LEGEND
= Met
= Not Met
= No Data Available
= FY 2000
D = Deferred
P = Progress

FY 1999 Performance Report
Appendices

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U.S. Office of Personnel Management

Appendix D
Workforce Compensation and Performance Service (WCPS)

FY 1999 Performance Report
Goal & Performance Indicators Checklist

OPM Strategic Goal I
Provide policy direction and leadership to recruit and retain the Federal workforce required for the 21st Century.

WCPS Goal 1

By the end of FY 2000, needed changes in all significant OPM program policies are identified and changes are introduced so that Federal agencies are better equipped to respond to changing human resources and agency needs in the 21st century. (Goal assessment based on expected FY 1999 actions.)

A 2% increase in the percentage of favorable ratings from HR Directors on policy leadership.

The response to the HR Directors' Survey was not sufficient to make a credible and reliable survey. We will look to future year's data to determine trends.

Report to the Director is issued on each phase of the scheduled policy review.

Reports were completed on each phase of the review.

A 2% increase in the percentage of favorable ratings from HR Directors on involvement in the policy-making process.

The response to the HR Directors' Survey was not sufficient to make a credible and reliable survey. We will look to future year's data to determine trends.

Specific legislative and regulatory proposals which reflect broad consensus among stakeholders are developed.

Obtained enactment of firefighter pay reform legislation and issued timely implementing regulations. Developed proposed legislation to address concerns about inequitable overtime practices. Issued final regulations establishing a uniform procedure for making lump-sum annual leave payments. Worked cooperatively with Treasury, IRS, and NTEU to develop criteria for broadbanded pay systems at IRS. Obtained enactment of legislation increasing the amount of paid leave for federal employees who serve as organ donors.

WCPS Goal 2

Options for performance-oriented approaches to strategic compensation in the Federal government are formulated and vetted among stakeholders so that consensus legislative proposals can be drafted and forwarded for action.

Develops and disseminates a comprehensive picture of state-of-the-art compensation practices

Developed and shared a taxonomy of the functions performed in the Federal Government across Federal agencies to facilitate benchmarking and provide a basis for making useful comparisons to information about private sector compensation practice and experience. Collected systematic information about compensation structures in private sector industrial groups judged representative of these government functions.

Developed categorization of structural compensation components and related cross-cutting issues to communicate compensation information to the Federal community and to work with Federal stakeholders in evaluating possible changes to the Federal compensation environment. In conjunction with stakeholders, designed a related process for their involvement through all stages of compensation policy analysis and development.

Developed structures for collecting and categorizing compensation information about non-title 5 public sector organizations and private sector organizations and began collecting compensation structure information from non-title 5 agencies.

Developed a description of the General Schedule in the historical context of changes in organizational structure, work methods, technology, workforce characteristics, and emerging compensation practices in the U.S. economy. The description was used throughout the year in briefings (to agency conferences, interagency HR groups, IPMA, Classification and Compensation Society, professional associations, Federal unions, etc.) and formed the keynote theme of the 1999 Strategic Compensation Conference.

Federal stakeholders indicate their satisfaction with the opportunity to express views and opinions to OPM on its strategic compensation efforts

The responses to the HR Directors' Survey were not sufficient to make a credible and reliable survey. We will look to future year's data to determine trends.

Strategic Compensation Conference is shown by end-of-conference surveys to have satisfied participants' expectations.

Established a comprehensive conference to provide the Federal community a wide range of compensation-related information from OPM and agency employees, Federal union representatives, and private sector compensation experts. Written evaluations expressed appreciation for offering the emerging compensation community within the larger Federal human resources community a dedicated experience by combining wide spectrum of compensation, classification, and performance management issues into one conference. 87 % of conference attendees rated the conference good to excellent. On a five point scale, the average rating was 4.14.

WCPS Goal 3

Compensation systems under current law are administered efficiently, accurately, and in a timely manner. These include: (1) the pay-setting process for General Schedule (GS) and related pay systems; (2) the Federal Wage System (FWS); and, (3) the Nonforeign Area Cost-of-Living Allowance (COLA) Program.

All actions necessary to make new pay schedules effective are accomplished within statutory deadlines, and agencies are provided with sufficient information to implement new pay schedules on a timely basis.

Prepared guidance on the January 1999 General Schedule pay adjustments and issued 32 locality pay tables, and posted them on the website.

The annual report by the President's Pay Agent is issued in a complete and timely manner.

WCPS provided staff support to the President's Pay Agent, including issuing the annual report to the President on locality pay and a report to Congress on the extension of locality payments. Both reports were on time.

Relevant Federal agencies, unions, and employee groups express satisfaction with OPM's efforts to provide leadership for FWS administration and involve them in administering the COLA program.

OPM accepted a recommendation from FPRAC to establish DoD as the sole agency responsible for conducting local wage surveys. Worked with FPRAC to administer the FWS, based on the consensus of the major stakeholders. Held conferences with COLA Partnership Committees to provide updates on the status of the "safe harbor process" and worked with the Committees to conduct living-cost surveys in each COLA area.

Maintain the level of satisfaction of HR Specialists with regard to the pay tables guidance materials.

In both FY 1998 and FY 1999, 92% expressed satisfaction with the pay tables. The FY 1999 rating was the highest for any program covered in the CSS.

Increase by 2% the percentage of favorable ratings for information sharing and technical assistance in the CSS.

In each of six specific program areas, more than half were rated over 80%, and for the remainder, at least 68% of respondents were satisfied with information sharing and 63% satisfied with technical assistance. However, this did not achieve the 2% improvement standard.

WCPS Goal 4

In order to ensure a cost-effective Federal service, a collaborative review of the COLA program and other compensation issues affecting employees in the COLA areas is carried out in preparation for a report to Congress.

OPM reaches agreement with COLA plaintiffs on common principles and/or clearly articulates its rationale for areas of disagreement.

Based on the research results reported by Joel Popkin and Company and other economists, the COLA plaintiffs and OPM developed a set of "safe harbor principles" that outlined potential major changes in the program.

Report submitted to Congress on the status of the COLA program as required in FY 2000.

This is an FY 2000 indicator.

Increase by 2% the percentage of favorable ratings by HR Directors for COLA policy leadership and agency involvement.

The responses to the HR Directors' Survey were not sufficient to make a credible and reliable survey. We will look to future year's data to determine trends.

WCPS Goal 5

Policies and programs for Governmentwide pay, leave, and hours of work under current law are administered in an effective and timely manner in order to ensure a cost-effective Federal service.

Increase by 2% the percentage of favorable ratings from HR Specialists for information sharing.

Ratings in FY 1999 remained at the very high level of 86%, matching FY 1998 results, but not attaining the 2%increase.

Regulations and policy guidance on pay, leave, and hours of work issued as needed.

Analyzed reports from more than 50 Federal agencies and prepared a report to the President summarizing measures taken to strengthen Federal support for voluntary community service. Issued guidance on DC area emergency dismissal, special salary rates, NATO summit, various local disasters, and Operation Allied Force. Published regs on firefighter pay, hazardous duty pay, special agent pay, lump-sum payments for annual leave, and Y2K-related leave issues.

WCPS Goal 6

P Agencies are equipped with a further simplified General Schedule classification system that contains fewer than 225 classification standards by FY 2000. Agencies are equipped with a Federal Wage System that is updated and maintained to reflect agency work practices by FY 2000.

P Reduce the number of classification standards and/or documents to less than 320 by FY 1999.

To reach the goal of simplifying the GS system, employed the strategy of developing job families and job family standards, which reduces the number of documents the system requires. Achieved significant progress by initiating 6 new job family standards studies and conducting factfinding for 20 ongoing job family standards studies, which would allow us to meet the standards reduction goal for FY 2000, but did not meet the projected reduction in standards. More important, concluded that the goals as stated and its indicator were inappropriate gauges for the simplification effort. For example, measure is not effective because of failure to take into account emerging occupations, in the information technology field, for instance, that must be covered by the system. Consequently, revised indicators in future annual performance plans to emphasize a declining weighted average age of the classification standards that apply to GS positions. During FY 1999, eliminated 2 GS occupation series and reduced the number of FWS occupations from 370 to 283.

WCPS Goal 7

Leadership of the multi-year effort to develop job family standards to evaluate General Schedule positions that comply with title 5 U.S.C. and the Partnership for Reinventing Government initiatives is continued.

Develop six additional job family standards and initiate four job family standards studies.

Developed draft job family standards for GS-200A, GS-900C/T, GS-1300T, GS-1500P, GS-500P/A, and GS-900P, which are in various stages of review. Initiated studies of GS-300C, GS-600P/A, GS-600T, GS-700P, GS-800P, and GS-800A/T job family standards.

Positive feedback from stakeholders and the website questionnaire indicate that the HR community/managers are familiar with and understand the new, simplified approach.

IAG network and workshop questionnaires were consistently positive, and requested that we conduct more workshops. We began testing new approaches to factfinding that involved focus groups and committee approaches.

Positive feedback on draft standards application as expressed in the FY 1999 Customer Satisfaction Survey(CSS).

This question was not included in the FY 1999 CSS since there were no new draft standards to be reviewed at the time the survey was conducted.

Satisfaction levels at 80% or higher as measured by HR Specialists' ratings on specific guidance materials issued in FY 1999 as measured by the annual OPM Customer Satisfaction Survey are achieved.

In FY 1999, CSS 75% expressed satisfaction with guidance materials issued in FY 1999 for the General Schedule LGEG and 81% for the GS and FWS On-Line Classification Standards.

WCPS Goal 8

Agency managers are receiving easy-to-use classification and position management program guidance that facilitates delayering and streamlining their organizations.

Positive feedback from the IAG network representatives indicate satisfaction with the LG Evaluation Guide.

In FY 1999 CSS, 75% expressed satisfaction with guidance materials for the General Schedule LGEG.

Classification and position management program guidance is issued, as necessary.

Issued Advisory on Journey Level Issues in Plant Protection Quarantine Service, presented guidance on GSLEG and GSSG to Department of Labor. Developed written advisory opinions on Supervisory EEO Specialists, Aircraft Engine Mechanic, Auditor positions, and others.

Issue two enhanced HR CD-ROMs with current pay tables and other improvements.

Issued versions 6 and 7 of HR CD-ROMS, with additional salary tables, back pay calculator, and performance-related documents.

Increase by 2% the percentage of favorable ratings by the HR Specialists in the CSS.

In the FY 1999 CSS, 78% expressed satisfaction with the HR CD-ROM, an increase from 76% in FY 1998.

WCPS Goal 9

Pending major reform of the Federal compensation system, a proposal for a credible annual pay adjustment process for the General Schedule and related pay systems is developed.

Stakeholders indicate in the CSS that their interests and views are reflected in proposals to implement the consensus reached on short-term and/or long-term changes.

The responses to the HR Directors' Survey were not sufficient to make it a credible and reliable survey. We will look to future year's to determine trends.

A proposal for a revised annual pay adjustment process is developed and disseminated.

Prepared Pay Agent's report regarding methodological and technical concerns with the current annual pay adjustment process, and set forth "guiding principles" for short-term improvements. This led to draft legislative specifications.

WCPS Goal 10

The Governmentwide performance management policy framework is up-to-date and accommodates cutting- edge proposals so that agencies can enhance individual and organizational performance and ensure individual accountability.

Regulations include all the necessary adaptive changes required by changes in law, changes in policy interpretation, and changes in regulations by other program areas.

Issued regulations dealing with carryover, assumed, and retroactive performance ratings. Changes were made in response to requests from a number of agency customers seeking clarity in this area.

Regulations are clearly defined, broad parameters and provide maximum flexibility.

As agencies continued to inquire about their ability to initiate various program options, they were virtually always told that performance management regulations permit them to do as they wish.

Through the issuance of the Measuring Employee Performance handbook, agencies received detailed guidance about how employee performance plans could be directly linked to organizational goals under existing appraisal regulations.

WCPS Goal 11

Agencies are provided assistance and advice in developing employee performance management systems that meet the requirements of GPRA and are used to support and reward accomplishment of agency strategic goals.

Increase by 2% the percentage of favorable ratings in the CSS.

In the FY 1999 CSS, 66% expressed satisfaction with technical assistance on incentive awards and 68% on performance appraisal issues. In FY 1998 these results were 72% and 71%. This did not achieve the 2% increase from FY 1998 data.

End-of-conference surveys indicate that there is a perception of appropriate balance of technical guidance and program innovations.

At the Strategic Compensation Conference, each of 4 breakout sessions received an average rating from participants of at least 4 on a 5-point scale.

Performance management products address features and explain the five fundamental processes of performance management.

Established the Performance Management Technical Assistance Center web page on the OPM website. The Center includes all performance management publications which cover the full spectrum of performance management issues around planning, monitoring, developing, rating, and rewarding performance. In addition, the Center offers background information putting performance management into context. The Center receives thousands of "hits" each month and has received a great many compliments.

A broad audience of managers, supervisors, and line employees was reached with promotional efforts about the necessity of aligning employee performance management with organizational goals. Vehicles used included a number of oral presentations at a wide variety of forums and many articles in "Workforce Performance," a bimonthly newsletter issued by PMIAD. PMIAD staff is seeing greater awareness of and sensitivity to this message among audiences reached.

Published "Evaluating Performance Appraisal Programs" and posted "Performance Appraisal for Teams" on our web page. These papers address those specific topics within the context of overall performance management processes.

Streamlined requirements for reporting awards data to the CPDF, effective October 1, 2000, to allow agencies time to prepare. Changes were made in consultation with a work group of agency representatives with an interest in data issues.

All managers and supervisors in the U.S. Mint were trained on aligning employee performance plans with strategic goals to help support that agency's GPRA responsibilities and enhance their ability to fulfill their mission.

Briefed IAG network on steps to take in evaluating performance appraisal programs and on current flexibilities in the initiative to reward managers for organizational results, customer satisfaction, and employee perceptions.

Issue "Measuring Employee Performance."

Handbook published in March 1999. The Handbook has been placed on the PMIAD web page and is the single most popular item on the page, with repeated hits and downloading of the document.

OPM Strategic Goal III
Provide advice and assistance to help Federal agencies improve their human resources management programs to effectively operate within the economy, demographics and environment of the 21st Century.

WCPS Goal 12

Federal agencies receive timely, accurate, and useful advice and assistance on classification, compensation, and performance management that keeps them better informed about appropriate system flexibilities and ways in which they can be used to support accomplishment of agency strategic goals.

Increase by 2% the percentage of favorable ratings in the CSS

In the FY 1999 CSS, each of 9 program areas received satisfied ratings of at least 63%. (See data under other WCPS goals) However, we did not achieve an increase from FY 1998 ratings.

Increased number of requests for consultation

PMIAD web page increased usage to 8,000+ hits per week by the end of FY 1999. Provided expert testimony and other advice and assistance in court cases, arbitrations, and special projects dealing with classification, compensation, and performance management issues.

Post-workshop customer surveys indicate overall satisfaction with leave workshop presentations.

Post-workshop surveys reported that 90% of participants gave an overall rating of good to excellent, with an average rating of 4.3 on a 5-point scale.

WCPS Goal 13

Agency demonstration projects address compensation, classification, and performance management issues effectively. (See OMSOE Goal 9)

Positive comments and feedback on the CSS and other instruments indicate that customers are satisfied with the level of service provided.

Assisted IRS in developing new performance management and broadbanding systems. Reviewed proposed Acquisitions demo, amendment to 3 Army Lab demos, proposed Navy Research Lab demo, and proposed changes to demo at Commerce, NavySea, and Army Medics. OMSOE staff have indicated satisfaction with ES participation in review and assistance of all new demonstrations that include staffing aspects. See OMSOE Goal 9 for the report of agency satisfaction with HR innovation.

OTHER INITIATIVES

Developed a recommendation to allow employees to use up to 12 weeks of paid sick leave each year for family care purposes.

Integrated Occupational Studies: Undertook new efforts to conduct integrated occupational studies in cooperation with ES that emphasize the application of competency-based approaches to HRM systems. This will permit a return to former practice of coordinating the issuance of classification and qualification guidance and standards for Federal occupations and job families. The initial studies involved the accountant occupation and information technology occupations and specialties. This work supported pilot projects for competency-based recruitment and selection techniques.