FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 3, 1999

CONTACT: Sharon J. Wells (202) 606-1800 sjwells@opm.gov

OPMS EMPLOYMENT SERVICE RECEIVES IPMA LEADING EDGE AWARD

Washington, D.C.--The Employment Service of the Office of Personnel Management has received the International Personnel Management Associations (IPMA) 1998 Federal Sections Leading Edge Award. The award ceremony took place November 17 at the IPMA Federal Section Conference.

The Leading Edge Award recognizes employees in human resource management for significant accomplishments and encourages greater achievement among all federal employees in the human resource management field.

Our agency is extremely proud of the employees that helped transform Employment Service into a customer-driven, entrepreneurial organization committed to leading federal human resources management into the 21st Century, said OPM Director Janice R. Lachance. In the process, Employment Service introduced new, collaborative processes for developing policy, major HR system improvements for use by government agencies, and new internal operating and financial systems to support the delivery of cost-effective reimbursable HR services.

The award to the Employment Service was unusual because it was won by an entire organization of more than 1,600 people, working together to achieve results. Employment Service is the unit of OPM that provides leadership and manages the merit-based employment system for the federal government.

IPMA is a professional association for public personnel professionals, primarily those who work in federal, state, or local government. The IPMA Federal Section provides leadership, advocacy and professional growth opportunities for federal personnel practitioners.

The Employment Service transformation is evidenced in their policy leadership, customer service and cost-savings, and internal culture change. What emerged is an Employment Service that is the model of reinvention, said Lachance.

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