DIRECTOR’S CORNER January 2011 Issue HR BROADCAST Marketing & Regulatory Programs Quarter 2 – FY 2018 Issue Inside this Issue: HR Info 1-3 Policy 4-6 Benefits 7 Personnel Security 8 Employee Relations 9 -12 Training 13 We hope that the HR Broadcast is meeting your needs and communicating topics of interest, but if there are items you would like to see included in future issues, please contact our HR Broadcast Layout Editor, Christina Furnkranz, at Christina.S.Furnkranz@ aphis.usda.gov Quarter 2 – FY 2018 Issue HRD is located within APHIS Marketing and Regulatory Programs Business Services (MRPBS) and is made up of four directorates: HRD Office of the Director Operations and Policy Employee and Management Services Center for Training and Organization Development Office of the Director The HRD Office of the Director provides oversight, leadership, and direction for Human Resources. The Office of the Director is made up of the Director (James Ivy, Acting), Deputy Director (Ayanna Hook), and Administrative Officer (Michelle Schmid, Acting). The Office of the Director also oversees the Systems and Reporting Branch (led by Nancy Bradford, Acting) and the Intern Support Office (led by Melissa Barbour). The Systems and Reporting Branch leads HR efforts in implementing and managing HR systems, retrieving data, and providing reports. The Intern Support Office is responsible for recruiting and managing cohorts of Pathways interns working in APHIS. Operations and Policy Directorate The HRD Operations and Policy Directorate is led by a Deputy Director (Nancy Varichak) and includes two branches: Operations and Policy. The Operations Branch (led by Cindy Hadlich and Audrey Armstrong) consists of the: Personnel Security Team (led by Steve Crescini) which is responsible for initiating background investigations for MRP employees. They are also responsible for sponsorship and adjudication for the LincPass Credentialing process and renewals under HSPD-12. Leave and Compensation Team (led by Kitty Weeden) which provides advice and guidance on compensation, tours of duty, and use of leave. Benefits Team (led by Barb Watry) which provides information, guidance, and resources on Federal employee retirement and insurance benefit programs. Five Customer Service Teams that provide classification, staffing, and payroll action processing to the various programs using HR services. We will be soon returning these teams to functional areas (classification, staffing, processing) to provide more balanced service and expertise to our customers. The Policy Branch (led by Carmen Queen-Hines) is responsible for the development of policies in support of HR operations and provides analysis of the impact of new OPM/OMB HR and USDA HR programs and policies. Hello, We are excited to share with you the FY2018 2 nd quarter HRD Broadcast. The APHIS Human Resources Division (HRD) serves as a Mission Area service provider for over 14,000 Federal employees from APHIS, AMS, FAS, and the Merit Systems Protection Board. We do this with a dedicated staff of about 200 employees stationed in Minneapolis, Riverdale, Raleigh, Ft Collins, and around the country. While many of you are probably familiar with how HR helps with hiring and posting job announcements, which is a large part of our job, HRD also does a lot of other functions that help support employees. Continue reading on next page (page 2)
Transcript
D I R E C T O R ’ S
C O R N E R
January 2011 IssueHR BROADCAST
Marketing & Regulatory Programs
Quarter 2 – FY 2018 Issue
Inside this Issue:
HR Info 1-3
Policy 4-6
Benefits 7
Personnel
Security 8
Employee
Relations 9-12
Training 13
We hope that the HR
Broadcast is meeting
your needs and
communicating topics of
interest, but if there are
items you would like to
see included in future
issues, please contact
our HR Broadcast
Layout Editor,
Christina Furnkranz, at
Christina.S.Furnkranz@
aphis.usda.gov
Quarter 2 – FY 2018 Issue
HRD is located within APHIS Marketing and Regulatory Programs Business Services (MRPBS) and is made up of four directorates:
HRD Office of the Director Operations and Policy Employee and Management Services Center for Training and Organization Development
Office of the Director
The HRD Office of the Director provides oversight, leadership, and direction for Human Resources. The Office of the Director is made up of the Director (James Ivy, Acting), Deputy Director (Ayanna Hook), and Administrative Officer (Michelle Schmid, Acting).
The Office of the Director also oversees the Systems and Reporting Branch (led by Nancy Bradford, Acting) and the Intern Support Office (led by Melissa Barbour). The Systems and Reporting Branch leads HR efforts in implementing and managing HR systems, retrieving data, and providing reports. The Intern Support Office is responsible for recruiting and managing cohorts of Pathways interns working in APHIS.
Operations and Policy Directorate
The HRD Operations and Policy Directorate is led by a Deputy Director (Nancy Varichak) and includes two branches: Operations and Policy.
The Operations Branch (led by Cindy Hadlich and Audrey Armstrong) consists of the:
Personnel Security Team (led by Steve Crescini) which is responsible for initiating background investigations for MRP employees. They are also responsible for sponsorship and adjudication for the LincPass Credentialing process and renewals under HSPD-12.
Leave and Compensation Team (led by Kitty Weeden) which provides advice and guidance on compensation, tours of duty, and use of leave.
Benefits Team (led by Barb Watry) which provides information, guidance, and resources on Federal employee retirement and insurance benefit programs.
Five Customer Service Teams that provide classification, staffing, and payroll action processing to the various programs using HR services. We will be soon returning these teams to functional areas (classification, staffing, processing) to provide more balanced service and expertise to our customers.
The Policy Branch (led by Carmen Queen-Hines) is responsible for the development of policies in support of HR operations and provides analysis of the impact of new OPM/OMB HR and USDA HR programs and policies.
Hello,
We are excited to share with you the FY2018 2nd quarter HRD Broadcast. The APHIS Human Resources Division (HRD) serves as a Mission Area service
provider for over 14,000 Federal employees from APHIS, AMS, FAS, and the Merit Systems Protection Board. We do this with a dedicated staff of about 200 employees
stationed in Minneapolis, Riverdale, Raleigh, Ft Collins, and around the country. While many of you are probably familiar with how HR helps with hiring and posting job
announcements, which is a large part of our job, HRD also does a lot of other functions that help support employees.
Continue reading on next page (page 2)
James IvyJames Ivy, Acting HR Director
Ayanna HookAyanna Hook, HRD Deputy Director
Employee and Management Services Directorate
Employee and Management Services Directorate is led by a Deputy Director (Terry Zietlow, Acting) and includes five branches:
Workplace Resolutions and Wellness Branch (led by Charlotte Jones) is responsible for assisting employees on a personal level and with issues that arise in the work environment. The branch manages the transit subsidy program, telework initiative, employee assistance program, work life wellness program, reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities, and conflict resolution.
MRP Employee and Management Relations Branch (led by Dave Root) is responsible for providing advice and counsel to supervisors and managers in identifying the best methods to correct misconduct and performance problems.
Administrative Investigations and Compliance Branch (led by Marjorie Bolden) conducts investigations and fact findings of possible misconduct involving violations of federal laws, rules, and regulations.
Employment Law and Hearings Branch’s (led by Zachary Wright) primary mission is to litigate and defend the MRP agencies before administrative judges in Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Merit System Protection Board cases.
Labor Relations Branch (led by Kirk Bateman, Acting) provides the full range of labor relations services, including contract negotiations, adjudicating grievances, coordinating arbitration, and providing employee and labor relations guidance.
Center for Training and Organization Development
The Center for Training and Organization Development (CTOD) is led by a Deputy Director (Sarah Blasko) and provides non-technical training, leadership development opportunities, and organizational development to APHIS, AMS, and FAS employees. CTOD is made up of two branches (led by Todd Sazdoff and Roxanne Baskett) and CTOD staff work on the administration of departmental training policies, executive development, supervisor training, team buildings, and coaching and mentoring.
In this quarter’s newsletter we have helpful articles from a few of these offices. And, as always, the Human Resources Division is here to support you in managing, developing, and hiring employees. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Thank you,
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Quarter 2 – FY 2018 IssuePage 2
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HR BROADCAST
USDA-APHIS Intern Career Development ProgramBy Melissa Barbour ([email protected], 301-851-2932) and
The Personnel Action Tracking System (PATS), (the current application used to submit and track requests for personnel actions [SF52s]) will be replaced in FY2018 with a web based application called eTracker. HRD will provide customer training on the use of eTracker via webinars and classroom sessions in FY18Q3. The eTracker solution allows for effective management, tracking, and workflow processing of SF52s and awards, as it is configured to meet the specific needs of MRP & FAS while being flexible enough to adjust to future changes in processes and procedures.
We look forward to providing this new technology for the management of SF52s, award documents, and data. Please watch for future announcements about eTracker, coming soon!!
If your program has any questions on eTracker, please contact Nancy Bradford at 612-336-3391, or via email at [email protected].
As many of you are aware, USDA implemented a new Telework Policy. The new USDA Telework Policy applies to all non-bargaining unit MRP employees.(Bargaining Unit employees are to follow their current bargaining agreements.)
In a nutshell, the policy:
1. Limits telework to 2 days per pay period or 1 day per work week.2. Requires employees to report to their official duty station (ODS) 4 days per workweek.3. Does not allow maxiflex employees to have a day off and a telework day in the same workweek.4. Permits additional day(s) of telework for infrequent, ad hoc situations due to weather emergencies,
national/local emergencies, and/or personal emergencies/situations. 5. States that employees with a home duty station are no longer considered teleworkers. These employees are
considered virtual employees. Their home is their ODS.
WebTA is to be coded as follows:
Days at the ODS, including virtual employees with a home ODS, use:o TC 01 Regular Base Time
Telework day(s) use:o TC 01 Reg Time – Teleworko TC 01 Reg Time – Telework – Other (use only for
ad hoc, infrequent, exigency situations)
Maxiflex tour of duty flexibilities (e.g., flexible start/stop times, gliding, core time deviations, credit hours) continue to be available to employees while working at the ODS and while teleworking. This includes maxiflex tour options such as: 8-hour days, emulated 5-4/9, emulated 4-10, and variable hour days. Employees working emulated 4-10s are not eligible for regularly scheduled telework but are eligible for unscheduled telework due to e.g., weather or other emergencies. Employees who needed/wanted to change their tour of duty were asked to complete MRP Form 346 and obtain supervisory approval for the requested tour prior to March 5, 2018. The MRP 346 is to be maintained in the secured T&A file (hardcopy or electronic) for 6 years. Alternatively, employees may use WebTA.
We are in the process of updating the MRP Human Resources Desk Guide on Telework and developing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). The FAQs will be posted as soon as they are ready.
Persons with disabilities who need program information in alternate formats (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY).
On January 4, 2018, the Department issued an updated 1010 Directive - Organizational Planning, Review, and Approval. Recently, HRD participated in meetings with Department representatives, and would like to share information that was provided, and highlight the changes between the previous and new DR-1010-001.
For the most part, DR-1010 requirements will remain the same. Department approval is still needed for:
Office closures, Management initiated reductions in staff, Transferring an office across congressional districts, and/or The realignment or reorganization of a function within a mission area.
Programs are still required to submit a narrative outlining the background and rationale to support the changes, and will usually have to submit a civil rights impact analysis and a summary of changes reflecting budget items such as annual personnel and office costs. Also, the certification from the Chief Financial Officer on internal financial controls and a labor relations statement are both required. If the proposed changes result in changes to organizational charts or functional statements, those updates are still required.
There are a couple of significant changes in the Directive. Going forward, the Office of the Secretary (OSEC) may be more involved in certain reorganizations and realignments. OSEC may inform the mission area to proceed with the reorganization work plan and request future documentation be provided to OSEC; or may inform the mission area to proceed and delegate review and approval of future documentation to the Under or Assistant Secretary; or may inform the mission area to not proceed with the proposed plan.
The other related change is the requirement of a new form AD-3109.This three-page work plan form is completed by the requesting Organization. The Electronic Correspondence Control Module (ECCM) system will be used to submit it through the MRP Under Secretary for concurrent review by the Office of Human Resources Management, Office of Budget and Program Analysis, Office of GeneralCounsel, and Office of Congressional Relations. This AD-3109 preliminary process is required before a decision is made to proceed and the process will confirm what additional documentation needs tobe prepared and submitted through ECCM. Agency programs should continue to work with their Human Resources and Financial Management Division contacts and other internal stakeholders when preparing the AD-3109 work plan.
Agencies were also reminded to reach out to their points of contact for congressional notification if a program is considering changes that may result in the realignment or relocation of employees. Because of language in the appropriations bill, congressional notification may be required. In these circumstances, the Human Resources Division is not able to effect any directed reassignment actions until a civil rights impact analysis is done and the congressional notification process is completed.
If your program has any questions on the new DR-1010-001, please contact Rick Traetow at 612-408-1349, or via email at [email protected].
We are almost halfway through fiscal year (FY) 2018 and supervisors and employees are getting ready tohold midyear reviews. The USDA Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM) requires all employeeson a performance plan as of February 20, 2018 receive a mid-year progress review by April 30, 2018. Also included in this year’s guidance is the new requirement that all performance plans must include “Exceeds Fully Successful” standards for each performance element. These standards must be in employee plans by April 30, 2018. The USDA Performance Management Directive (DR-4040-430) is currently under revision to include this new requirement. The inclusion of Exceeds Fully Successful standards is in response to the President’s Management Agenda and the Office of Management and Budget’s memorandum emphasizing the importance of effective performance management. Supervisors and employees should also revisit the October 2017 memo about performance management from Don Bice, USDA’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Departmental Management.
Mr. Bice’s memo addresses the concept that a fully successful rating is exactly what the term implies: a success. In the memo, he argues that the term “fully successful” means that an employee has met expectations and is making an important, and indeed, indispensable contribution to the Agency’s mission.
The definition of a Fully Successful rating is an employee that, partly: Displayed a level of performance which showed quality work in support of the Department, Agency, or Staff Office
mission; Effectively applied technical skills and organizational knowledge to successfully complete work products; Produced the expected quality and/or quantity of work and met deadlines or schedules for completion of work; Seized opportunities to address issues and affect change when needed; Found solutions to serious problems and championed their adoption; and Designed strategies that led to improvements.
In the upcoming midyear discussions, supervisors and employees should take some time to talk about performance plans, performance goals, and expectations. This is the opportunity to ensure that employees and their supervisor arein agreement about what is expected and how their work will be evaluated.
The MRPBS Human Resources Division offers a number of resources on writing clear performance goals, having good performance conversations, and writing performance accomplishments. The HRD Policy Branch provides guidance and support on departmental regulations, preparing performance plans and evaluating performance. The HRD Center for Training and Organization Development offers a number of courses, such as Crucial Accountability andInsideOut Grow Coaching, to help supervisors and employees have effective performance conversations.
Would you like to learn more about retirement and the opportunities that are available to you, but don’t know where to
start? The Benefits Team is here to help you!
The Benefits Team has put together three presentations on retirement and they are now available on AgLearn for you to view
at your convenience. Each presentation also includes the Power Point slides and script. The three presentations are entitled:
1. CSRS Retirement Planning, for employees who are covered under the Civil Service Retirement System,
2. FERS Retirement Planning, for employees who are going to be retiring under the Federal Employee Retirement System,
and
3. Insurance Information for Retirement, which outlines how your insurance (health, life, dental, etc.) will work in
retirement and what your choices are when heading into retirement. This information is for employees under both
retirement systems.
The courses can be found on Aglearn by searching the Aglearncatalog.
Should you have any questions regarding your benefits eitherbefore or after you watch the videos, please contact yourBenefits Specialist and he/she will be happy to assist you.
A listing of the Benefits Specialists and program assignments can be found here: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/mrpbs/contact_us/downloads/benefits.pdf.
Retirement may seem far off or maybe it’s right around the corner, but have you ever thought or dreamed of what
retirement will be like for you? Everyone wants that cushy retirement, but it doesn’t just magically happen. We need to be
active designers of our future. You may be asking yourself how do I do this or how hard will this be? I’ll tell you how and it’s
pretty easy.
For some, 5% or even 3% may seem like too much due to financial circumstances. Keep in mind that if you increase your TSP
contributions by 1% each year with pay period 01, you won’t even notice a decrease in your paycheck because you are also
receiving the annual pay adjustment at that time, too. You can do the same thing when you receive a promotion or a step
increase. Before you know it, you’ll have far surpassed 5% and your retirement dream may start to become more of a reality.
With this small change, a little goes a long way, and your future self will thank you!
TSP: SMALL CHANGE BIG IMPACTBy Kristi Carrier ([email protected], 612-336-3313)
Most of us are FERS employees and our retirements are going to be more heavily
dependent upon our TSP contributions than CSRS employees. New employees are
automatically enrolled in TSP at a rate of 3% of their salary. However, in the past,
new employees were not automatically enrolled in TSP and have never changed
this. Yes, you are still getting the Agency Automatic 1%; however, you are missing
out on your own contributions AND Government matching. Contributing just 5% of
your salary towards TSP allows the Government to match your 5% which gets you a
10% total contribution. This is free money, folks!
In March 2017, the Personnel Security Staff (PSS) posted an article in the HR Broadcast on the expected surge of 10-Year LincPass Renewals and how Personnel Security planned to meet the enormous requirement. I wanted to share an update of our efforts thus far and remind all programemployees affected by the renewal of Personnel Security’s plan to meet the remainder of the FY18 surge. At the end of January 2018, Personnel Security assistants have completed over 1,200 of the expected 4,200 10-Year Renewals, which puts us on pace for meeting the FY18 surge requirements. We are still looking at approximately 3,000 10-Year Renewals to complete and the Personnel Security assistants (Kathleen Barge, Susan Burnette, Bruce Kauk, and Mone’t Morning) have been working diligently to process the renewals steadily.
PSS will continue to partner with the Systems and Reporting Branch (SRB) and the Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 12 Program Management Office (PMO) to meet the remaining renewals. Due to the limited staff in Personnel Security and large amount of remaining renewals, employees’ renewals will be processed a quarter in advance. Our PSS Agency Sponsors will complete the necessary steps for each applicant before he/she can begin the re-enrollment. Once completed, the employee will receive an email from HSPD-12 Admin. It is important that the employee respond to this email immediately to make the appropriate appointment at the credentialing station. The employee must not delete this email or delays will occur in getting the new card. PSS feels this process has been beneficial in its first quarter renewals of FY18 and will continue to follow this process for the remainder of the fiscal year.
PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT PERSONNEL SECURITY IF YOUR CARD IS SCHEDULED FOR RE-ENROLLMENT OR RENEWAL OVER 90 DAYS OUT (YOU CAN LOOK AT YOUR CARD TO SEE THE DATE). YOU WILL BE CONTACTED ONCE YOU ARE SPONSORED BY YOUR PROGRAM SERVICE PROVIDER!
Below is a link to the PSS Service Providers:https://www.aphis.usda.gov/mrpbs/contact_us/downloads/PSS_Program_Assignments.pdf
Discussing Conduct and Performance ProblemsBy Dave Root ([email protected], 301-851-2610)
Continue reading on next page (page 10)
You have documented your employee’s conduct and performancedeficiencies, following the guidance provided in the November 2017 HR Broadcast, and now the big question: WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH ALL THIS “STUFF”? You can just keep accumulating it, of course, on the premisethat more always has to be better or you can ignore it (always a favorite). The correct answer, however, is that in most cases you need to sit down with the employee and discuss the deficiencies that you have documented. This is the second step in the process that we began looking at in the November Broadcast. We know what some of you are saying – I liked the other alternatives better. So do most of us, but unfortunately, the otheralternatives, although initially appealing, do not solve anything. Therefore, unless the conduct is very serious or criminal in nature (e.g., bribery, solicitation and acceptance of things of value, unauthorized removal of Government property, sexual misconduct, or workplace violence), you should have that discussion as soon as possible. If your employees are covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement that requires such discussions,you will need to have the discussion to comply with the terms of the Agreement. Contact your servicing Labor Relations Specialist for assistance.
So then, here you are, ready for the discussion. Your heart is racing, your hands are clammy, you are hyperventilating, and you feel like your head is going to explode. Okay, perhaps you’re not quite ready. So take a deep breath, and read on. First of all, you will probably never be totally relaxed in such situations. Most likely, neither will the employee. One of the most important things you can do to increase both your comfort level and the effectiveness of the discussion is to be prepared – to have a plan/framework for the discussion. The plan is your road map for where you want the conversation to begin, go, and end. Without it, the conversation may very well go somewhere that you do not want it to go, and end in a result you do not want. The following is a model that you may find useful.
DISCUSSION MODEL
1. IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM/ISSUE
When it is time to meet with the employee, your first task will be to clearly identify the problem or issue that needs to be resolved. The more that an employee understands about a problem, the more likely a solution will be found. It is difficult tosolve a problem if it is not clearly understood by the parties, or if the parties have different understandings. To increase your effectiveness, remember to mention the positives (e.g., overall good performance), set ground rules, use clear/plain language, avoid “red flag” words/phrases (words/phrases that make people defensive), be specific, and, as necessary, repeat key points.
2. ASK FOR AND LISTEN TO THE EMPLOYEE’S EXPLANATION
Communication as a problem-solving tool is effective only if it is two-way. Giving an employee the opportunity to respond gives him/her a chance to vent feelings and frustrations, acknowledge that his/her thoughts are important and being heard, and provides you information that you may not have previously had. It might also make the employee more willing to listen to what you have to say, without interruption. Remember, however, that even though you are now the listener, you need to stay involved in the conversation. You can do this by remaining alert, asking occasional clarifying questions, maintaining good eye contact (look at the employee, not at your shoes or the ceiling), paraphrasing and giving feedback, listening for meaning, and, if necessary, redirecting the conversation back to the topic. Oh yeah, and don’t forget to stay calm if possible and don’t, under any circumstances, respond to anger with anger.
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3. ASK FOR THE EMPLOYEE’S SOLUTIONS
If you can get the employee to acknowledge that there is a problem, you are halfway to a solution, since now the question is not whether or not a problem exists, but only how to fix it. If the employee identifies a solution that is acceptable to you, it is more likely that the solution will work because the employee had a part in identifying it.
4. DECIDE ON CORRECTIVE ACTIONS
This can be done either verbally or in writing. Putting corrective actions in writing may help the parties recall what they agreed to do, and can serve as a road map for the future. If you and the employee cannot agree on an action plan, you need to tell the employee what actions he/she is expected to take, and the possible consequences if the problem is not corrected.
5. DOCUMENT THE DISCUSSION
Documentation should include (1) what the employee was told, (2) how the employee responded, and (3) what corrective actions were identified. The employee should be asked to review/sign the summary, acknowledging its receipt. If he/she refuses to do so, simply note this fact on your copy of the documentation, indicating when and where delivery was made.In future issues of the Bulletin, we will look at some other things that you can do, and should avoid doing, to maximize the effectiveness of the Discussion Model. If you have had discussions with an employee regarding conduct or performance issues, we would like to hear about your successes and failures.
COMMON DOCUMENTING ERRORS
In the November 2017 Broadcast, we talked about when, why, and how we document conduct and performance problems. As noted, this is the first step in a process that supervisors need to understand in order to deal effectively with conduct and performance problems. Without good documentation, the second and third steps of discussing and correcting the problems, will not be as effective. The following are a few common documenting errors:
1) THE WRONG STUFF. If you don’t want certain thoughts or information to be part of the official case record, don’t include them in your documentation. This has become a more common problem today with the advent of email, since there is a tendency to just run messages together without concern about how they enhance or diminish the quality of the documentation. Also, your personal thoughts regarding the employee should not be included. They don’t add anything to the story (who, what, when, where, why, and how), and they may give the employee something to cite in an appeal, grievance, or complaint.
2) ANYONE HAVE A MAP? Remember as a child when your parents had to put your new toy together from the semi-incomprehensible instructions that were included in the box and then, after hours of frustration, finally had old Uncle Harry, who had a knack for those kinds of things, put the silly thing together? Some of you probably got a second chance at this kind of entertainment when you became parents. Well, the documentation we receive sometimes looks like that unassembled toy to us. It is sometimes difficult to tell what connects to what. Often, there are no instructions enclosed, and sometimes we don’t have an Uncle Harry to come to our rescue. Make certain that the documentation that you provide is organized in such a way that the reader can identify how each document relates to a particular conduct or performance issue. This can be done either by placing similar documents together; or, if you have organized your documents sequentially by date, by providing a separate outline of the problems documented and how each document relates to a particular problem. If you have a lot of documents, they should be tabbed for easy identification.
Continue reading on next page (page 11)
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COMMON DOCUMENTING ERRORS (cont.)
3) HUH? Every Program has its special terminology and jargon that makes perfect sense to everyone in the field, but not much sense to anyone else. Often, the problem is that much of what is compiled as documentation is written to or among employees in a particular work area, where the shorthand terminology makes sense. One of the most effective things that you can do as a compiler of documentation is to stand in the reader’s shoes and ask yourself, “Would the reader, without a background in this field, understand what this means?” If the answer is likely “no”, you will perhaps need to include a list of terms, or otherwise clarify the material.
4) COULDN’T READ THIS STUFF IF MY LIFE DEPENDED ON IT. Those who believe that hieroglyphics is a dead language haven’t read some of the documentation we have received! If your writing looks like the stuff in King Tut’s Tomb, consider typing or printing as an option. Documentation that can’t be read is useless, and making it readable sometimes takes considerable time.
5) AUTHOR! AUTHOR! (DATE! DATE!). One way to really annoy the employee relations specialist who is working on your case (and who wants to do that?) is to submit unsigned and undated documents. Both are critical to the defense of a case, should it be necessary. Any document that you prepare (as opposed to general, pre-prepared records), or any document prepared by one of your employees, should be signed and dated. It would also be helpful if you would either print or type your name on the document in the event your signature cannot be read.
Continued from page 10
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Dave recently found himself a bit short of cash. Unfortunately, he had bills to pay and the phone company was threatening to cut off his service. He decided to take a little “low interest loan” by making an ATM withdrawal using his Government travel credit card. He figured that it wouldn’t be a problem since he would be able to pay the bill with his next check, which he did. A short time later, he was surprised to receive a letter from his agency, asking him to explain theATM transaction. The letter noted that Government travel cards cannot be used for personal transactions – that they can only be used for certain costs associated with approved Government travel. Dave wrote back, explaining about his bills and his problems with the phone company. He further claimed that he was not aware of the prohibitions regarding the use of the Government credit card. Dave was subsequently suspended from duty for his actions.
In recent months, several employees have gotten into serious trouble because they have used their Government-issued (VISA) travel credit card for unofficial purposes unrelated to Government travel. Employees need to understand what types of purchases can (and cannot) be made using this card. They also need to understand their payment obligations. Employees who receive the card have two primary obligations. First, they are expected to use the card only for reimbursable expenses related to their official travel. Appropriate travel expenses include (but are not limited to) common carrier tickets, lodging, meals, ATM machine withdrawals, the payment of automobile rental, and gasoline. The card is not to be used to pay personal bills, membership fees, or any other personal purchase. Secondly, employees are expected to pay their bills by the due date printed on their credit card bill. Failure to do so constitutes failure to pay one’s just debts in a timely manner, andmay constitute grounds for disciplinary action [see 5 CFR, Part 2635. Section 101(b)(12)].
(NOTE: Employees are expected to submit their travel vouchers within 5 work days of their return from travel. If on extensive, continuous travel, they are to submit their vouchers every 30 days.)
Dave’s claim that he was unaware of the restrictions on using the credit card won’t fly very far. Prior to receiving their cards, which are issued by US Bank, employees complete an application form. Attached to the form is a document entitled, “AGREEMENT BETWEEN AGENCY/ORGANIZATION EMPLOYEE AND U.S. BANK….” The Disclaimer on this document reads as follows:
USE OF GOVERNMENT CARD“You agree to use the Card only for official travel and official travel-related expenses away from your official station/duty station in accordance with your Agency/Organization policy. You agree not to use the Card for personal, family or household purposes. Charging privileges on the Card are provided by US BANK pursuant to the GSA Contract and the Task Order of your Agency/Organization. No other person is permitted to use the Card issued to you for Charges or for any other reason.”
In addition, the cards are all clearly marked as follows:“For Official Government Travel Only.” Finally, 5 CFR, Part 2635, Subpart G, specifies that Government credit cards (both travel and purchase) are to be used for official business expenses only. Let your employees know that misuse of a Government travel credit card, or failure to promptly pay an outstanding balance, can result in serious disciplinary action.
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CTOD Welcomes Our New Customers!By HRD - CTOD Management Team
The Center for Training and Organization Development (CTOD) is happy to introduce former GIPSA and FSA
employees to the range of training and development opportunities now available to you. The Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Center for Training and Organization Development (CTOD), is the training unit
within the Department of Agriculture that provides the AMS workforce with non-technical employee
development, training, information, and services.
CTOD offers non-technical, competency-based development, training, and learning experiences that promote
the professional growth of its customers through varied learning methods and an array of resources. The
administration of training policies; design, development, and delivery of training courses; team building; and
assessment services are available to all AMS employees. Methods used to implement these offerings include
classroom training, webinars, self-paced learning, AgLearn, and virtual learning experiences.
CTOD’s non-technical training offerings are listed on its training calendar not only by title, but also by specific
competencies, and broader learning categories. This allows employees to have access to learning whether they
are at HDQ or out in the field at a remote location. You can find the calendar, as well as additional information
about CTOD’s services on the CTOD SharePoint Site: https://ems-team.usda.gov/sites/aphis-svc-
ctod/SitePages/Home.aspx. You can register through
