OPM PROPOSES AGENCY DESIGN OF MERIT PROMOTION PROGRAMS; ADVANCEMENT, TRAINING TIED TO AGENCY NEEDS

Washington, D.C. -- In response to a rapidly changing federal workplace and President Clinton's promise to streamline government operations, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management will issue proposed regulations that would give federal managers greater latitude to promote, train or make other personnel moves that facilitate the conduct of agency business.

The proposal, which would grant agencies more flexibility to design internal staffing programs while mandating strict adherence to merit principles, complies with recommendations of the Clinton/Gore Administration's National Performance Review on delegating personnel authority to agencies.

In addition to providing greater latitude to agencies, the proposal introduces a new concept for career progression. Rather than tie employee advancement to an individual job, agencies could design advancement paths that would permit employees to move freely up to a predetermined point within an occupational family that requires similar qualifications and experience.

Under the proposal and through the design of internal merit systems, federal managers also would acquire the means to more quickly respond to unexpected or emergency program needs. For example, a manager would be able to offer, for a reasonable period of time, a temporary promotion to a qualified employee fulfilling the duties of a position that had been vacated due to downsizing. Current rules limit temporary promotions to 120 days.

"While the proposed regulations mandate strict adherence to merit principles as they relate to promotions, training opportunities and other personnel actions," said OPM Director James B. King, "agencies are encouraged to be innovative in the design of systems that suit their unique needs and promote confidence among managers and employees."

-End-

• To Website Index
• To OPM Homepage

Web page created 2 December 1997