State Department RIFā€™d Nearly 1,350 Employees and Now Recruits Outsiders: What You Can Do After a RIF
The State Department laid off nearly 1,350 employees last year, and it is now recruiting mid-career outsiders into the Foreign Service, which raises a question many former employees are asking: if your agency RIFs you and then starts hiring again, what does it owe you? Here is what State is doing, how the Reemployment Priority List (RPL) works, and what you can still do if you were RIF’d.
What State Announced
In 2025, State laid off nearly 1,350 employees, and about 2,000 more lost their jobs when USAID was shut down. State is now recruiting mid-career hires through its Lateral Entry Pilot Program, including for foreign assistance, which is the work USAID did. The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) described it as “like firing the fire department and posting a help-wanted ad for people who know how to hold a hose.” Reporting: Jory Heckman, Government Executive, October 30, 2026.
What the Reemployment Priority List Covers
A reduction in force eliminates positions, not people. For competitive service jobs, the protection is the Reemployment Priority List: you register, and your agency generally has to take you over an outside hire for a job you qualify for in your area. The rules are in 5 C.F.R. Part 330, Subpart B, and eligibility and deadlines vary, so check with your HR office or your representative.
The Foreign Service runs on its own system. State’s statement about employees it RIF’d speaks of their eligibility to apply, which is a statement about who may send a resume, not who gets the job. One RIF’d officer applied, interviewed for a vacancy, and was not selected.
If You Are Facing a RIF
Register for the RPL yourself. It is not automatic, and the window is short.
If You Never Registered or It Has Been Over a Year
You still have options.
You can apply. A RIF is not a firing for cause. An agency can limit an announcement to current employees, but you can apply for anything open to the public or to former federal employees. An agency that holds a pending appeal or EEO complaint against you when considering your application may be engaging in reprisal.
Check your reinstatement eligibility. If you were in the competitive service with career tenure, reinstatement eligibility does not expire. For career-conditional employees, it lasts three years. Apply to announcements open to current and former federal employees, not just the public ones, and keep your SF-50s.
Document postings of your old work. The day an agency posts the work you used to do, screenshot it. If you have a pending appeal, complaint, or lawsuit, send the screenshot to your lawyer or union. If an agency abolishes a job and then hires for the same work, that is evidence.
What Is Pending in Congress
A bill would let State waive the entrance exams for career officers RIF’d since January 2025. It is not law yet.
If you were RIF’d and have questions about your options, a federal employment attorney can review your specific facts.
Legal Disclaimer: This content is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Federal employment situations are fact-specific and time-sensitive. Please consult a qualified federal employment attorney about your specific situation.