U. S. CUSTOMS SERVICE, PD SIMPLIFICATION - IDENTIFYING THE ISSUES and DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS, 1995 to Present

POSITION DESCRIPTION REDUCTION PROJECT (1996)

• 5400 PDs FOR 19,500 EMPLOYEES
• AC'S GOAL: 1 PD PER TITLE/SERIES/GRADE

OBJECTIVES:

• Automate PDs & decentralize personnel processing
• Automate & speed-up staffing process
• Assist decision-making without weakening legal requirement of fairness & equity
• Improve posture in 3rd party hearings by clear differences between grades
• Improve HRM customer service to field

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A PD?

• Helps supervisors manage employees
• Outlines employee's responsibilities
• To set pay & ensure = pay for = work
• Helps identify staffing needs
• Helps identify training needs & eligibility
• Helps measure performance
• Used to determine bargaining unit status
• Helps justify awards & disciplinary actions
• Helps resolve grievances
• A legal requirement (5 U.S.C. Chap 51)

WHO USES PDs?

• Managers
• Supervisors
• Employees
• Admin support
• Payroll
• Budget
• Training
• Medical/Safety
• EEOO
• Internal Affairs
• HRM Classification
• HRM Staffing
• HRM Employee Relations
• HRM Labor Relations
• HRM Benefits
• HRM Processing

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT PD? (1995)

• Secretary: GS-5, 37pd's; GS-6, 47pd's; GS-7, 81pd's
• Customs Inspector: GS-5, 59pd's; GS-7, 60pd's; GS-9, 51pd's
• Customs Aid: GS-5, 88pd's
• K9 Officer: GS-9, 8pd's
• Criminal Investigator: GS-12, 17pd's; GS-13, 18pd's
• Import Specialist: GS-11, 7pd's; GS-12, 21pd's

WHAT YOU SAW IN USCS' SYSTEM (1995)

Graphic of 7 largely illegible printout pages from automated system cascaded with notation to the side, 7 pages & 65 GS-1889 PDs; ANOTHER EX: 21 pages & 201 GS-318 PDs (too big to show)

WHAT YOU SHOULD SEE

Graphic of one printout page from an automated system with notation to the side, 1 PD per TITLE/SERIES/&/or GRADE

HOW TO SIMPLIFY PDs?

• Can it be shorter?
• Make it readable
• Make it accurate
• Make it simple
• List only major duties
• Avoid minor duties
• Levels of work assigned should match pd
• Don't be overly specific
• Are there "magic words?"
• Is there a benchmark pd?
• Can you use fill-in-the-blanks?
• Checklist pd's?

MORE THOUGHTS ON HOW TO SIMPLIFY PDs

• Can you describe just FPL, not lower grades?
• Use FES format?
• Primary standard?
• Avoid excessively legalistic terminology
• Build key concepts/grade criteria in pd
• Develop local-use only amendments/memos
• Automated pd's?
• Simplify OF-8 coding or use automation system instead of pd
• PD should support staffing efforts
• Reorient supv away from always having "unique" situation
• Broadbanding?

STILL MORE ON THE PD PROCESS

• Use Pen & Ink change procedures
• Develop agency grading guides
• Make it PATCO-compatible
• Tie-in to performance standards
• Use boilerplate terminology
• Develop templates
• Develop all-inclusive generic pd's
• PODAA
• Make it compatible with other HRM IT initiatives (Resumix, PeopleSoft, et al)
• KISSS!

HOW TO SIMPLIFY IT?

• KEEP
• IT
• SHORT,
• SIMPLE, and
• STANDARDIZED

STANDARDIZED ELECTRONIC PD FORMAT (EPD)

• Intro NTE 7 lines, for vacy announcement
• NTE 4 - 6 major duties (sub-paras ok), more important first
• Generic
• PODAA
• FES format w/ levels & points
• Factor 1: 3 - 6 KSAs
• Use active voice
• Avoid jargon or overly-specific references to forms, projects, organizations, etc
• IT-compatible
• NTE 4 - 5 pages

SUPERVISORY EPD FORMAT

• Intro NTE 7 lines, for vacancy announcement
• Generic
• NTE 4 - 6 major duties (sub-paras ok), more important first
• PODAA
• FES format w/ levels & points
• Use active voice
• Avoid jargon or overly-specific references to forms, projects, organizations, etc.
• KSAs at end
• NTE 4 - 5 pages
• IT-compatible

EPD EVALUATION STATEMENT FORMAT

• Required for precedent-setting or border-line decisions, or where appeal expected
• Include:
  • Background info on establishment of position
  • All references used & dates
  • Series & title determination
  • Describe how exceeds lower grade but doesn't meet higher
  • Cite law/CFR for BUS & FLSA

WHAT DID USCS DO NEXT?

• Set up a task force of 6 classifiers and assistants for three months
• Drafted EPDs based upon existing pd's and class standards
• Coordinated the drafts with SMEs, staffing specialists, IT people and union
• Published EPDs, implementing memo and explanatory information for supvr & empl March 1996

RESULTS?

• 1996  Replaced 2,656 old pd's with 176 EPDs, a 93.4% reduction (mostly for Ofc of Field Opns' 12,000 employees)
• 1996  Provided training on classification & use of EPD to staffing specialists & assistants
• 1997  Able to maintain level of services when HRM reduced by 50 spaces (- 20%)

SPDs/EPDs UPDATED

• 1997  EPD loaded to USCS-wide electronic bulletin board
• 1998  Set up a system allowing many SF-52 actions using EPD to bypass Classification
• 1998  EPD loaded to USCS InfoBase, an HRM CD-ROM distributed to USCS admin offices monthly
• 1998  Developed 1st simplified grading template for mgr & supv use

UPDATING CONTINUES

• 1999,  started turning most populated existing pd's into Standardized Position Descriptions (SPD) & combining them with EPDs in a listing provided to mgr, supvr, admin & HRM personnel
• 1999  Listing of SPD/EPD added to InfoBase
• 2000  USCS IntraNet established, with SPD listing

THE CONTINUING INITIATIVES

• 2000  Phase 1 of a contract awarded to produce 115 new EPD
• 2000  Position maintenance review responsibility integrated into USCS self-inspection program
• 2001  544 SPD/EPD now in use; EPD library available on USCS IntraNet; over 54% of USCS workforce covered by SPD

9 GRADING TEMPLATES ISSUED TO DATE

• Budget support positions in CMCs
• EEO Specl/Mgr positions outside of USCS EEOO
• HR supt & liaison positions in field
• IT positions in field
• GS-1802-5/6/7
• Field L & ER Specl positions
• Field logistics & procurement support positions for OFO
• Technical Enforcement support positions for OI
• Intell Resch/Opns Specl for OI

CUSTOMS POLICY - 2000

• Standard Position Descriptions will be used throughout the Customs Service to the maximum extent possible
  • PM&C will provide a current list of SPDs to OHRM staff
  • The SPD list also will be in Infobase and, eventually, on the Intranet
• When an SPD exists, an individual PD will not be created without approval from AC or Deputy AC, HRM
• Adoption of risk management concept

IMPLEMENTING THE POLICY

• The widespread use of SPDs allows many actions to bypass PM&C review. The bypass operates when:
  • Supervisor certifies assigned work is accurately described in an SPD
  • The SPD covers the series/grade of position and is approved for use in the organization
  • The action is not an exception to BYPASS (discussed below)
• Use the staffing checklist

PROCEDURES

1. If the action meets any exception and shouldn't be BYPASSed, be sure it is approved by a classifier, FIRST!
2. If NO classification review is needed, and BYPASS is appropriate, use your checklist:
   • The PARTS action must have an SPD PD#
   • PD# must be from most recent SPD list
   • The SPD must be appropriate for the requesting organization
   • Make sure of Supervisory Certification

PROCEDURES (cont'd)

3. Return action to requesting office for supervisory certification before taking any action
4. If supervisor declines to certify, refer action to PM&C
5. If PD# is wrong, but close to a correct SPD, verify with requesting office before taking action
   • Return action to requesting office if MR# is incorrect
   • Forward action to PM&C if PD# is correct but does not match an SPD

PROCEDURES (cont'd)

6. Ensure a complete copy of the appropriate PD is available before taking any action. You can:
   • Check InfoBase or PD Library when PD# begins with an "S"
   • Check with PM&C if PD is not available electronically, e.g., PD# begins with an "A" or numeric sequence
   • Forward PARTS request to PM&C if unable to locate copy of SPD

BYPASS WORK FLOW

Shows a flow chart with several possible process routes.

• One route is when the customer inputs parts to the bypass process. If there is an SPD, it goes to one of four staffing centers. If OK it proceeds to ESC and from there to USDA CIPPS and NFC TIMIS, successfully being completed.
• There is a check point at the ESC that if failed sends the request back to PM controls. Once it clears there, it goes back to the staffing center, passes on to ESC again, and ultimately to USDA CIPPS and NFC TIMIS for completion.
• Another path begins the same, but when the SPD doesn't get the staffing center OK it goes to the PM&C. Then it either goes to PM controls or they find/create a PD.
• If the new PD passes PM controls so both are OK, it goes back to the staffing center where it then proceeds to ESC and USDA CIPPS and NFC TIMIS for release.
• If it fails the ESC, it goes through the PM controls loop again.
• When there is no SPD, the request goes directly to the PM&C. From there they find/create a PD coordinating with PM controls.
• If all is OK, it goes to a staffing center and proceeds to ESC, USDA CIPPS, and NFC TIMIS.
• If either the PD or PM controls is not good, the action is returned to the customer to start the whole process over.

BYPASS CHECKLIST

Graphic of the one-page classification bypass checklist. Slide states

• IDENTIFIES POSITIONS
• 6 QUESTIONS
• REQUIRES INITIALS & SIGNATURE
• REVIEWER & APPROVER SIGN
• INSPECTABLE PART ....... OF DEU/MPP CASE FILE

SUPERVISORY CERTIFICATION

Graphic representation stating: I CERTIFY THIS IS AN ACCURATE STATEMENT OF MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THIS POSITION AND ITS ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS, THE POSITION IS NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS FOR WHICH I AM RESPONSIBLE, AND THERE IS SUFFICIENT MONEY IN MY BUDGET TO PAY FOR THIS ACTION. I UNDERSTAND THIS INFORMATION IS USED FOR STATUTORY PURPOSES RELATING TO APPOINTMENT AND PAYMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS, AND FALSE OR MISLEADING STATEMENTS VIOLATE STATUTES OR REGULATIONS.

Lines included for signature if faxed or hard-copy, date, and printed name and title.

FUTURE GOALS

• 2002 Phase 2 of contract for 162 more EPD; focus on remaining series/titles w/ 20+ empls
• Replace USCSBBS and InfoBase with user-friendly IntraNet access for all USCS personnel; including EPD library
• Create EPD for all positions with 10 or more employees; update existing EPD for reorgs, new work, new class stds

FUTURE GOALS (cont'd)

• Mass change eligible employees to EPDs
• Achieve 90%+ of USCS workforce on EPDs