Employee Organizations and Associations
REFERENCE POINT: Office of Program Support,
Management Analysis and Services Office, Management Analysis Branch
MATERIAL SUPERSEDED: Manual Guide Printing Management, No. CDC-8, Printing
and Delivery of Materials for Employee Associations and Similar Groups,
dated 6/8/89
Manual Guide, General Administration CDC 79, 1/25/96
I. PURPOSE AND SCOPE
This policy issuance provides guidelines for the establishment, official recognition, and operating parameters of CDC employee organizations. The guidelines include provisions for employee organizations' use of Government facilities, resources, and services. This policy applies to officially recognized employee organizations, associations, cooperatives, and similar groups (hereafter referred to as "employee organizations") whose primary purpose is to serve the welfare and recreation needs of employees or to provide services to employees.
This policy does not apply to temporary or ad-hoc employee organizations, professional societies, credit unions, labor unions, or informal groups (e.g., flower funds, sunshine funds).
Any organization that has a long-term purpose or has been in existence for more than 6 months must apply for official recognition under these policy guidelines. Employee organizations which have not been officially recognized generally may not use Federal resources. However, Departmental guidance provides that occasional use is permissible when not adverse to HHS's mission.
II. AUTHORITY
HHS General Administration Manual Section 25-10-40 requires that agencies ensure that employee associations are organized and operated in the best interests of the members and in a manner which safeguards the reputation of the agency as a responsible employer. Employee organizations serve many beneficial purposes, both for the employees and for the agency. Accordingly, CDC encourages cooperative activities by employees.
HHS General Administration Manual, Chapter 13-20, Use of Department Facilities for Nonofficial Purposes, provides that the "occasional use" of Federally occupied buildings, conference rooms, classrooms, auditoriums, or similar facilities is of minimal interference with the conduct of Government business, must not be adverse to HHS's mission, and is consistent with the public interest. Occasional use is defined as temporary use, 48 hours or less, on a one-time or intermittent basis.
III. POLICY
CDC strives to provide an environment in which the needs of its employees and beneficial activities of its employee organizations are achieved. CDC benefits from certain nonofficial activities which promote the morale and welfare of employees and, therefore, encourages cooperative activities by employees.
At the same time, employee organizations must operate in the best interests of their members and in a manner which consistently safeguards the reputation of CDC as a responsible employer. CDC management officials, in their relations with employee organizations, will seek to administer these guidelines in a spirit of constructive interest in employee affairs and with the intent of facilitating the establishment and operation of worthwhile employee organizations and cooperative activities.
Membership in CDC employee organizations shall be open to employees without regard to age, gender, race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. No employee organization which practices discrimination based on these factors shall be allowed to use the name, sponsorship, or facilities of CDC.
IV. PROCEDURES
A. Official Recognition of a CDC Employee Organization
An employee group seeking official recognition must submit its request in a memorandum to the Director, Management Analysis and Services Office (MASO), Executive Park, Building 22, Mailstop E11. MASO will forward the request to the Director, Office of Program Support (OPS).
Information Required:
• The name of the employee organization
• CDC sponsoring organization
• Name of requester
• Date organization formed
• Anticipated duration of the employee organization
• Charter, constitution, by-laws, or statement of purpose
• List of board of directors, officers, or other governing body
• Any financial statements
An evaluation of the request will be made by OPS. MASO will provide written notification of the OPS decision to the employee organization and the sponsor.
Evaluation Criteria for Employee Organizations
CDC must ensure that employee organizations are organized and operated in the best interests of their members and in a manner which consistently safeguards CDC's public relations and its reputation as a responsible employer. The employee organization's statement of purpose must be compatible with the mission of CDC and the Department.
In the judgment of reviewing officials of MASO and OPS, the employee organization's statement of purpose must reflect the willingness and intent to adhere to the principles of conduct set forth in the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch.
The statement of purpose must provide that officers and members of employee organizations shall not conduct activities that are in conflict with official Government duties and responsibilities. The statement must also reflect that the employee organization shall endeavor to avoid any actions that may create the appearance of violations of the law or ethical standards.
B. Currently Recognized Employee Organizations
The officially recognized employee organizations now in existence are identified in the Exhibit attached. These organizations are not required to reapply for official recognition.
C. Sponsoring Organization Responsibilities and Role
The sponsoring organization is responsible for ensuring that the operations and activities of their employee organization are conducted in accord with official Government duties and responsibilities and do not conflict with CDC's mission or cause embarrassment for CDC or the Federal Government.
The sponsor serves as a liaison and a screening/approval mechanism between the employee organization and providers of various CDC services. The sponsoring organization must assure that use of Government resources provided to employee organizations is kept within reasonable limits and does not interfere with the conduct of official business.
The sponsor receives and reviews a Request for Printing Services (Form CDC 0.103A, available from the PGO Warehouse) from the employee organization and, if approved, forwards it to the Publications Planning and Procurement Section, MASO.
V. Use of CDC Services, Equipment, and Resources
Use of Government services, resources, and equipment includes, but is not limited to, IRM resources, computers, peripheral equipment, telephones, voice mail, electronic mail, ENVISION, facsimile equipment, duplicating machines, and publication services. The use of ENVISION or other telecommunications services by employee organizations may be scheduled through the local ENVISION facilitator or IRMO contact person, as appropriate.
A. Printing Services
An employee organization needing publication services will submit a Request for Printing Services (Form CDC 0.103A, available from the PGO Warehouse) to the sponsoring organization. If approved, the sponsoring organization will forward the form to the Publications Planning and Procurement Section, MASO. Publication services, including layout, design, duplication, binding, etc., may be provided to employee organizations only to the extent that there will be no significant costs or delays incurred in furnishing required, official services to CDC programs. CDC employee organization material for publication must be in good taste.
If reimbursement is required, the employee organization will be billed directly in advance for the actual costs of the service to be provided. In such cases, the employee organization will be notified that reimbursement will be required before any work on the request is actually performed.
B. Use of CDC Facilities
The use of CDC facilities by employee organizations will generally be during the lunch period or before and after the official hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Exceptions to this policy may be made if official use of facilities is not adversely affected.
Any scheduled use of facilities may be preempted if the facility is needed for an official purpose. In such a case, the employee organization should be provided advance notice via E-Mail as soon as it is determined by the scheduling organization that preemption isnecessary. In all cases, the employee organization should be provided a minimum of 24-hours advance notice. However, such notice may not be possible if an unavoidable emergency situation arises.
In those rare instances where the costs incurred by CDC are over and above regular operating expenses for the use of facilities (such as preparation of the room, operation of visual-aid equipment, utilities, maintenance, security protection), the costs will be charged to the employee organization. In consideration of any benefits which may accrue to CDC and the community from such occasional use of Government space, the costs may be waived.
Requesting Space
An employee organization desiring to use CDC facilities will need to contact PHPPO or the respective CIO administrative office to make arrangements for the use of the desired space. For space managed by PHPPO, a Meeting Room Reservation and Service Request (Form CDC 0.389, available from the PGO Warehouse) must also be submitted by the employee organization.
If the employee organization anticipates the presence of guests at a meeting or event which takes place at a CDC facility, the employee organization will request visitor passes from the Physical Security Activity (or administrative office for facilities outside metropolitan Atlanta).
C. Use of Official Time
Use of official time during normal duty hours for conducting employee organization business must not interfere with the performance of the employee's regular duties. According to HHS General Administration Manual Chapter 25-10, management officials may authorize the use of official time by officers and members of the governing bodies of employee organizations for conducting business if the use of official time does not interfere with performance of the employee's regular duties and is confined to matters which cannot reasonably be taken care of outside official hours.
MANUAL GUIDE EXHIBIT
GENERAL ADMINISTRATION CDC-79
CDC/ATSDR EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS AND SPONSORS
| Association Sponsor | Sponsor |
| Association of Latino Employees at CDC/ATSDR (ALECA) (formerly IMAGE) | Office of Equal Employment Opportunity (OEEO) |
| Association for Professional Women | Office of Program Support (OPS) |
| Association of Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual Employees (CDC/ATSDR GLOBE) | OPS |
| Blacks in Government | OEEO |
| CDC Asian-Pacific American Task Force | OPS |
| Commissioned Officers Association | Human Resources Management Office |
| Communicators Roundtable | Office of Public Affairs |
| National Association of Retired Federal Employees, CDC Chapter 1419 | OPS |
| SHARE | OPS |
| Sigma Xi | National Center for Infectious Diseases |
| Unicoi Alumni Association | OPS |
| Watsonian Society | OPS |