Q. I am a GS-11 Defense Department employee with the Navy who has been given a Management Directed Reassignment from the West to East Coast. Same job, same agency. I am eligible to retire, but I want to see out the rest of the year for financial reasons. If I decline the MDR, the agency is going to separate me from federal service utilizing adverse action procedures under 5 CFR 752. I am under a mobility agreement. Is this move appealable through the MSPB? If I refuse to relocate, will I lose any retirement benefits under the CFR provision? Do you have any resources that will aid my decision?
A. It would only be appealable if a prohibited personnel practice was involved. If you refused to relocate, you would be involuntarily separated and entitled to a discontinued service retirement. The benefits you’d receive would be exactly the same as if you had retired voluntarily.
