instructions in writing? Am I entitled to any different compensation (mileage or time off for travel) if I have or don’t have official MDR notification?
A:
There are no penalties for not telling you about your move sooner. Except for the SES, there are no legal timelines for geographic reassignments. If you are ordered to move, it is for the convenience of the government and you are entitled to relocation expenses, assuming you are moving to a new commuting area.
Bill Bransford is managing partner of Shaw Bransford & Roth PC.
Disclaimer: Ask a Lawyer publishes information on this website for informational purposes only. Information on this website is intended – but not promised, guaranteed, or warranted – to reflect correct, complete and current developments. In addition, the contents of the website do not constitute legal advice and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the attorney. Information from this website is not intended to be used as a substitute for specific legal advice, nor should you consider it as such. You should not act, or refrain from acting, based on information on this website without seeking specific legal advice about your particular circumstances. No attorney-client relationship between you and Ask a Lawyer’s author is created by the transmission of information to or from this site.
