PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND APPRAISALS

Performance appraisals shall be based only on a written comparison of actual performance against written standards for the duties and responsibilities in the position description. A copy shall be provided to the employee within fifteen (15) days of the employee's signature on the performance appraisal form. Grievance time limits shall not begin until the day after the employee receives his/her copy of the final signed document. Performance standards shall be applied uniformly throughout the bargaining unit.

The Parties agree that performance standards are written for the primary duties and responsibilities described in the position description and must be used as the only basis for comparing the employee's actual job performance against the requirements (duties and responsibilities) of the position.

Members of the bargaining unit shall normally be rated by their first-line supervisor.

The employee's signature, after the review of his/her performance evaluation, indicates that he/she has reviewed the completed appraisal record and that it has been discussed with him/her. The employee's signature shall not be taken to mean that he/she agrees with all the information or that he/she forfeits any rights of review or appeal. The employee may make comments in the remarks section or attach them on a separate page.

At any time during the performance appraisal cycle that an employee's performance is determined to be unacceptable in one (1) or more critical elements, the employee's supervisor shall notify the employee, in writing, of the critical element(s) for which performance is unacceptable and inform the employee of the performance requirement(s) or standard(s) that must be attained in order to demonstrate acceptable performance in his/her position. The supervisor should also inform the employee that, unless his/her performance in the critical element(s) improves to and is sustained at an acceptable level, the employee may be reduced in grade or removed. When the employee's performance is unacceptable, the Agency shall afford the employee a reasonable opportunity, in no case less than ninety (90) days, to demonstrate acceptable performance, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the employee's position.

As part of the employee's opportunity to demonstrate acceptable performance, the supervisor shall write a plan that identifies what the employee must do to improve his/her performance to be retained in the job and what the Agency will do to assist the employee.

Every thirty (30) days during the period for improving performance, the supervisor shall provide the employee with a written review identifying the employee's progress and identifying any areas still needing improvement.

Additionally, the supervisor shall include specific recommendations of methods and means of improving that the employee may use to attain an acceptable level of competence.

The use of authorized official time and approved absences for labor relations and other activities shall not be a factor in employee performance appraisals.

Employees who are not selected to be on-the-job training instructors (OJTIs) shall not be rated based on the OJTI function.

NOTE: Sections 8, 9, and 10 shall only apply to FSS bargaining unit employees.

Management personnel evaluating members of the bargaining unit by phone or in person shall, immediately after conducting the evaluation, state to the employee that he/she has been evaluated, and advise the employee of the results as soon as possible.

Telephone and radio pilot weather briefing (PWB) evaluations administered by management personnel outside the facility shall be recorded. If the PWB evaluation is rated unsatisfactory and if the employee requests, the employee involved shall be given a copy of the recording. The Parties recognize that any PWB evaluation from outside the facility that is not recorded, or those where no recording exists, will not be used as the basis for any action against the employee.

Data accumulated from electronic management information systems (e.g. ACD, OASIS, etc.) will not be used as the sole basis for an employee’s performance appraisal.