Can employees who have not been identified as affected or surplus step forward and volunteer to depart?

Yes, if the department in question makes this option available.  Departments are considering various ways to reduce the impact of the required reductions on its current employees, which may include inviting employees to express their interest in volunteering to be laid-off.  It is at the discretion of management to accept an expression of interest to “volunteer”.  Accepted volunteers could then be entitled to the appropriate Workforce Adjustment (WFA) provisions whether they have received an affected status letter or not.

NEW Voluntary departure programs (6.2) - A two-prong voluntary departure program has been added to the Directive for employees who are not provided with a guarantee of a reasonable job offer. Departments and organizations must establish the program for situations involving 5 or more employees at the same group and level within a work unit. Also, the DH may establish a program for units where less than 5 employees are affected. The provision also indicates that the program must be subject to meaningful consultation through joint union-management WFA committees, must not be used to exceed reduction targets, must take place before the department or organization engages in the selection of employees for retention or lay-off (SERLO) process(es), provide for a minimum of 30 calendar days for employees to decide to participate, and allow employees to select Options 6.4.1 (b), (c)(i) or (c)(ii). Finally, when the number of volunteers is larger than the required number of positions to be eliminated, volunteers must be selected based on seniority.