The Official
Personnel Folder (Standard Form
66) is a file containing records
that cover an individual's employment
history. It covers Executive Branch
service under Title
5, United States Code. The long-term
records included in the file are
chosen to protect the legal and
financial rights of the Government
and the employee. The Official Personnel
Folder is part of the Government-wide
system of records, OPM/GOVT-1. While
a person is employed at a Federal
agency, the agency becomes the custodian
of the OPF. The OPF is ultimately
the property of the Office of Personnel
Management. The Guide to Personnel
Recordkeeping, published by the
OPM, contains the rules for creating,
maintaining, using and disposing
of the OPF.
2.What
is the Electronic Official Personnel
Folder (e-OPF)?
The e-OPF
is an electronic version of the
original OPF and a system for accessing
the electronic folder online. The
e-OPF allows each employee to have
an electronic personnel folder instead
of a paper file. Some of the features
of the system include:
Provides
immediate access to OPF forms
and information
Delivers
an e-mail notification to the
employee when a document is added
to the e-OPF
Supports
a multi-level secure environment,
with security rules for vital
information
Eliminates
loss of an employee's official
personnel files during filing
and routing
Reduces
cost associated with storage,
maintenance, and retrieval of
records
Provides
for electronic transfer of human
resources data
Integrates
and compliments agency human resource
information system capabilities
Complies
with OPM and federally mandated
HR employee record management
regulations
3. How will e-OPF be implemented?
e-OPFs will
be implemented in two successive
phases: (1) "Fast Track"
when, beginning on a specific date
and going forward, all employee
data will be recorded, stored, and
transferred electronically; and
(2) "Back-File Conversion"
when OPFs that already exist on
paper will be digitized.
4. What
is Fast Track?
In the Fast
Track phase, an agency will begin
using the standard e-OPF software
applications conforming to a standard
framework within a short time frame
with: (1) no customized interfaces;
(2) no customized data conversion;
and (3) an initial standup with
a core team called "friends
and family".
5. What
does Fast Track include?
Complete
e-OPF infrastructure (Servers,
etc...)
Deployment
to Department of Interior's
National Business Center (NBC)
as the hosting facility
Agency configuration (letters, templates)
Creation of employee folders
Filing of historical SF-50s
Establishment of employee, SF-50 interfaces
Creation of core user accounts
Standard training
Transition Support
6. What
does Fast Track not include?
Conversion Activities of any kind
SF-52 Workflow processing
Business Workflow
Non-standard interfaces
Legacy migration
Non-EHRI host site
7. What
is back-file conversion?
In the Back-File
Conversion phase, an agency will
scan/digitize/index the paper forms
in existing Official Personnel Folders
to complete the Electronic Official
Personnel Folders. (Note:Some agencies have yet to acquire the funding for the back-file conversion
process. When funds are available,
the existing paper documents will
be scanned and added to the e-OPF's).
8. What
process was used to get old documents
into the e-OPFs?
All paper
documents stored in the OPF were
inventoried, boxed, and shipped
to an off-site facility where they
underwent the "backfile"
conversion process. Backfile conversion
included scanning, indexing, and
quality assurance checks of each
document in the file.
9. Who
will input new documents into the
e-OPFs?
After initial
conversion is complete, all new
SF-50's will be electronically transmitted
from the National Finance Center
Personnel/Payroll system tothe e-OPF
system. Other documents will either
be scanned by the HR staff or sent
to a scanning facility for scanning
and inclusion in the e-OPF until
such time as all official personnel
forms will be transmitted electronically
from the NFC.
10. What
does OPM plan to do with the original
paper OPF's once they are available
online?
OPM is working
to issue official policy regarding
the paper OPFs. OPM is considering
a number of alternatives, one of
which is to retire the paper folder
to the Federal Personnel Records
Center in St. Louis, MO. Please
see your agency policy for specific
guidance.
11.How secure is my personal information
in the e-OPF system?
USDA has
taken several steps to ensure that
all employee information is protected.
First, the e-OPF can only be accessed
through an Internet browser using
Secure Socket Layer (SSL) with 128-bit
encryption. This ensures that all
of the information the e-OPF sends
over the Internet is encrypted or
'scrambled' and thus cannot be intercepted
and read. Second, access to your
e-OPF account is controlled by your
password. Do not give your password
to anyone else. Third, the e-OPF
has been programmed to limit movement
between screens to ensure that someone
cannot go directly to your documents
using a temporary URL. Fourth, system
timeouts will inactivate the system
after periods of inactivity. Even
with these protections, every employee
should protect their own data privacy
by printing and filing personal
documents and ensuring other persons
are not able to access their information.
12. Who
will have access to the e-OPFs?
HR Specialists
will have access to employees that
they service; OPM investigators
will have access when conducting
a background investigation; and
employees will be able to see their
own information. Each employee is
responsible for the consequences
of providing others access to their
e-OPF. In addition, each time a
folder is accessed by someone other
than the employee, a record is made
of who accessed it and why.
13.How can I get e-mail notification when new documents are added to my
e-OPF?
We plan to
pre-populate the e-OPF with every
USDA's government employee's email
address to notify you each time
a document, such as an SF-50 (Notification
of Personnel Action), is added to
your e-OPF account. It is your responsibility
to ensure that your correct e-mail
address is entered. You can either
use your government provided e-mail
or your personal e-mail. At the
initial e-OPF entry screen, follow
the links to input an e-mail address
of your choice.
14. What information will be included in
the e-mail notification?
The
e-mail notification sent to the
employee when a document is added
will contain only basic information
about the document, such as form
number, type of action, and effective
date.
15.
Will employees be notified when
items are removed from their e-OPF?
The
removal of documents; such as the
expiration of a Letter of Reprimand
or a Cancellation SF-50 will not
generate notifications.
16.
Will employees be notified if someone
looks at their e-OPF?
No.
E-mail notification occurs only
when a new document is added to
the e-OPF. However, a complete audit
trail is recorded each time a document
is accessed by any user.
17.
Who processes removal of documents?
HR
Specialists are the only users that
may add or delete documents from
the e-OPF. If you have a concern
about a document which should be
removed from your e-OPF (e.g., a
letter of reprimand), notify your
HR Specialist or follow the same
procedures that you have followed
in the past. All
questions regarding the content
of your e-OPF should be directed
to your servicing HR Office.
18.
What measures will be taken to ensure
that e-OPF data will not be lost?
OPM
will be hosting the e-OPF system
for the USDA and other government
agencies. There will be nightly
incremental backups of all new documents
and any related information added
on a given day. Full system-wide
backups will occur weekly. OPM will
back-up completely and store off-site
the entire data repository on a
monthly basis.
19.How will I receive training on the system?
The
e-OPF, like other web-based systems,
is very intuitive. However, an online
tutorial is available that illustrates
the basic features of the system.
HR staff will be provided training
on the use of the system.
20.
Will this system include other documents
that are not a part of the OPF?
With
the e-OPF, we will be able to create
"virtual" sides (i.e.,
left side - temporary) in which
we can store other HR documents,
such as training or performance
appraisals. No decision has been
made if other forms, outside those
required for the current paper OPF,
will be stored in the e-OPF in the
future. Access to other forms will
be based on current OPM recordkeeping
practices.
21.
What is the target date for our
agency to be fully converted to
electronic folders?
The USDA has
targeted July 2006 for completion
of Fast Track Implementation and
is funding the initiative. Implementation
will begin as an "Electronic
Day Forward" start. This means
that an e-OPF will be established
for each employee and new documents
will be electronically received
from NFC electronically filed. Employees
will be instructed in phases as
to how they may access the system.
22.
Who owns the OPF and e-OPF, the
employee or the agency?
Neither.
According to OPM's Guide to Personnel
Recordkeeping: "The Office
of Personnel Management owns the
personnel folder and its contents."
The Guide contains the Office of
Personnel Management's rules for
creating, maintaining, using, and
disposing of the Official Personnel
Folder.
23.
What is the role of the National
Archives and Records Admin. (NARA)
in the e-OPF system?
OPM is working
with NARA's Modern Records Program
group to discuss the impacts of
implementing e-OPFs federal-wide
and establish guidance on areas
such as disposal, transfer, and
migration.
24. How will employees in remote
locations, who do not have access
to PCs review their e-OPF's online?
Employees
with no access to a PC will still
be able to get copies of the documents
in their OPF. These requests will
be handled according to agency policy.
25.
What if I lose my password for accessing
my e-OPF?
There is a
"Reset my Password" button
if you forget or lose your password.
You will be asked a few questions
to verify your identity and, once
successfully verified, a new password
will be randomly generated for you.
Reset
passwords are distributed in a follow-up
e-mail or, if an e-mail address
is not available in the system,
by letter through the U.S. Mail.
26. How long after I click on the
"Reset My Password" button
until I receive anew password?
When you click on the 'Reset my Password' button, your
password is immediately changed
to a new randomly generated password.
The regenerated password will be
e-mailed to the e-mail address you
have provided within the e-OPF system
within moments. If you do not have
or do not list an e-mail address
in the e-OPF system, the new password
will be mailed to you via U.S. Mail
and you should receive your new password within 2 weeks.
27.
Does any other agency use electronic
Official Personnel Folders?
Several
agencies including the HHS, DHS,
FAA, DLA, Air Force, and the State
Department have already implemented
electronic OPF systems. All e-OPF vendors are following 36 CFR 1228.270 which discusses
transfer of permanent electronic
records. Follow
this link for more information
28. I have reviewed my folder
and it appears that the latest document
is missing. What should I do?
It's probable
that the missing document has not
yet been scanned and added to your
e-OPF file. Some
forms, like the Notification of
Personnel Action (SF-50) come directly
from the NFC and will be transmitted
directly into the e-OPF. However,
certain processes still produce
paper which will have to be manually
scanned in-house and added to your
OPF. Therefore, the conversion of
paper documents will be standard
practice for the foreseeable future.
You can contact your servicing HR
Specialist to follow-up on the document.
29.Some of my documents
that were scanned are on the wrong
side of the folder. How could this
happen? What do I do to fix that?
Documents
in the paper OPF were scanned and
placed in e-OPF according to the
Guide to Personnel Recordkeeping.
If you find a document you believe
is on the wrong side of the folder,
please contact your servicing HR
Office.
30. I am a new USDA employee, how soon can I
expect my e-OPF user ID and password?
Information regarding your user ID and password will be provided to you
during your enter-on-duty processing.It will take approximately
three (3) weeks from the time you
enter-on-duty until your account
is set-up in the e-OPF system.
31. I noticed that a document in my e-OPF is incorrect, what do I do?
Contact and
inform your local servicing HR Office
of the problem. Your servicing HR Office is responsible for ensuring that the
documents in question are corrected
if necessary. You may be asked to provide documentation to help make and/or verify the correction.
32. Is there a 'Help' feature for
e-OPF?
e-OPF has an online 'Help' function that you can reach
by clicking on the word 'Help' at the top of most pages within the web
site. The 'Help' instructions can be printed out. Some agencies may elect to
offer an alternative 'HELP' function,
please see your agency policy for
guidance.
33. I
click on a document to see it through
the Adobe Acrobat viewer, and then
click on another document and it doesn't open up. What
do I do?
Only one
document can be viewed at a time.
Close out the first document by
clicking on the 'X' in the right
corner of the Acrobat viewer and
then click on the next document you wish to see.
34. Is it mandatory to
complete the Emergency Contact information?
Employees will
be able to enter information regarding
whom to contact in an emergency
on the Emergency Contact Information
page. Entering this data is
entirely voluntary and it will be
up to the employee to maintain its
accuracy.
35.
I can view my address info. on the
Emergency Contact page, but I can't
change it. Why not?
The home address
information for each employee comes
directly from the NFC application.
If you wish to change this information,
you will need to either access NFC's
Employee Personal Page and change
your home address or submit an AD-349
(Change of Address) to your servicing
HR office.