Washington, D.C. 20530

February 5, 2001

MEMORANDUM FOR BUREAU PERSONNEL OFFICERS

SUBJECT:      New OPM Job Family Position Classification Standards

This provides the attached three new job family position classification standards which were recently issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Workforce Compensation and Performance Service, Classification Programs Division. The three new standards cover Administrative Work in the Human Resources Management Group, GS-0200; Assistance Work in the Human Resources Management Group, GS-0200; and Professional and Administrative Work in the Accounting and Budget Group, GS-0500.

Each of the new job family position classification standards covers work currently represented by multiple occupational series. The standards covering administrative occupations and assistant occupations in the Human Resources Management Group, GS-200, have consolidated the covered work into one series for the administrative occupations, GS-201, and one for the assistant occupations, GS-203. The series which are replaced have been cancelled.

The timeliness with which the new criteria in the standards are applied to new and existing positions is important. Previously, agencies followed the guidance on this matter given in the old Federal Personnel Manual (FPM), which specified that agencies must begin implementation of new position classification criteria within six months of the date of issuance, and complete the application within one year. However, with the demise of the FPM this time frame is no longer in effect. Rather, OPM urges agencies to apply the new criteria in a reasonable amount of time, which can be affected by conditions in an organization such as mass reorganizations and reductions in force. This effectively gives agencies responsibility for defining what is a reasonable time for implementation within their agency.

Thus, the Department considers 1 year from the date the standards were issued by OPM to be a reasonable amount of time for their implementation. After the date of issuance, new positions properly placed in the covered occupational series may be established only by reference to the new criteria. In addition, positions under appeal must be classified using the new job family standards.

The new job family position classification standards may be accessed on-line on the OPM web site at www.opm.gov/fedclass/html/whatsnew.htm. They are not currently available on the HRCD, but should be included in the next issue, which will be HRCD-8.

Questions or comments concerning this matter may be directed to Margaret Foskey, of the Personnel Staff's Policy Group, on (202) 514-6778. Ms. Foskey also may be reached via e-mail at Margaret.Foskey2@usdoj.gov.

Attachments

Administrative Work in the Human Resources Management Group,GS-0200
Assistance Work in the Human Resources Management Group, GS-0200
Professional and Administrative Work in the Accounting and Budget Group, GS-0500

cc: Melinda Morgan, HRSAG

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