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Department of Commerce
Automated Classification System.

Presented by: Edward Liverani
August 27, 2002

"The More Things Change,
The More They Remain The Same"
-- Alphonse Karr

Essential Features of the ACS System

  • Occupational career paths replace groups
  • Five broad pay bands replace 15 grades
  • DOC standards replace OPM standards
  • Classification process is automated
  • Supervisors are delegated classification authority

Career Paths & Broad Pay Bands

Career Path Grade Range Band

Scientific/Engineering (ZP)

 1-6 I
7-10 II
11-12 III
13-14 IV
15 V

Scientific/ Engineering Technician (ZT)

 1-4 I
5-8 II
9-10 III
11-12 IV
13 V

Administrative (ZA)

 1-6 I
7-10 II
11-12 III
13-14 IV
15 V

General Support (ZS)

 1-2 I
3-4 II
5-6 III
7-8 IV
9-10 V


Career Path Positions

Scientific & Engineering Technician(ZP)

  • Biologist
  • Mathematician
  • Chemist
  • Meteorologist
  • Computer Specialist
  • Oceanographer
  • Economist
  • Physical Scientist
  • Engineer/Scientist
  • Statistician
  • Fish Administrator

Career Path Positions

Scientific & Engineering Technician(ZT)

  • Biology Technician
  • Electronics Technician
  • Engineering Technician
  • Meteorological Technician
  • Physical Science Technician

Career Path Positions

Administrative (ZA)

  • Accountant
  • Administrative Officer
  • Budget Analyst
  • Printing Manager
  • Loan Specialist
  • Management Analyst
  • Miscellaneous Administrative
  • Nurse
  • Human Resources Specialist
  • General Business Specialist
  • Printing Manager
  • Trade Specialist

Career Path Positions

General Support ZS

  • Accounting Technician
  • Legal Instruments
  • Library Technician
  • Management Clerk/Assistant
  • Miscellaneous Clerk/Assistant
  • Office Automation Clerk/ Assistant
  • Human Resources Clerk/Assistant
  • Purchasing Agent
  • Secretary
  • Student Trainee

DOC Classification Standards

Developed by Management and HR

  • Source documents:
    • The Law
    • Classification Standards
    • Qualification Standards
    • PDs
  • Each pay band of each career path has a standard
  • Each standard consists of 2 parts:
    • duties and responsibilities
    • knowledges, skills, and abilities
  • Each higher band describes a higher level of work
  • Each higher band also describes a higher level of KSAs
  • Both parts together define the band
  • Each band subsumes the criteria of the lower band

Classification Logic

  • Principle Objective
  • Career Path
  • Series
  • Band
  • Title

Additional Information

  • Specialty descriptors
  • Add a key phrase
  • Is it supervisory
  • Any specific position requirements
  • Position sensitivity

What Do Supervisors Think?

  Demo Comparison
PD accuracy 67% 68%
Classification accuracy 59% 50%
Is PD approval adversarial? 11% 24%
Satisfied with the process? 54% 39%

What Do Employees Think?

  Demo Comparison
PD accuracy 67% 68%
Classification accuracy 35% 28%
Satisfied with the process? 40% 37%