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: Can an employee in a higher grade level with a lower competitive level bump or displace an employee in a lower grade level with a higher competitive level in a reduction in force? A: “Bumping” is unavailable because you may only bump employees in lower tenured groups than you, rather than vice versa. However, you may be entitled to “retreat” rights, which means that you could displace an employee on…