Career Mobility Program
Human Resources Management Manual, CDC
Chapter
3353-3, Transmittal Notice 96.1, 2/16/96
CIO CONTACT: Office of Program Support, Human
Resources Management Office, Policy and Executive Management Staff
MATERIAL SUPERSEDED: Chapter 351-1, RIF Avoidance Employee Referral Program,
dated 8/31/95
I. PURPOSE
This chapter establishes policy and procedures and assigns responsibility for the formation and implementation of the CDC* Career Mobility Program (CMP).
II. INTRODUCTION
The CDC Career Mobility Program (CMP) is based on the concepts and principals contained in the Government-wide program known as "Upward Mobility." While the Upward Mobility Program focused on providing initial qualifications for employees who were "dead ended" in lower level positions, the CMP addresses the issue of actual placement of employees in positions at the full performance level.
The CMP is designed to help underutilized, high-potential employees transition into careers more suitable to their talents, abilities, and interests. CMP participants will be afforded an opportunity to "break out" of old career patterns or break through the proverbial "glass ceilings" that once inhibited the full realization of career potential. Although lower graded employees remain a target group, the CMP is designed to permit employees at any grade to participate--where downsizing, new technology, or changes in the organization's mission may limit career potential.
CMP participants who enter the program through change to lower grade and whose current salary exceeds the new grade range will be placed on pay retention**. The success of the CMP depends on a number of key considerations, including appropriate position management, sound position design, on-the-job training and structured course work, and ongoing career counseling and mentoring.
III. REFERENCES
A.5 USC 4101: The Federal Restructuring Act of 1994 - training may be authorized for any purpose that is "mission-related".
B.5 USC 4107; 5 CFR 410.511: Legal restrictions on training for advancement or degrees.
C.5 CFR 536.104: Entitlement to pay retention.
IV. REQUIREMENTS
A.Program Design: The CMP is the result of the combined efforts of managers, supervisors, union officials, employee development specialists, the Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Council (EEOAC), and Human Resources Management Office (HRMO) representatives and is fully supported by CDC's executive leadership and Executive Partnership Council (EPC). CMP target positions will be identified by CIO Directors, managers, and supervisors, with input from employees, union officials, and HRMO generalists. The target position will be identified on the CMP vacancy announcement and will be filled upon completion of the training period.
B.Program Coverage: CMP positions may be in the General Schedule or in the Federal Wage System. Coverage will be limited to non-supervisory positions and positions without degree requirements, such as a law degree for an attorney, a medical degree for a physician, or an engineering degree for an engineer. Also excluded from the CMP are positions that are essentially "one of a kind" within an organization. These are positions without a ready "back up" or training mentor ( e.g., the only Technical Writer-Editor position in an organization).
C.Filling Vacancies: Vacancies will be announced and filled in accordance with CDC's Merit Promotion policy. CMP rating panels will consist of at least three subject matter experts, a union representative, and an Office of Equal Employment Opportunity (OEEO) representative. If the union representative and the OEEO representative are subject matter experts, they may serve as rating members of the CMP rating panel; otherwise, these representatives will serve as observers.
Eligible applicants will be evaluated by the CMP rating panel on the basis of demonstrated potential to successfully perform the functions of the target position. The CMP rating criteria used to measure a candidate's potential for successful job performance will be based on a job analysis and the required knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs).
D.Entry Positions: The CMP announcement will identify the entry level for each position. Normally, the entry point will be at the GS-5 level. However, there may be instances where the GS-7 entry level can be justified for applicants qualified at the higher grade.
The CMP rating panel members (see Section IV.H.) may recommend to the HRMO panel representative the modification of entry level qualification requirements in situations in which an individual candidate does not meet the basic qualification requirements but demonstrates the potential for successful job performance.
E.Developmental Positions: The CMP is an employee development program. Developmental positions are designed to prepare the individual for the full performance or target level assignment. Developmental positions are established at intermediate grade levels within a career ladder (career progression). In the case of positions with a two-grade level progression (e.g., Personnel Management Specialist, Budget Analyst), a program participant would be promoted from a GS-5 to a GS-7, a GS-7 to a GS-9, and finally from the GS-9 to the full performance GS-11 level. In instances where the position has a one-grade level progression, the promotions would be from a GS-5 to a GS-6, and so on until the target grade level is met. Program participants work under a formal Individual Development Plan (IDP) intended to fully qualify the employee for the target position.
F.Target Positions: CMP participants who complete all program training requirements will be moved from a developmental position by either reassignment or promotion to the target position. CMP target positions are established at the full performance level of the occupation's career ladder. For positions that are not part of a formally established career ladder, the target position will be established at the full performance level for the specific position (i.e., at the level of known promotion potential). The target position will be clearly identified on the CMP vacancy announcement.
G.Eligibility: CMP eligibles include: (1) CDC employees who are currently serving on career or career-conditional appointments, (2) CDC employees serving on Veterans Readjustment Authority (VRA) appointments, and (3) CDC employees who are serving in excepted positions under the Schedule A appointing authority for persons with disabilities.
H.Modification of USOPM Qualification Standards: As a general rule, applicants must meet qualification requirements for the CMP developmental assignment. These qualification requirements are specified in the USOPM Qualifications Handbook. However, USOPM qualification requirements may be modified under certain circumstances. For example, if fewer than five applicants meet the USOPMqualification requirements, the CMP rating panel may recommend (if deemed appropriate by the panel's HRMO representative) the modification of the position's qualification requirements to enable specific reassignment and voluntary change to lower grade candidates to be considered for a particular position. This modified qualification process is not intended to be used "automatically" and may not be used for the immediate promotion of candidates.
The CMP rating panel may recommend, with HRMO approval, modification of qualification requirements if an employee's training and experience provide the KSAs necessary for successful job performance. The possibility that qualification requirements may be modified must be included on the CMP vacancy announcement. Qualification requirements for entry level positions may not be modified for immediate promotion. However, modification of qualification requirements may occur when a candidate is being considered through reassignment or change to lower grade for a position with greater promotion potential.
I.Exemption From Priority Placement: Positions announced under the CMP are exempt from priority and mandatory placement programs such as the agency's repromotion program or Priority Placement Program. This exemption is based on the fact that the CMP is a formal employee development program.
J.Career Mobility Program Training: Each CMP participant must sign a Career Mobility Training Agreement that will outline the formal and informal training experiences the program participant will undertake to acquire the necessary KSAs for successful job performance in the target position. Also, within 30 days after assignment to the program, an IDP must be developed by the supervisor based on input from the employee and job specific performance criteria. A copy of the IDP will be provided to the employee, HRMO generalist, and CMP Coordinator.
The CMP training period may extend from a minimum of 6 months to a maximum of 48 months. Under special circumstances, such as a waiver of minimum qualifications, the period may be extended beyond 48 months. Training under this agreement may not involve formal training alone and may not include a requirement for completion of a specific number of semester, quarter, or classroom hours (unless such requirement is part of the USOPM qualification standard) or attainment of a certain grade point average. At least 50 percent of the training period must consist of on-the-job training. The IDP training assignments may include activities such as special assignments or projects that provide specific work opportunities, shadow assignments or part-time work with senior personnel, or self-development through reading material related to the career field or independent course work.
K.Non-completion of CMP Training: CMP participants who do not meet the training or performance requirements of the training program may be returned to their former positions or to other similar duties at their current grade level if such a position is available. If such a position is not available, the employee may be assigned to another position at the same grade level. The employee may volunteer for reassignment at a lower grade level or, where appropriate, the employee may be changed to a lower grade under adverse action procedures with appropriate appeal rights.
L.Program Oversight and Reporting: The CMP Coordinator is responsible for program oversight. Designated by the HRMO Director, the Coordinator ensures that the CMP is fully integrated into CDC's staffing and internal placement program. Specifically, the CMP Coordinator:
--develops and updates program requirements.
--evaluates CIO participation and provides feedback at least annually to the CDC Director, CIO Directors, Executive Partnership Council, HRMO Director, and HRMO generalists.
--monitors the CMP selection process and advises, assists, and trains CIO Directors, managers, supervisors, employees, and HRMO generalists in meeting program objectives.
--monitors the timely completion of all requirements for program participants in accordance with the associated HRMO Quality Operating Procedure.•330
--reviews the progress of CMP participants through the completion of each phase of their training.
--works with HRMO generalists, supervisors, and managers to identify CMP positions and to establish future program goals.
*References to CDC also apply to ATSDR.