U.S. Office of Personnel Management - Ensuring the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce

Workforce Performance Resources Newsletter Reprint

You Asked About This

Q.   Can employees who spend 100 percent of their time as employee representatives receive a rating of record?

A.   No. The regulations require that agency officials evaluate employee performance periodically against agency-assigned elements and standards. Since agencies can't assign union work, this work can't be included as elements and standards and is not subject to appraisal. As a result, employees who spend 100 percent of their time as employee representatives can't receive a rating of record. Subsequently, since a rating of record is the basis for a performance or rating-based award, these employees are not eligible for performance awards.

However, OPM provides alternatives to agencies and their employees for other actions requiring a rating of record. During a reduction in force, if an employee has not received any ratings of record during the past 4 years, agencies still can grant additional service credit based on the summary level rating most often given under the appraisal program that applies to the employee's position of record. Also, OPM waived the requirement for an acceptable level of competence determination (as evidenced by a Fully Successful or equivalent performance rating) for employees on 100 percent official time so they can receive within-grade increases.

If you have further questions on this topic, you may contact us by email, fax, or telephone.

Originally published on April 1999