Rehire Information for Laid-Off Pinellas County Employees
 Layoffs after March 4, 2010
Layoffs before March 4, 2010
Revision to Personnel Rule 2 - The revision to the Personnel Rule now allows for impacted Classified and Exempt employees to apply for promotional (internal) recruitments up to six months from their layoff date.
Why is the County hiring at the same time as they are laying off?
Wherever possible we are holding open positions until all displaced employees have been identified and placed as appropriate. However, there are some critical positions that must be filled, such as 911-operators, summer lifeguards, etc.
If a person laid-off is eligible for returning to a job opening for up to a year after layoff, do they need to have an “application” on file or does HR contact them from some list to let them know a vacancy exists? Will their name automatically go on the “Layoff” side of the register?
When an employee is laid off, the employee will be automatically placed on the Layoff Register (recall list) for the job classification he/she was in at the time of layoff. However, now that our application system is online, he/she is not "required" to complete an online application, however it is to his/her advantage to do so.
Important Note: To be hired into a job class other than the one you were in at the time of layoff, you must be on the register for the job class. You can get onto registers by applying while it is open for recruitment.
How does the layoff register (recall list) work?
Laid off employees will be on the layoff register for the job classification which they encumbered at the time of layoff for a period of one year. That is the only eligible register for which they have layoff recall rights.
When a vacancy for that job classification becomes available to fill, the entire layoff register for that job class is provided to the department. The department will conduct interviews and select the individual that best meets the needs of the department from the layoff register for that job class.
After one year from date of separation, if you have not been rehired by the County, you will automatically be placed on the regular eligible register for that job classification for an additional year.
Is it true that taking money out of my FRS could impact my return to work?
If an employee is laid off and takes a disbursement of any kind from the FRS (including investment account) FRS will consider the employee retired and he/she can not come back to work for an FRS agency for at least 6 months - even if we call him/her back from consideration on the layoff register. For example: If you decide in January to take some money out of your investment account and in March you are offered a job back with the County, you cannot be rehired. Please make inquiries with the FRS regarding any additional information. (http://www.myfrs.com/imageserver/pdf/forms/rermploymentflyer.pdf) 
What happens if I am recalled to my former job classification?
If you are rehired into the same job classification, or one at a lower level within the same job class family:
- You will be reinstated to the rate of pay you were earning at the time you left the County due to layoff (not to exceed the maximum of the pay grade of the job class into which you are being hired).
- Your Annual Leave balance will be restored for any accrued annual leave for which you were not paid at the time of your layoff.
- Your Annual Leave accrual rate will be restored at the same level you were earning prior to your separation from service.
- You will not have to serve a new probationary period.
What happens if I am selected from the layoff register, but I don't want to take the position in that department?
If you elect to take the position you are offered from the layoff register, your name will be removed from that layoff register and you will no longer have layoff rights to that job classification.
What happens if I am interviewed for a position from the layoff register, but the department doesn't select me?
If you are interviewed from layoff register and the department selects another individual, then you will remain on the list for the remainder of your one year of eligibility. After that one year on the layoff register, your name will automatically be placed on the regular eligibility register with all other candidates.
What happens if I am hired back to the County, but in a different job classification?
If you are hired into a different job classification within your initial year from layoff:
- You will be returned to the workforce at the rate of pay you were earning at the time you left the County or the minimum of the pay grade, whichever is greater, but will not exceed the maximum of the pay grade of the job classification into which you are being hired.
- Any leave balance you were not paid for at the time of your layoff will be reinstated to you.
- Your Annual Leave accrual rate will the same that you were earning at the time of separation.
- You will serve a one year probationary period.
If I am Recalled or Hired back to the County and there is a layoff next year, will my retention score start over (like a new hire) or will it continue from where I was before the layoff?
If you were laid off and are rehired within one year we would consider your time worked as continuous for calculations of time in class for future layoffs. We would, of course, subtract out the time you were actually laid off, but you would not start over as a "new hire" with respect to time with the County.
If I am Recalled or Hired back to the County, when will my benefits start?
The following benefit information will only apply for one year from the date the employee is laid off or bumped in lieu of layoff. After the one year time period, the regular rules governing hire, promotion and demotion would apply.
Rate of Pay -
Hired into the same job classification, or one at a lower level within the same job class family (Example: Original position was Administrative Support Specialist. Employee was laid off and is now returning to a position as a Sr. Office Specialist) you will return at the rate of pay you were earning at the time you left the County due to layoff as long as it does not exceed the maximum of the pay grade of the job class into which you are being hired.
Hire into a different job classification family regardless of pay grade you will Return at rate of pay you were earning at the time at which you left the County due to layoff or the minimum of the pay grade, whichever is greater, but not to exceed the maximum of the pay grade of the job class into which your are being hired.
Annual Leave -
Reinstate the leave balance for any accrued leave for which you were not paid at the time of layoff. Leave accrual rate is set at the rate you were earning at the time of separation.
Floating Holidays and Personal Day -
Eligible for use of floating holidays or personal day earned in the calendar year of layoff if not used prior to layoff. Any unused floating holiday or personal day must be used before the end of the calendar year in which it was earned. Accrual of floating holidays and personal day will be at the rate the employee had at time of separation.
Insurance and/or Opt Out -
When you are recalled or rehired to County Service, you will be eligible for all insurances and coverages, however, you will have to complete a new waiting period as though you were a new employee. Your benefits will begin on the 1st day of the month following your 30 day waiting period. For example, if you are hired on the 5th of December, your insurances will begin on February 1.
You can begin contributing to your Deferred Compensation plan immediately upon your return to service. Your FRS service time will begin immediately upon your return to service. If you have County paid Long Term Disability, that benefit will begin immediately upon your return to service provided you have been separated from service less than 12 months.
If I am Recalled or Hired back to the County, am I eligible for tuition reimbursement right away?
Immediate eligibility for tuition reimbursement for classes which are commenced after the return to County service. No tuition reimbursement is available for classes undertaken while laid off.
If I am Recalled or Hired back to the County, will I have to serve a new probationary period?
- If you are hired into the job classification, or one at a lower level within the same job class family (Example: Original position was Administrative Support Specialist. Employee was laid off and is now returning to a position as a Sr. Office Specialist) - No probationary period is to be served.
- If you are hired back in a job classification or job family (regardless of the pay grade) you will be required to serve a one year probationary period.
Revision to Personnel Rule 2 - The revision to the Personnel Rule now allows for impacted Classified and Exempt employees to apply for promotional (internal) recruitments up to six months from their layoff date.
Why is the County hiring at the same time as they are laying off?
Wherever possible we are holding open positions until all displaced employees have been identified and placed as appropriate. However, there are some critical positions that must be filled, such as 911-operators, summer lifeguards, etc.
If a person laid-off is eligible for returning to a job opening for up to a year after layoff, do they need to have an “application” on file or does HR contact them from some list to let them know a vacancy exists? Will their name automatically go on the “Layoff” side of the register?
When an employee is laid off, they will be automatically placed on the Layoff Register (recall list) for the job classification they were in at the time of layoff. However, now that our application system is on-line, he/she is not "required" to complete an online application, however it is to his/her advantage to do so.
Important Note: To be hired into a job class other than the one you were in at the time of layoff, you must be on the register for that job class. You can get onto registers by applying while they are open for recruitment.
How does the layoff register (recall list) work?
Laid off employees will go on the layoff side of the eligible register for the job classification which they encumbered at the time of layoff for a period of one year. That is the only eligible register for which they have layoff recall rights. After one year from date of separation, your eligibility on the layoff register will expire.
Is it true that taking money out of my FRS could impact my return to work?
If an employee is laid off and takes a disbursement of any kind from the FRS (including investment account) FRS will consider the employee retired and he/she cannot come back to work for an FRS agency for at least 6 months - even if we call them back from layoff thru first rights of refusal. For example: If you decide in January to take some money out of your investment account and then in March we call you and offer you a job back with the County. You cannot be rehired. Please make inquiries with the FRS regarding any additional information. (http://www.myfrs.com/imageserver/pdf/forms/rermploymentflyer.pdf)
What happens if I am recalled to my former job classification?
If you are rehired into the same job classification, or one at a lower level within the same job class family:
- You will be reinstated to the rate of pay you were earning at the time you left the County due to layoff (not to exceed the maximum of the pay grade of the job class into which you are being hired).
- Your Annual Leave balance will be restored for any accrued annual leave for which you were not paid at the time of your layoff.
- Your Annual Leave accrual rate will be restored at the same level you were earning prior to your separation from service.
- You will not have to serve a new probationary period.
What happens if my turn on the recall list comes up, but I don't want to take the position in that department?
If you elect to take the position you are offered from the recall list, your name will be removed from that layoff list and you will no longer have first right of refusal to that job classification.
What happens if my turn on the recall list comes up, but the department doesn't accept me?
If you are the next on the layoff list for that job classification and the department must pass on you for their vacancy, then you will remain at the top of the list for the remainder of your one year of eligibility to the recall list for the next available vacancy within that job classification. This is only applicable during your initial one year of eligibility to that recall list.
What happens if I am hired back to the County, but in a different job classification?
If you are hired into a different job classification within your initial year from layoff:
- Yyou will be returned to the workforce at the rate of pay you were earning at the time you left the County or the minimum of the pay grade, whichever is greater, but will not exceed the maximum of the pay grade of the job classification into which you are being hired.
- Any leave balance you were not paid for at the time of your layoff will be reinstated to you.
- Your Annual Leave accrual rate will the same that you were earning at the time of separation.
- You will serve a one year probationary period.
If I am Recalled or Hired back to the County and there is a layoff next year, will my retention score start over (like a new hire) or will it continue from where I was before the layoff?
If you were laid off and are rehired within one year we would consider your time worked as continuous for calculations of time in class for future layoffs. We would, of course, subtract out the time you were actually laid off, but you would not start over as a "new hire" with respect to time in class.
If I am Recalled or Hired back to the County, when will my benefits start?
The following benefit information will only apply for one year from the date the employee is laid off or bumped in lieu of layoff. After the one year time period, the regular rules governing hire, promotion and demotion would apply.
Rate of Pay -
Hired into the same job classification, or one at a lower level within the same job class family (Example: Original position was Administrative Support Specialist. Employee was laid off and is now returning to a position as a Sr. Office Specialist) you will return at the rate of pay you were earning at the time you left the County due to layoff as long as it does not exceed the maximum of the pay grade of the job class into which you are being hired.
Hire into a different job classification family regardless of pay grade you will Return at rate of pay you were earning at the time at which you left the County due to layoff or the minimum of the pay grade, whichever is greater, but not to exceed the maximum of the pay grade of the job class into which your are being hired.
Annual Leave -
Reinstate the leave balance for any accrued leave for which you were not paid at the time of layoff. Leave accrual rate is set at the rate you were earning at the time of separation.
Floating Holidays and Personal Day -
Eligible for use of floating holidays or personal day earned in the calendar year of layoff if not used prior to layoff. Any unused floating holiday or personal day must be used before the end of the calendar year in which it was earned. Accrual of floating holidays and personal day will be at the rate the employee had at time of separation.
Insurance and/or Opt Out -
When you are recalled or rehired to County Service, you will be eligible for all insurances and coverages, however, you will have to complete a new waiting period as though you were a new employee. Your benefits will begin on the 1st day of the month following your 30 day waiting period. For example, if you are hired on the 5th of December, your insurances will begin on February 1.
You can begin contributing to your Deferred Compensation plan immediately upon your return to service. Your FRS service time will begin immediately upon your return to service. If you have County paid Long Term Disability, that benefit will begin immediately upon your return to service provided you have been separated from service less than 12 months.
If I am Recalled or Hired back to the County, am I eligible for tuition reimbursement right away?
Immediate eligibility for tuition reimbursement for classes which are commenced after the return to County service. No tuition reimbursement is available for classes undertaken while laid off.
If I am Recalled or Hired back to the County, will I have to serve a new probationary period?
- If you are hired into the job classification, or one at a lower level within the same job class family (Example: Original position was Administrative Support Specialist. Employee was laid off and is now returning to a position as a Sr. Office Specialist) - No probationary period is to be served.
- If you are hired back in a job classification or job family (regardless of the pay grade) you will be required to serve a one year probationary period.
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