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PARS TIPS |
AFGE Local 704, District 4 |
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Tips, Courtesy of the Local 704 President As we approach the mid-year (June/July) evaluations, here are some suggestions that you may wish to consider now that the Performance Appraisal and Recognition System (PARS) contractual agreement between the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and U.S. EPA is “almost” final. Specifically, it is under Agency Head Review, having been signed by the Chief Negotiators for the U.S. EPA and AFGE. 1. Be sure to insist that you be allowed to work "collaboratively" with your supervisor in developing your Critical Job Elements (CJEs) and Performance Standards. For example, some PARS agreements contain time frames for completing certain work and everyone already knows that those time frames are seldom or never met and are probably unrealistic. Sometime in December, you should go through your existing PARS plans and identify areas, such as deadlines, where the standards are unrealistic and inform the supervisor of those areas and request that when they discuss the new PARS for the next year they modify those deadlines to make them reflect what is really needed and realistic. Another example of how you may wish to engage in "collaboration" is to discuss with your supervisor the rationale for some requirements. For example, if the deadline for a work product is not mandated by a statute or regulation or agreement with a third party, then it may be perfectly reasonable for an employee to question the rationale for the deadline and request it be changed to something more appropriate. Also, note that if there is a disagreement, you can "appeal" your concerns to your second level supervisor. REF: PARS Contract Preamble, Item 2, Section 10: Developing Performance Standards, F. and K. of the PARS Article 34 2. Ensure that you have assumptions "built-in" to your CJEs. In the event that your supervisor declines to include them, please address your concerns in your "comments" to the Plan. Properly worded assumptions can be used as a tool to remind supervisor's
throughout the appraisal period, of the rationale for the assumption
and the need to ensure that it is not triggered. You should ensure that your assumptions include that sufficient resources are made available to you, including: * time, interest and support from your supervisor and management; Assigned task activities are not excessive precluding fully successful performance during a standard allotted 40 hour workweek.. REF: PARS Contract Section 10: Developing Performance Standards, I.3, Section 11: Assumptions, B., Section 12: Content of Performance Plans, G., and Section 14: Communicating Performance Plans, E. PARS Contract Section 15: Assessing Employee Performance, I. ("In the application of standards to individual employees, the Employer will consider assumptions listed in the Performance Plan.") See also Section 10: Developing Performance Standards, L & M. (It is the supervisor's responsibility to addressing barriers and taking their impact into consideration during Performance Reviews.) 3. Toot your own horn! Perhaps you have been raised to be "humble" or to not draw undue attention to yourself by "bragging" about your accomplishments. However, now you must. I encourage you to send your supervisor a list of accomplishments against your CJEs each month. If that is too often for you, then at least once per quarter. Remember you supervisor has 10-20 people that he or she must work with, and will not necessarily remember all of your fine work at the end of the year appraisal. Take it upon yourself to remind her or him what a contribution you are to the Section, Branch, Division, Office, Region, Agency ... Don’t forget to focus on what was assigned to you and what was in your standards. Organizing your self-assessment against each CJE and using bullet points to highlight ones performance under each CJE is probably a better way to go, than to have a long narrative type self appraisal. You should consider your self-appraisal as a tool to highlight your successes. In addition to self assessments, you should learn how the awards process works and learn the art of self-nomination for awards, as well as the art of getting together with your coworkers and nominating each other for awards including team awards. REF: PARS Contract Section 14: Communicating Performance Plans, particularly I. (However, frequent informal reviews of performance throughout the appraisal period are required and may be requested by the employee or supervisor at any time.) "Our labor unions are not narrow, self-seeking groups. They have raised wages, shortened hours, and provided supplemental benefits. Through collective bargaining and grievance procedures, they have brought justice and democracy to the shop floor." President John F. Kennedy (1962) Fraternally yours, John J. O'Grady Telephone: 312.886.3575 |
