The Bureau of Land Management has set up a page on its website that contains details about the agency’s decision to move its headquarters office from Washington, DC to Grand Junction, CO.
According to BLM, “This move will benefit the public we serve as well as the bureau and our employees. Moving the people who make critical decisions about the lands and programs we manage will help provide a greater on-the-ground understanding and will also foster better partnerships with communities and organizations there.”
The move is expected to be completed by July 1.
As to the number of positions affected, the agency says that “most” of the DC based jobs are being relocated, over 200 in total.
There will, of course, be some federal employees who are unwilling or unable to relocate. BLM said it will be working with those employees to make the transition as smooth as possible including offering career counseling, résumé-writing and interviewing workshops, and identification of vacancies for interested and qualified employees within the BLM nationwide and within the Department of Interior in the DC area.
And for employees who are relocating, the agency said it is offering counseling and transition services, permanent change of station packages (or relocation packages), including house hunting trips or temporary housing. There is also a relocation incentive equal to 25% of the employee’s annual rate of basic pay, including locality pay in the relocation area.
The webpage includes a number of frequently asked questions about the relocation with additional information such as why the move is being made and options for affected employees.
