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VOLUME 3 EMPLOYEE INFORMATION LETTER
Volume 3, FY10 / 05 May 112
VOLUME 3 EMPLOYEE INFORMATION LETTER
Stress and Safety
Stress at work can affect any Airman or Soldier at any level. It can happen in any section and in any size of unit. Stress affects the health and safety of individuals, but also the health of units and national economies.
According to Northwestern National Life Insurance Company, one-quarter of employees view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives. Military members are not immune to work-place stress. Increased operations tempo and changing world issues are making increased demands on Airmen & Soldiers, through the greater need for flexibility in terms of function and skills and
poor work-life balance. Stress can cause Airmen/Soldiers poor health and despair, both at work and at home. Stress may also compromise workplace safety, and contribute to other work-related health problems.
Supervisors have a responsibility to manage work-related stress. Each workplace is different, and work practices and solutions to problems must be matched to particular situations by carrying out a risk assessment.
Risk assessment for stress involves the same basic principles and processes as for other workplace hazards - identifying hazards, deciding what action needs to be taken, communicating the results of the assessment, and reviewing it at appropriate intervals. Upon completion of the risk assessment, make adjustments to work schedules or tasks when warranted. Including civilians and their representatives in the process is crucial to success.
Factors to look out for in relation to stress include:
* excessive workload or exposure to physical hazards
* amount of control Airmen/Soldiers have in how they carry out their work
* whether Airmen/Soldiers understand their roles
* relationships - covering issues like harassment and violence
* support is available from supervisors
* training Airmen/Soldiers need to perform their task. SMSgt Hawk, 124 WG/Safety
HRO Staff Directory
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VOLUME 3 EMPLOYEE INFORMATION LETTER
Human Resource Officer – Col Kevin Dawkins 272-4206
Deputy Human Resource Officer – LTC Henrik Fast 272-3809
Employee Relations Specialist –Mrs. Gayle Hinrichs 272-4210
Workers' Compensation Program
Employees Benefit/Entitlements
Performance Mgmt & Awards Program
Adverse Action/Disciplinary Actions
Employees Assistance Program
Federal Technician Retirements
Labor Relations Officer-2Lt Jennifer Davis 272-3749
Labor Relations
Air AGR Manager –SMSgt Mary McKenna
272-4228 Air AGR issues
Staffing Specialist – MSgt Leann Reid 272-4220
Recruiting, Announcing and Staffing Vacancies
Compatibility and Eligibility
Federal Pay Setting/Pay Scales
State Merit Placement Plan
Restoration/Re-employment rights
E-Verify Program
Human Resource Specialist – MSgt Jeff Guzi
272-4225
Retirements
Classification Specialist-TSgt Yvonne Hopper
Full-Time SPMD Position Management
Position Classification Guidance
Desk Audits 272-4221
Federal Technician Position Descriptions
Wage Development - Coordinator for Boise
Environmental Differential Pay/Hazardous Pay
Equal Employment Opportunity – Mrs Gayle Hinrichs 272-4210
Equal Employment Manager
Affirmative Action Program Manager
Special Emphasis Program Coordinator
Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator
State Personnel Manager – Mrs Paula Edmiston
Maintain Merit Program 272-4236
State Position Manager
State EEO Officer
Personnel Regulations Maintenance
State Pers Asst. Ms Wendy Ackley 272-4237
Employee Benefits Administration
Performance Appraisals
Salary Administration
Job Announcements
State Workers Compensation Claims
Customer Service:
Pers. Asst. –SSG Jeff Renon 272-4218
Workers Compensation
Servicing last names beginning with: R-Z
Pers. Asst. – MSgt Jeff Guzi 272-4225
Military Buy back
Servicing last names beginning with: L-Q
Pers. Asst. – Mrs. Pat Barth 272-4223
Mass Transit
Servicing last names beginning with: A-E
Pers. Asst - SSgt Melissa Loepp 272-3780
Awards Program
Servicing last names beginning with: F-K
Employee Benefits
In-Processing
Personnel System Manager –Mr Tracy Mortenson 272-4229
HRO LAN/IMO Group Administrator
CIV-MOD Database Manager & ADPE Monitor
Personnel System Assistant- Mr Roger Gleason
272-4257
Employee Development Specialist – SFC Becky Burkhart (DEPLOYED CALL 4226) 272-4226
Technician Training Applications
Technician Travel Orders
Supervisory Training Coordinator
Individual Development Plans
Defense Travel System
Army AGR Manager—MSG Arlin DeGroot
272-4215
Army AGR Issues
ADSW Tours
AGR Medical
Army AGR Assist- SGT Jackie White 272-4217
PFC Stephanie Tuckett 272-4214
Customer Service (AGR-ADSW/ADOS)
Effective 28 March 2010, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) changed the nature of action previously known as LWOP-US to Absent-Uniformed Service. In this status the technician was considered absent (whether in a pay or non-pay status) to perform duty with the uniformed services. HR Policy Letter 10-04 instructed commanders and supervisors to submit an SF 52, Personnel Action, when a technician was performing military duty, regardless of the technician’s pay status. After careful consideration that policy is hereby rescinded and the following new guidance is provided concerning the nature of action ABSENT-US:
a. If a Federal technician is in a “paid” leave status for the entire duration of the military order no SF 52, Personnel Action, will be required.
b. If a federal technician plans to use paid leave to cover some of the absence (annual, military, compensatory earned, compensatory travel, time-off awards) a SF 52, Personnel Action, Absent-US, will not be required until the first full “unpaid” (KG) scheduled duty day during the military order. In this case, supervisors will also submit a SF 52, Personnel Action, Return to Duty, normally effective the day after the military order ends. (The only exception would be when the technician desires to return to technician duty while still on orders in a military terminal leave status.) Please insure that a copy of the military order is attached to the SF 52, Personnel Action.
4. Technicians who are in an ABSENT-US status for 30 days or more, and who are on
an alternate technician work schedule will convert to a normal eight (8) hour technician schedule. The normal basic work week is established as a minimum 40 hrs, 8 hours per day, Monday through Friday.
5. Should there be any questions regarding this matter, please contact the Employee Relations Specialist at 272-4210.
HOW TO READ YOUR LEAVE AND EARNINGS STATEMENT
http://www.dfas.mil/militarypay/newinformation/Reserve_Guard_LES_Guide.pdf
From DFAS:
Service Credit is a program that allows employees to make payments into the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) for certain periods of service during which they either did not contribute to the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund (i.e., deposit service), or for which they received a refund of their retirement contributions (i.e., redeposit service). In statutorily defined circumstances, an employee may make service credit deposits or re-deposits, which include both principal and interest, to maximize the benefits he or she will receive upon retirement.
In July 2008, it was discovered that the system in place was not correctly calculating the amount of interest employees had to pay as part of their service credit deposits on a number of accounts. Interest on pre-October 1, 1982, deposits and re-deposits under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) is fixed at an annual rate of 3 percent and accrues daily. Interest on post October1, 1982, deposits and re-deposits under both CSRS and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) is variable and accrues annually. In some cases, interest was applied at the variable interest rates instead of the fixed 3 percent rate and in other cases the reverse happened. There were also some instances where interest was not charged at all for the year. Consequently, interest was either understated or overstated on many accounts.
So major aspects of the system were shut down to begin backup and contingency efforts, including providing manual calculations of deposit amounts upon request. Since the system was down so long, we also need to reconcile all the affected accounts, in essence turning back the clock and reapplying payments and re-computing the interest correctly, to bring the accounts current.
We are finalizing this effort now and are resuming normal operations. Accordingly, we are sending out letters and current statements to affected account holders, including anyone who had made a payment and did not get a receipt. Due to the length of time it took to adjust our system, we are providing those account holders with a one-time six month grace period in which to pay off their current balance without accruing additional interest. Because of the grace period, additional interest will not be assessed on active accounts from January 1, 2011 through June 30, 2011. If the account is not paid off during the grace period, interest will be charged on the balance that is effective on July 1, 2011.
Land of the free because of the brave.
Note: It is important that you go to the Update My Information link and update your work e-mail with your actual military e-mail. This is how you and your supervisor will coordinate the appraisal process. Also, reports will be sent to you through this process.
**VERIFICATION OF EMPLOYMENT**
You can now do this from you’re my Biz account. Check it out.
https://compo.dcpds.cpms.osd.mil
TALX, the previous employment verification process, is no longer available for use by National Guard Technicians. This process was terminated effective 11 February 2011. Technicians now must use the process in My Biz which is located in the Defense Civilian Personnel Data System (DCPDS). My biz and associated web pages are web-based tools created by the Department of Defense (DoD) as part of DCPDS to allow DoD personnel access to and management of their personal, personnel records.
In-Processing -
All new Temporary, Indefinite, Conditional and/or Permanent Technicians will need to bring their Military ID, Drivers License, Social Security Card, their Banking Account Information (which includes their routing and checking account number) and any DD214’s they may have (Member Copy 4).
Previous Temporary Technicians will not need to attend the in-processing briefing. However, they will need to schedule an appointment to come into HRO and fill out their Appointment Affidavit, W-4, Direct Deposit, and Address Form.
Technicians who are converting from Temporary Technicians to Indefinites, Conditional and/or Permanent Technicians will need to attend the Permanent In-Processing Briefing given.
Emails will be sent to the employee and to the employee’s supervisor letting them know of their in-processing time and date. If they are unable to attend please let the HRO in-processing representative know so that we are able to re-schedule them for the next week’s in-processing.
Awards
MEMORANDUM FOR SUPERVISORS of Technicians
The following items are required when submitting an award packet to HRO:
NGB 32
www.ngbpdc.ngb.army.mil/forms/Adobe/NGB32.pdf
Descriptive Narrative
Current Performance Appraisal
If you have questions regarding the Federal Incentive Awards Program, please contact SSgt Melissa Loepp at (208) 272-3780.
Hard Copy Leave and Earnings Statement
In accordance with the Department of Air Force policy, effective pay date April 29, 2011, the hard copy Leave and Earnings Statements (LESs) will be turned off. LESs are always available electronically on myPay at https://mypay.dfas.mil Instructions for using or starting myPay use are also available there.
*****Employee's questions regarding their personal information in My Biz/My Workplace should be directed to the servicing section:
• Position information (current/historical)Classification @ext 272-4221/DSN 422-4221
• Salary information
Staffing @ ext 272-4220/DSN 422-4220
• Appraisal and Awards information
ERS @ ext 272-4210/DSN 422-4210
• Personnel or Benefits
ERS @ ext 272-4224/DSN 422-4224
• Appointment information
Staffing @ ext 272-4220/DSN 422-4220
• Login Problems
PSM @ ext 272-4229/DSN 422-4229
I pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation under God, indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all.
The Army Benefits Center-Civilian (ABC-C) website now includes a brand-new feature - - announcing the "New Employee Benefits Tool Kit"!
The ABC-C is proud to offer this one-stop, streamlined page, designed to introduce new employees to the ABC-C and its services, provide information and tools on retirement and insurance benefits, and much more. The tool kit includes ABC-C's recently-announced automated and self-paced "New Employee Benefits Briefing", and also, an email inquiry box to allow appointees to contact the ABC-C with questions prior to the entrance on duty date.
The New Employee Benefits Tool Kit, a consideration for future use in the Electronic Entrance On Duty eEOD initiative, will make benefits in-processing much more efficient and also allows appointees to get a head start on learning about the Federal benefits available to them. Employees will have the references needed to make educated decisions regarding the benefits that will protect themselves and their family members today and tomorrow.
Each State HRO is asked to use and market the New Employee Benefits Tool Kit to the furthest extent possible. Serving Army, Defense Contracting Management Agency, and National Guard customers with pride, the ABC-C welcomes feedback via ICE. The New Employee Benefits Tool Kit is now available on the ABC-C website at https://www.abc.army.mil/NewEmployee/NewEmployeeToolKit.htm, or from the ABC-C Homepage https://www.abc.army.mil, "What's Hot", "New Employee Benefits Tool Kit".
How Do I Change My Beneficiary?
Have you updated your beneficiary forms lately? Completing beneficiary forms is an option available to every civilian employee. However, if you complete beneficiary forms, it becomes your responsibility to ensure the forms are current. A change in marital status or family status does not automatically change a beneficiary form that you previously submitted, nor does it prevent the beneficiary from receiving the death benefits that you designated. The most common mistake is when you name a spouse as beneficiary and later divorce that spouse, but forget to change the beneficiary form. There are several types of beneficiary forms that you can complete to designate your benefits that are payable after death. These forms include:
* SF 1152 - Designation of Beneficiary, Unpaid Compensation of Deceased Civilian Employee <http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF1152.pdf> - File with your local CPAC or HR representative.
* SF 2808 - Designation of Beneficiary, Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) <http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF2808.pdf> - Mail to OPM at the address at the bottom of the first page.
* SF 2823 - Designation of Beneficiary, Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Program <http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf2823.pdf> - File with your local CPAC or HR representative.
* SF 3102 - Designation of Beneficiary, Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) <http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF3102.pdf> - File with your local CPAC or HR representative.