MARADMINS

R 101210Z DEC 10
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 691/10
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//
SUBJ/MARINE CORPS-WIDE 90-DAY CIVILIAN HIRING FREEZE//
POC/D.J. SUMMERS/GS15/MPC/TEL: COM (703)784-9762/TEL: DSN 278-9762/ EMAIL:DEBORAH.SUMMERS@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (SECDEF) HAS DIRECTED A SERIES OF INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO REDUCE OVERHEAD AND INSTILL A CULTURE OF SAVINGS AND RESTRAINT ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.  TO SUPPORT THE SECDEF'S INITIATIVES, THE MARINE CORPS IS HEAVILY ENGAGED IN MANY EFFORTS AIMED AT IMPROVING OUR WARFIGHTING BUSINESS OPERATIONS.  A THOROUGH ASSESSMENT OF CIVILIAN LABOR ACROSS THE MARINE CORPS, TO INCLUDE CONTRACTORS, IS ONE OF THE MAJOR ACTIONS THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS HAS UNDERTAKEN TO ACHIEVE EFFICIENCIES THROUGHOUT THE MARINE CORPS. THIS ASSESSMENT IS NECESSARY DUE TO FY12 PROGRAMMED BUDGET REDUCTIONS. 
2.  EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, A 90-DAY MARINE CORPS-WIDE FREEZE IS IMPLEMENTED ON ALL INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL HIRING ACTIONS, AND PROMOTIONS RESULTING FROM RE-CLASSIFICATION OF POSITIONS, FOR ALL APPROPRIATED FUND POSITIONS. THIS PAUSE WILL ASSIST HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS (HQMC) AND COMMANDS IN RECONCILING THEIR CURRENT CIVILIAN ON BOARD STRENGTH AND TABLES OF ORGANIZATION (T/O) WITH FY12 AND BEYOND CIVILIAN PERSONNEL BUDGETS.  ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES ON MANAGE TO PAYROLL AND STRATEGIC WORKFORCE PLANNING REQUIREMENTS ARE BEING DEVELEOPED THROUGH A COORDINATED M-RA, P-R, AND CD-I (TFSD) EFFORT.
3.  HQMC STAFF AGENCIES AND COMMANDS WILL IMMEDIATELY CANCEL ALL REQUESTS FOR PERSONNEL ACTION (RPAS) CURRENTLY IN PROCESS FOR HIRING ACTIONS.  NO RPAS FOR NEW HIRES AND PROMOTIONS WILL BE SUBMITTED UNTIL THE FREEZE EXPIRES.  TEMPORARY, TERM, OR CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL WILL NOT BE USED TO BACKFILL ANY CIVILIAN BILLETS THAT CANNOT BE FILLED AS A RESULT OF THE FREEZE. 
4.  THE FOLLOWING EXEMPTIONS TO THE FREEZE APPLY:
    A. HIRING ACTIONS WHERE A TENTATIVE OFFER HAS BEEN MADE IN WRITING BY A DESIGNATED HUMAN RESOURCES PERSONNEL SPECIALIST PRIOR TO THIS MESSAGE.
    B. HIRING ACTIONS PENDING RESOLUTION/CLEARANCE OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PRIORITY PLACEMENT PROGRAM (PPP) ISSUES.  IF/WHEN PPP IS CLEARED, THE RPA WILL BE CANCELED. IF A PPP MATCH IS MADE, THE HIRING ACTION MUST BE MADE EFFECTIVE.
    C. HIRING ACTIONS FOR NEXT GENERATION ENTERPRISE NETWORK, CYBERCOM, AND OVERSEAS POSITIONS.
    D. CONVERSION OF PERSONNEL IN CAREER TRAINEE/INTERN PROGRAMS INTO PERMANENT APPOINTMENT AS A FORMAL EXPECTATION OF THEIR INTERNSHIP.
    E. HIRING/PROMOTION ACTIONS REQUIRED AS A RESULT OF THIRD PARTY DECISIONS FROM THE MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD, EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMISSION, FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY, ARBITRATION,OR AS A RESULT OF RELATED SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS.
    F. PROMOTIONS OF INDIVIDUALS IN CAREER LADDER POSITIONS.
    G. HIRING ACTIONS FOR "FIRST RESPONDERS," I.E.; FIREFIGHTERS AND CIVILIAN POLICE, SHALL BE PERMITTED UPON INDIVIDUAL COMMAND APPROVAL.  THE SAFETY OF PERSONNEL AND FACILITIES SHALL NOT BE COMPROMISED BY THE HIRING FREEZE.
    H. REIMBURSABLE BILLETS PAID FOR BY OTHER SERVICES/AGENCIES (NOT DIRECT MARINE CORPS TO MARINE CORPS REIMBURSABLE BILLETS).
5.  ALL OTHER RPAS ARE NOT IMPACTED BY THE FREEZE TO INCLUDE MANAGEMENT DIRECTED REASSIGNMENTS, NON-COMPETITIVE TEMPORARY PROMOTIONS NOT TO EXCEED 120 DAYS, WITHIN GRADE INCREASES, PERFORMANCE BONUSES/QUALITY STEP INCREASES, ALL BASE REALIGNMENT AND CLOSURE ACTIONS, CORRECTIONS TO PAY, RETIREMENTS, VOLUNTARY EARLY RETIREMENTS, VOLUNTARY SEPARATIONS INCENTIVE PAYS, RETURN TO WORK ACTIONS FOR EMPLOYEES UNDER THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION ACT, AND DISCIPLINARY/ADVERSE ACTIONS.
6.  REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL EXEMPTIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS. REQUESTS MUST INCLUDE THE POSITION DESCRIPTION AND A JUSTIFICATION REGARDING THE CRITICAL NEED TO FILL THE POSITION, IMPACT ON MISSION IF LEFT UNFILLED, AND WHY CURRENT RESOURCES ARE NOT SUFFICIENT TO FULFILL THE DUTIES DURING PENDENCY OF THE FREEZE.  ALL HQMC REQUESTS FOR EXEMPTION REQUIRE WRITTEN APPROVAL BY THE DIRECTOR, MARINE CORPS STAFF.  COMMAND REQUESTS FOR EXEMPTION REQUIRE WRITTEN APPROVAL AT THE 3-STAR LEVEL.  RPAS GENERATED AS A RESULT OF A REQUEST FOR EXEMPTION MUST INCLUDE THE APPROVAL LETTER AS AN ATTACHMENT. ELECTRONIC COPIES OF THE NARRATIVE JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL LETTER FOR EACH EXEMPTION MUST ALSO BE PROVIDED TO THE SERVICING CIVILIAN HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE AND DC, M-RA (MPC), DEBORAH.SUMMERS@USMC.MIL. 
7.  THE HIRING FREEZE WILL EXPIRE 90 DAYS FROM THE DATE TIME GROUP OF THIS MESSAGE.
8.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY (SES) MRS. SHERYL E. MURRAY, ACTING DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS.//