Disparity in Hiring Facility-SMART Commitment Terms

General Discussion for SMART Scholarship Recipients
USACE

Disparity in Hiring Facility-SMART Commitment Terms

Post by USACE »

For USACE Cohorts and anyone else that can help:

I received the scholarship in 2010 and will be graduating in May...which, if I did the math right, is a 2 year commitment. I believe I even signed something to this effect :). Correct me if I am wrong, but the USACE has their own hiring contract that is 4 years long and refuse to abide by any SMART contracts less than 4 years. It would be great if SMART and USACE could release some direction on this issue, as I have different plans after those two years.

My question: Who would be breaching the contract here--SMART for promising me a job for only two years or the Corps for not following a contract that they signed with SMART (I can only presume)?

I plan on contacting my state representatives. Should I lawyer up as well?


Thanks.

Guest2

Re: Disparity in Hiring Facility-SMART Commitment Terms

Post by Guest2 »

Always lawyer up if you are in conflict with them.

However looks to me like you may be really lucky. Contact the SPO. There is no way you can be required to a 4 year term. They might let you just walk away after graduation, which would be awesome for you. Or they might try to send you to a different location. Have you gotten correspondence from SMART saying they expect you to comply with a 4 year contract?

exrecipient

Re: Disparity in Hiring Facility-SMART Commitment Terms

Post by exrecipient »

USACE wrote:For USACE Cohorts and anyone else that can help:

I received the scholarship in 2010 and will be graduating in May...which, if I did the math right, is a 2 year commitment. I believe I even signed something to this effect :). Correct me if I am wrong, but the USACE has their own hiring contract that is 4 years long and refuse to abide by any SMART contracts less than 4 years. It would be great if SMART and USACE could release some direction on this issue, as I have different plans after those two years.

My question: Who would be breaching the contract here--SMART for promising me a job for only two years or the Corps for not following a contract that they signed with SMART (I can only presume)?

I plan on contacting my state representatives. Should I lawyer up as well?


Thanks.
I had heard rumors about US ACE requiring a double commitment. Absurd. I'll bet the SPO is going right along with US ACE, aren't they?

I've only seen the SMART contract, and it's pretty clear if US ACE is offering you a job, you have to accept it if it's full-time employment. If you leave prior to the 2 year commitment SMART wants, you owe them (SMART) money.

I haven't seen the contract you need to sign with US ACE. What is the penalty for leaving after 2 years (instead of 4)? Don't let them tell you you need to repay SMART, because that's not their contract. My guess is the only penalty would be they don't let you work for them in the future (or possibly disallow you from future government service).

My advice is this: visit with a lawyer, but don't take drastic action. Have the lawyer go over the contract and let you know what your rights and obligations are under this new paradigm of "1-for-2" commitments.

Then, once you have that info, prepare to notify your congressional representative. Before you do that, though, give a notification to your SMART CA that you intend to notify your representatives in two weeks if your concerns aren't addressed satisfactorily. The threat may stir the SMART program into calling you up and negotiating with you. Depending on what the result of that is, you may want to withhold notifying your reps.

If the SMART program doesn't contact you in the stated time period, fire off your documentation to your representative and let them send an inquiry into the SMART Program.

Good luck.

Guest

Re: Disparity in Hiring Facility-SMART Commitment Terms

Post by Guest »

USACE wrote:For USACE Cohorts and anyone else that can help:

I received the scholarship in 2010 and will be graduating in May...which, if I did the math right, is a 2 year commitment. I believe I even signed something to this effect :). Correct me if I am wrong, but the USACE has their own hiring contract that is 4 years long and refuse to abide by any SMART contracts less than 4 years. It would be great if SMART and USACE could release some direction on this issue, as I have different plans after those two years.

My question: Who would be breaching the contract here--SMART for promising me a job for only two years or the Corps for not following a contract that they signed with SMART (I can only presume)?

I plan on contacting my state representatives. Should I lawyer up as well?


Thanks.
I'm assuming your question is completely hypothetical since you didn't say "I was asked to sign a 4 year contract." I wouldn't worry about anything until it comes time to get hired. With you graduating in May you should have already done all the hiring paperwork though except what is required on base. You should have gotten your offer letter squared away already...sounds like you are behind if you ask me. The handbook says to take care of most of that stuff at your last internship. Oops?

tdavis4

Re: Disparity in Hiring Facility-SMART Commitment Terms

Post by tdavis4 »

Im also USACE. I take it your talking about the ACTEDS program. Apparently the USACE is under a hiring freeze and that's the only way to get hired is what we were told at orientation. However they are suppose to repeal that, and I heard whispers that they would have to let you out of the commitment since they cant hire you at the original agreement. Before paying a lawyer I would talk to Matt Armstrong who is our USACE admin. Find his email on smart website, and also talk to your HR specialist.

BTW if your a masters or PHD student you can get around ACTEDS but if just undergraduate you might have a problem. If you need any help contact me at tdavis14@gmail.com I have some emails about this I could forward you

USACE

Re: Disparity in Hiring Facility-SMART Commitment Terms

Post by USACE »

[/quote]

[/quote] You should have gotten your offer letter squared away already...sounds like you are behind if you ask me. The handbook says to take care of most of that stuff at your last internship. Oops?[/quote]


I agree with you 100% that I am behind, but 2010 was USACE's (at least operations) first year recruiting SMART participants. With that, two years has done little to move me from my internship status to being hired. I have not even received an offer letter and have been in contact with my SF since my internship ended. What can you do though.

Are you with USACE? Have you had any hiring troubles?

Thanks.

Guest

Re: Disparity in Hiring Facility-SMART Commitment Terms

Post by Guest »

USACE wrote:
[/quote] You should have gotten your offer letter squared away already...sounds like you are behind if you ask me. The handbook says to take care of most of that stuff at your last internship. Oops?[/quote]


I agree with you 100% that I am behind, but 2010 was USACE's (at least operations) first year recruiting SMART participants. With that, two years has done little to move me from my internship status to being hired. I have not even received an offer letter and have been in contact with my SF since my internship ended. What can you do though.

Are you with USACE? Have you had any hiring troubles?

Thanks.[/quote]

Yes I am and no I haven't. But, I'm a civil engineering PhD with a license and work experience. I don't have to jump through all the hiring freeze problems. I'm also already the unofficial PI on a project and so they really haven't had much of a choice in getting my stuff through smoothly. I dont know how it is for undergrads.

PennState

Re: Disparity in Hiring Facility-SMART Commitment Terms

Post by PennState »

I couldn't believe this thread. I thought I had started it sub-consciously or something because I am in the EXACT same situation with USACE. Im a 2010 cohort and have yet to be offered anything close to a ballpark figure of salary. I was told that OPM dictates the salary and they cannot offer you a salary until you graduate. The other problem I saw last year was SMART program hires not getting paid right away but expected to work at USACE until OPM figured it out. I was also informed by a fairly reliable source that USACE cannot hire anyone as of right now and they may cut the SMART folks from the program without penalty.

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