Classification Appeals Fact Sheet The Agency Administrative Report MSO-00-03, May 2000 Our Goal Our goal at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is to issue classification appeal decisions that are-- Responsive to employee and agency concerns Fair Accurate Timely Clearly written To meet our goal, we need information from the employee and the agency. This information helps us to better understand the position being appealed. Much of the information we need is supplied by the agency in an administrative report. How important is the agency administrative report? An agency administrative report is essential to our understanding of the position being appealed. The report provides official, comprehensive information about the position and the organization where the position is located. Not having this information can hinder our ability to issue a decision that is fair, accurate, timely, and responsive to the employee and agency concerns. Therefore, we usually do not begin to process an appeal until the agency administrative report is complete, even though it may mean delaying our decision. What if an agency decides not to provide an administrative report? If an agency decides not to provide an administrative report or is unable to do so in a timely manner, we may decide the appeal based on the information we have. What happens when we accept an appeal? When we accept a classification appeal, we send two acknowledgment letters -- one to the appellant (the individual who filed the appeal) or the appellant’s representative and one to the employing agency. The letter to the employing agency-- Is our formal request asking them to submit an administrative report relating to the position being appealed; States that the report should be sent to OPM within 15 calendar days of receiving our request; Reminds the agency that a copy of all the information in the report should be provided to the appellant; and Includes a copy of our letter to the appellant. The letter to the appellant explains that-- We are requesting an administrative report from the appellant’s agency; The report is essential to the appeal process because it provides comprehensive information about the appellant’s position and the organization where the position is located; The agency will provide the appellant a copy of the report; The appellant has 15 calendar days to submit to OPM his or her response to information in the report; and The appellant should provide a copy of his or her response to the agency. The appellant also receives a copy of our letter to the agency so the appellant knows the time limit set for an agency to submit the report to OPM. What happens after we receive the agency administrative report? We inform the appellant in writing when we have received the agency administrative report. If the appellant has not received confirmation that OPM has received the report, the appellant may call his or her servicing human resources office to inquire about the report’s status. We then can begin our analysis of the appeal. We render a written decision based upon information that is provided by the appellant, contained in the agency administrative report, and/or obtained during our own fact finding. What information is in an agency administrative report? The report consists of information such as: The official position description of the position being appealed; The evaluation statement for the position being appealed; If the position is supervisory-- - The position descriptions and evaluation statements for the subordinate positions; and - If the subordinate positions include military or local national employees, a list of the equivalent General Schedule or Federal Wage System grade levels; The exact organizational location of the position; Organization charts with positions shown in detail; Mission and functional statements, if available; A current statement (not older than 90 days) signed by the appellant’s immediate supervisor or a higher level management official certifying that the official position description is complete and accurate; A copy of the appellant’s latest SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action (or the equivalent) showing-- - The position to which the appellant is permanently assigned; and - The Central Personnel Data File (CPDF) Organizational Identifier (see The Guide to Personnel Data Standards found at http://www.opm.gov/feddata/html/datastan.htm); Copies of any previously issued agency or OPM appeal or review decisions which address the classification of the position being appealed or similar positions within the agency; The agency’s response to any classification issues presented in the employee’s appeal; Any supplemental information regarding the duties and responsibilities of the position. This includes a complete analysis of any point in the appellant’s description of the work with which the agency disagrees; A copy of the official position description and evaluation statement of the appellant’s immediate supervisor; A copy of the performance standards for the position being appealed (not the performance evaluation of the appellant); and The name and telephone number of a point of contact within the agency. Where does the agency submit the administrative report? Administrative reports should be forwarded to the appropriate OPM office at the address provided. Address, Telephone Number, and Jurisdiction OPM Atlanta Oversight Division 75 Spring Street, SW., Suite 1018 Atlanta, GA 30303-3109 (404) 331-3451 Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia (except as noted under the Washington, DC Oversight Division) OPM Chicago Oversight Division 230 S. Dearborn Street, DPN 30-6 Chicago, IL 60604-1687 (312) 353-0387 Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin OPM Dallas Oversight Division 1100 Commerce Street, Room 4C22 Dallas, TX 75242-9968 (214) 767-0561 Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Wyoming OPM Philadelphia Oversight Division 600 Arch Street, Room 3400 Philadelphia, PA 19106-1596 (215) 861-3102 Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland (except as noted below under the Washington Oversight Division), Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands OPM San Francisco Oversight Division 120 Howard Street, Room 760 San Francisco, CA 94105-0001 (415) 281-7050 Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Pacific Ocean Area OPM Washington Oversight Division 1900 E Street, NW., Room 7675 Washington, DC 20415-6000 (202) 606-2990 Washington, DC In Maryland: the counties of Charles, Montgomery, and Prince George’s. In Virginia: the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, King George, Loudoun, Prince William, and Stafford; the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park; and any overseas area not included above.