Career Transition Assistance Program

If you are currently an HHS employee who has received a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Certification of Expected Separation (CES), you may be entitled to receive special priority selection under the HHS Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP).

Who is eligible for CTAP?

To be eligible, you must:

1. Be a current HHS career or career-conditional (Tenure group I or II) competitive service employee who has received a RIF separation notice or a Certification of Expected Separation (CES) and the date of the RIF separation has not passed and you are still on the rolls of HHS.
2. Be applying for a position at or below the grade level of the position from which you have been separated. The position must not have a greater promotion potential than the position from which you were separated.
3. Have a current (or last) performance rating of record of at least fully successful or equivalent.
4. Be currently employed by HHS in the same local commuting area of the position for which you are requesting priority consideration.
5. File your application by the vacancy announcement closing date and meet all the application criteria (e.g., submit all required documentation)
6. Be rated well-qualified for the position.

What do I need to submit?

You must attach proof of your eligibility to your electronic application and it must be received before the closing of the announcement. Submit the following as applicable:

• your RIF separation notice or CES;
• a copy of your current (or last) performance rating of record;
• notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; or
• certification letter that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice of eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice).