Anonymously contributed:
LANS Voluntary Separation Program - Excluded Categories
AD
DIR
DIR CFO-CNTL Financial Systems Analyst 4
DIR CFO-SYS Financial Systems Analyst 2
DIR CFO-SYS Financial Systems Analyst 3
DIR CFO-SYS Financial Systems Analyst 4
DIR CGA-GAO Government Affairs Specialist 3
DIR CGA-GAO Government Affairs Specialist 4
DIR DIR Executive Director
DIR EA-ARP1 Audit Manager 4
DIR EA-ARP1 Auditor 4
DIR EA-ARP2 Audit Manager 4
DIR EA-ARP2 Auditor 4
PADOPS
ADESH OM-MS Occupational Med Counselor 1
ADESH OM-MS Occupational Med Counselor 2
ADESH OM-MS Occupational Med Counselor 3
ADESH OM-MS Occupational Nurse 2
ADESH OM-MS Occupational Nurse 3
ADESH OM-MS Occupational Nurse 4
ADESH OM-MS Occupational Physician 3
ADESH OM-MS Occupational Psychologist 3
ADESH OM-MS Occupational Psychologist 4
ADESH OM-MS Physician Assistant 2
ADESH OM-MS Physician Assistant 3
ADNHHO ES-FE Engineer 1
ADNHHO ES-FE Engineer 2
ADNHHO ES-FE Engineer 3
ADNHHO ES-FE Engineer 4
ADNHHO FP-DO Fire Protection Engineer 1
ADNHHO FP-DO Fire Protection Engineer 3
ADNHHO FP-DO Fire Protection Engineer 4
ADNHHO SB-CS Criticality Safety Analyst 2
ADNHHO SB-CS Criticality Safety Analyst 3
ADNHHO SB-CS Criticality Safety Analyst 4
ADNHHO SB-EWM Safety Basis Analyst 2
ADNHHO SB-EWM Safety Basis Analyst 4
PADSTE
ADCLES C-IIAC Scientist 5
ADCLES C-NR Computing Systems Professional 3
ADCLES C-NR Program Manager 3
ADCLES C-NR R&D Manager 2
ADCLES C-NR Scientist 5
ADCLES C-NR Technical Project Manager 3
ADCLES C-PCS Scientist 6
ADCLES EES-17 Technical Project Manager 3
ADE AOT-OPS Operator 3
ADE AOT-OPS R&D Engineer 2
ADE AOT-RFE R&D Engineer 3
ADE PF-FS Machinist 3
ADE PF-FS Machinist 4
ADEPS LANSCE-LC Research Technologist 2
ADEPS LANSCE-LC Scientist 2
ADEPS LANSCE-LC Scientist 3
ADEPS LANSCE-NS Scientist 3
ADEPS MPA-CINT R&D Manager 3
ADEPS MPA-CINT R&D Manager 4
ADEPS MPA-CMMS R&D Manager 3
ADEPS MST-16 Research Tec 4
ADEPS MST-16 Research Tec 5
ADEPS MST-16 Research Technologist 1
ADEPS MST-7 Research Tec 3
ADEPS MST-7 Research Tec 4
ADEPS MST-8 Scientist 2
ADEPS P-23 Computing Systems Professional 3
ADEPS P-23 Scientist 2
ADEPS P-24 Computing Systems Professional 2
ADEPS P-25 Research Tec 3
ADEPS P-25 Research Technologist 1
ADTSC ACS-PO R&D Manager 5
ADTSC ACS-PO Scientist 2
ADTSC ACS-PO Scientist 3
ADTSC ACS-PO Scientist 4
PADSTE LDRD-PO Systems Programmer 3
PADSTE STBPO-RL Computing Systems Professional 2
PADSTE STBPO-RL Computing Systems Professional 3
PADWP
ADPSM NCO-1 Machinist 3
ADPSM NCO-1 Research Tec 2
ADPSM NCO-2 Process and Sampling Tec 2
ADPSM NCO-3 Research Tec 2
ADPSM NCO-5 Process and Sampling Tec 2
ADPSM NPI-2 Production Control Specialist 1
ADPSM NPI-2 Production Control Specialist 2
ADW W-11 R&D Engineer 1
ADW W-14 R&D Engineer 2
ADW W-16 R&D Engineer 3
ADW W-5 Engineering Technologist 1
ADW WX-2 Engineered Systems Tec 3
ADW WX-6 Scientist 2
ADW WX-7 Research Technologist 1
ADW XCP-1 Scientist 4
ADW XCP-7 Scientist 2
ADW XCP-9 Database Administrator 4
ADW XTD-3 Scientist 2
ADW XTD-6 Scientist 4
LANS Voluntary Separation Program - Excluded Categories
AD
DIR
DIR CFO-CNTL Financial Systems Analyst 4
DIR CFO-SYS Financial Systems Analyst 2
DIR CFO-SYS Financial Systems Analyst 3
DIR CFO-SYS Financial Systems Analyst 4
DIR CGA-GAO Government Affairs Specialist 3
DIR CGA-GAO Government Affairs Specialist 4
DIR DIR Executive Director
DIR EA-ARP1 Audit Manager 4
DIR EA-ARP1 Auditor 4
DIR EA-ARP2 Audit Manager 4
DIR EA-ARP2 Auditor 4
PADOPS
ADESH OM-MS Occupational Med Counselor 1
ADESH OM-MS Occupational Med Counselor 2
ADESH OM-MS Occupational Med Counselor 3
ADESH OM-MS Occupational Nurse 2
ADESH OM-MS Occupational Nurse 3
ADESH OM-MS Occupational Nurse 4
ADESH OM-MS Occupational Physician 3
ADESH OM-MS Occupational Psychologist 3
ADESH OM-MS Occupational Psychologist 4
ADESH OM-MS Physician Assistant 2
ADESH OM-MS Physician Assistant 3
ADNHHO ES-FE Engineer 1
ADNHHO ES-FE Engineer 2
ADNHHO ES-FE Engineer 3
ADNHHO ES-FE Engineer 4
ADNHHO FP-DO Fire Protection Engineer 1
ADNHHO FP-DO Fire Protection Engineer 3
ADNHHO FP-DO Fire Protection Engineer 4
ADNHHO SB-CS Criticality Safety Analyst 2
ADNHHO SB-CS Criticality Safety Analyst 3
ADNHHO SB-CS Criticality Safety Analyst 4
ADNHHO SB-EWM Safety Basis Analyst 2
ADNHHO SB-EWM Safety Basis Analyst 4
PADSTE
ADCLES C-IIAC Scientist 5
ADCLES C-NR Computing Systems Professional 3
ADCLES C-NR Program Manager 3
ADCLES C-NR R&D Manager 2
ADCLES C-NR Scientist 5
ADCLES C-NR Technical Project Manager 3
ADCLES C-PCS Scientist 6
ADCLES EES-17 Technical Project Manager 3
ADE AOT-OPS Operator 3
ADE AOT-OPS R&D Engineer 2
ADE AOT-RFE R&D Engineer 3
ADE PF-FS Machinist 3
ADE PF-FS Machinist 4
ADEPS LANSCE-LC Research Technologist 2
ADEPS LANSCE-LC Scientist 2
ADEPS LANSCE-LC Scientist 3
ADEPS LANSCE-NS Scientist 3
ADEPS MPA-CINT R&D Manager 3
ADEPS MPA-CINT R&D Manager 4
ADEPS MPA-CMMS R&D Manager 3
ADEPS MST-16 Research Tec 4
ADEPS MST-16 Research Tec 5
ADEPS MST-16 Research Technologist 1
ADEPS MST-7 Research Tec 3
ADEPS MST-7 Research Tec 4
ADEPS MST-8 Scientist 2
ADEPS P-23 Computing Systems Professional 3
ADEPS P-23 Scientist 2
ADEPS P-24 Computing Systems Professional 2
ADEPS P-25 Research Tec 3
ADEPS P-25 Research Technologist 1
ADTSC ACS-PO R&D Manager 5
ADTSC ACS-PO Scientist 2
ADTSC ACS-PO Scientist 3
ADTSC ACS-PO Scientist 4
PADSTE LDRD-PO Systems Programmer 3
PADSTE STBPO-RL Computing Systems Professional 2
PADSTE STBPO-RL Computing Systems Professional 3
PADWP
ADPSM NCO-1 Machinist 3
ADPSM NCO-1 Research Tec 2
ADPSM NCO-2 Process and Sampling Tec 2
ADPSM NCO-3 Research Tec 2
ADPSM NCO-5 Process and Sampling Tec 2
ADPSM NPI-2 Production Control Specialist 1
ADPSM NPI-2 Production Control Specialist 2
ADW W-11 R&D Engineer 1
ADW W-14 R&D Engineer 2
ADW W-16 R&D Engineer 3
ADW W-5 Engineering Technologist 1
ADW WX-2 Engineered Systems Tec 3
ADW WX-6 Scientist 2
ADW WX-7 Research Technologist 1
ADW XCP-1 Scientist 4
ADW XCP-7 Scientist 2
ADW XCP-9 Database Administrator 4
ADW XTD-3 Scientist 2
ADW XTD-6 Scientist 4
Comments
1. "Voluntary" layoff
2. "Involuntary" layoff
3. Lawsuits
Deja vu all over again.
All because LANL pays $150M in fee and taxes it wouldn't pay if it had not been forced to become private.
A smooth Bush move.
Not to be unfair, patronage is a way of life for Chi-town politicians, Obama will get more electoral votes from Tennessee than he can get from New Mexico.
ORNL patronage is due to Senator Alexander and colleagues. Tennessee is not nearly 'purple' enough to waste time trying to contest.
Hodge-podge: is a word used to describe a confused or disorderly mass or collection of things; a "mess" or a "jumble".[1] The UK term is hotchpotch.
Yup, that's it!
And don't think this latest RIF will be the last. After getting rid of the expense of paying off a large chunk of severance with a simple stroke of a pen, the approaching involuntary layoffs and others that will follow will be much cheaper and easier to execute.
Once those "expensive" (Charlies' words) regular scientists have been fired and replaced with a rapid turn-over of cheap, low benefit post-docs, there will be plenty of extra money at LANL to begin raising the salaires of the LAN management team even higher. Oh, joy!!!!
Perhaps they'll even get invitations to the huge party yacht, "Vixen", of LANS Governor Norm Pattiz or be invited to attend the next Bohemian Grove summer encampment courtesy of Riley Bechtel.
I'm also told that Managers are informing any complaining worker on the excluded list that they are welcome to leave at any time, however, they (Line Management) will leave with 39-weeks of severance. WTF!!
March 6, 2012 5:31 PM
They also have no heart and compassion, unless it a brand new Bronze Porsche Cayenne or a Million dollar mansion in Los Alamos and/or/both Livermore.
March 6, 2012 8:55 AM
If you study the list carefully, while W-Division and X-Division is listed, it amounts to a handful of people maybe ten in total. The other 1,000 nuclear weapons scientists and engineers are free and encouraged to leave. McMillan and Knapp could give a shit if they were the only two weapons guys left, and you know what, that is their intent!
Oh what nonsense. They are not encouraging everyone to leave. They are providing people a choice, so at least the free part is right. If so many weapon folks put in for VSP that it threatens the mission, then not all volunteers will be accepted.
March 6, 2012 8:46 PM
The "excluded" workers have a choice? Yes, two choices. 1. Stay in the LANS Stalag. 2. Leave at anytime with a zero severance. Nice treatment for people that have worked at LANL for more than 30-years. How long have you been here, 2 weeks?
The best hope is that all the top talent comes up with an exit strategy of their own, then implements it after all the downsizing is done. That would certainly give a no-confidence vote to management.
March 6, 2012 9:03 PM
Used to be that folks who worked at LANL for "more than 30 years" thought that just the prospect of the very generous pension (which is still available from LANS) was "nice treatment." Now you want severance too?
I've exhausted all means available to employees to grieve my eligibility status, and each one gives me the same story--no appeals.
Has anyone out there had SUCCESS at fighting these jerks and getting their eligibility changed? If so, please provide details.
Otherwise, my lawyers are also pretty clever and I'll be giving them another call.
http://lanllayoffs2012.blogspot.com
New Blog for "Excluded" and otherwise impacted LANL employees.
Please post your comments there and signup if you would like to participate with other employees who are investigating what actions may be able to be taken to force the Laboratory to open the program to everyone.
Reply: We are getting the same story in ADHNNO. Fortunately, at least for now we can still "appeal" to the courts.
“Has anyone out there had success at fighting these jerks and getting their eligibility changed? If so, please provide details.”
Reply: No success as of yet, but we need to establish standing.
“Otherwise, my lawyers are also pretty clever and i'll be giving them another call”
There are plenty of grounds for us to get into court. It probably won't be to hard to find an attorney to take the case on contingency given the number of folks that appear to feel "disadvantaged" x number of years of service x average salary--that will be a pretty big number. However to get started we may have to pool resources (i.e. $) to get an injunction filed before April 5, 2011
Please see "plan of action" at
Http://lanllayoffs2012.blogspot.com
Lets all go there and make it happen
Reply: The issue here is not "wanting severance" It is the expectation of equal treatment and fair dealing" under the employment contract we have with LANS. (Yes there is a contract) It is not too hard to find cases of highly skilled technical personnel (who are not managers) who are excluded, while their (sometimes) less technically skilled managers are allowed to "volunteer".
When looking at the list of excluded "Functional Areas" it would not be too hard to make the argument that LANS has focused on the remaining senior and highly skilled, engineers, technicians, and scientists. Their argument is "we can't hire replacements". B.S. With enough money you can send men to the moon. (Well at least we used to be able to do that.) This is just another aspect of not funding the Lab and its Programs sufficiently. That will not change however, but the burden for that failure should not fall to the employees.
Additionally, it is not illogical to argue that excluding the highly paid technicians, engineers and scientists will reduce LANS Severance payout liability. (Which I understand is to come out of G&A, ie. LANS Profit) Do you think there might have been some consideration of that in arriving at the Excluded list?
However, this selection process of theirs may backfire against them. My gut feel is that many of the folks impacted by being "Excluded" are old fahrts such as my self. If so, we will be able to make a very good case for age discrimination.
The award fee is determined by NNSA. It is not like if there is $7M left over that automatically gets tacked on to LANS 'profit' distributed to the LLC partners. Unspent sponsor funds remain subject to their request for return, and the Lab cannot 'harvest' G&S until effort is expended and loaded labor rates applied.
(26 wk)? Brilliant!
If the employees in these positions are very talented, then the average TC score for these employees should be higher than that for employees in non-excluded positions.
Well, then LANS says, it's not the employees, but the positions that they are in. These are mostly average employees, but we don't have that many of them and they are in important positions.
Ok., well if that's true, then then there should be significantly more postings for these excluded positions in the last 2 years, than for non-excluded positions. For example, the the excluded title/group combinations are 6% of all job titles/group combinations, we would expect a substantially higher percentage (than 6%) of postings to be from these select titles/group combos. If not, then what is the evidence that these people in these positions are so important that they must be excluded?
Additionally, it is not illogical to argue that excluding the highly paid technicians, engineers and scientists will reduce LANS Severance payout liability. (Which I understand is to come out of G&A, ie. LANS Profit)
March 7, 2012 7:44 PM
Which totally erroneous statement removes all assumption of credibility or trust from you or your "new blog." Now you have to actually earn it. G&A accounts have absolutely nothing to do with LANS award fee. Get a clue before you set yourself up as some authority.
"In 2008 there were several weapon engineers forced out of their jobs in W and WT-Division by Bret Knapp and Scott Gibbs. Engineers were directed to facility accept jobs in ES-Division or be fired. Now, all the remaining engineers in W and WT are eligible for the VRP and those of us (Engineers) in ES-Division are "excluded".
I was one of the WT-Division engineers purged by Knapp and banished to ES Division. I, too, have been deemed 'ineligible' for the VSP and will lose out on nearly the same amount of severance pay as you...so just because I came from WT, that doesn't mean I'm eligible.
I feel your pain...
W & WT posters. There are more of us out there. Pls provide name (or pseudonym) + email & home phone # to lanllayoff2012@gmail.com. We need to talk ASAP. All info confidential. (Isn't it the mark of a nadir at the Lab when we have to worry about retribution)
good point, in addition, you will get unemployment benefits with involuntary, not with VSP. It will not matter with prospective employers, they will view any "exit" as involuntary.
Good luck, but don't take the bait unless you were really intending to leave anyway.
Nice, LANS. Cap salaries, cut benefits, ban almost all lab travel and purchase orders and then ram a painful 10% reduction in the regular workforce all while hiring your outside friends into lucrative positions at the top of the LANS management chain.
On the day of, the employee was told by a designated person who watched them as they collected their personal effects and then walked them to the employee disposal area for further instructions. Like they were dishonest or recycled goods, only lab property was considered, not the employee.
It was cold. Not at all what UC would have done. Lynn Soderstrom's directions to management, carried out to the letter because they didn't know any better, nor had the courage to respond.
PAD Terry Wallace couldn't even get his famous "Science Complex" built, so many of his scientists are still working in decrepit, 60 year old building and fighting mice and mold. It's a sad state of affairs.
Meanwhile ORNL, PNNL and other Labs are putting up new buildings. So if the message of new science buildings is ok then the success or failure must have more to do with the messenger.
LANL has become the "Rodney Dangerfield" of funding.
The LANS Management is "drawing a very clear line between themselves and us (workers)".
I have lost all respect for LANS Managers.
No one is stopping you from retiring. Based on years service, you can grab 7/8-ths of your salary anytime you want it. So be pissed about the severance, but retirement?
I think its pretty much a given that a big involuntary layoff at the new, lower figure of only 26 weeks of severance is in the cards.
Duck and cover!
NO .. ONE .. CARES.
Why waste energy on a dead issue? LANL is on a downward slope that won't be stopping anytime soon. The politicos have decided to let this lab go down the drain.
March 18, 2012
Well the labs are not along. The politicos have decided to let the United States go down the drain as well.
March 19, 2012 7:13 PM
It won't be for that reason. It will be because "we (LANS) don't feel like it and no one, including NNSA/DOE, tells us what to do!".
We are on our own, rudderless and without sails. LANS is setting up the planks to start throwing people overboard.