SpecialPointsofInterest:

FamilyMedicalLeaveAct(FMLA)

Supervisor’sEmployeeWorkFolderBrief(AFForm971)

OralAdmonishments

 NSPS Info

The“FederalSupervisor”isaquarterlynewslettergearedtowardsthosewhosupervisorfederalcivilianemployees. ThisnewsletterismerelyonevenueinwhichtheHumanResources(HR)CivilianPersonnelOfficewillbeginutilizingin“reachingout”toDepartmentofAirForcesupervisors. ThepurposeofthisbulletinistoprovideimportantandusefulinformationonawidevarietyofHRtopicsthatwillempowersupervisorswiththeknowledgetheyneedtoeffectivelysupervisefederalcivilianemployees.

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FamilyMedicalLeaveAct(FMLA)

FrontlineresponsibilityforcompliancewithFMLArestswithsupervisorsandmanagers. SupervisorsandmanagersshouldbeawarethatanemployeewhoinvokesFMLAleaveforanyreasonmustprovide30daysnoticeoftheirintenttoinvokedFMLAorasmuchnoticeaspossiblegiventhecircumstancesinvolved. AnemployeewhodoesnotcomplywiththenoticerequirementordoesnotprovideacceptablemedicalcertificationsignedbythehealthcareproviderisnotentitledtoFMLAleave.

UndertheFamilyandMedicalLeaveActof1993(FMLA),coveredemployeesareentitledtoatotalof12administrativeworkweeksofunpaidleave(leavewithoutpay)duringany12-monthperiodforoneormoreofthefollowing:(1)birthofachildandcareofthenewborn,(2)adoptionorplacementofachildforfostercare,(3)careofafamilymemberwithaserioushealthconditionor(4)careandtreatmentforapersonalserioushealthconditionthatmakestheemployeeunabletoperformanyoneormoreoftheessentialfunctionsofhisorherposition.

TheNationalDefenseAuthorizationActforFiscalYear2008,whichwassignedintolawbyformerPresidentGeorgeW.BushonJanuary28,2008,amendedFMLAprovisionsin5U.S.C.6381-6383. ThenewprovisionsnowprovidemilitaryfamilyleaveentitlementsforaFederalemployeewho(1)isthespouse,son,daughter,parent,ornextofkin(definedasthenearestbloodrelative)ofacoveredservicememberwithaseriousinjuryorillnessand(2)providescareforsuchservicemember. TheseriousillnessorinjurymusthavebeenincurredbythecoveredservicememberinthelineofdutywhileonactivedutyintheArmedForces. Coveredfamilymembersareentitledupto26weeksofFMLAleaveduringasingle12-monthperiodtocarefortheservicemember. Duringthesingle12-monthperiod,theemployeeisentitledtoacombinedtotalof26weeksofregularFMLAleaveandmilitaryfamilyleave. Forexample,ifduringthesingle12-monthperiodanemployeewantstotake6weeksofregularFMLAleaveforthebirthofachild,aswellasmilitaryfamilyleaveforcareofaservicemember,the6weeksofregularFMLAleavewouldbesubtractedfromthecombinedentitlementof26weeks,leavingtheemployeewith20weeksofmilitaryfamilyleaveforcareoftheservicemember.

SimilartoregularFMLAleave,militaryleaveisunpaidleaveforwhichanemployeemaysubstituteanyaccumulatedannualorsickleave.

IfyouhavequestionsregardingFMLA,pleasecontactyourservicingHumanResourcesSpecialistorcallourHotlineat556-4737.

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Supervisor’sEmployeeWorkFolderBrief(AFForm971)

SupervisorsmustmaintainanofficialEmployeeWorkFolderBriefoneachfederalcivilianemployeetheysupervise. WhatshouldtheAFForm971contain?? AFForm971shouldcontainthefollowing:

  • CurrentAFForm971,Supervisor’sEmployeeBrief
  • Trainingrecords
  • Leaveschedules
  • PositionDescription
  • PerformanceAppraisals
  • Pendingpersonnelactions,awardsrecommendations,etc.
  • Disciplinary/adverseactionsbackupmaterials
  • Complaintsofindebtedness

Medicaldocumentation,includinginjurycompensationforms,suitabilityand/orsecurityinformationshouldnotbemaintainedinthisfolder.

TherearethreepartstotheSupervisor’sEmployeeWorkFolderBrief:

  • PartAcontainscurrentpersonalemployeedata
  • PartBsupervisor’snotes, performance, disciplinarydiscussionsgoodandbad
  • PartCemployee’sexperiencedata,education,performance,training,andawards

Maintainingaccurate,current,andcompleterecordsoneachemployeeyousuperviseisyourresponsibility!!

Formoreguidanceandinstructionsonsupervisor’srecordsweencourageyoutoreadAirForcePamphlet36-106. YoumayalsocontactyourservicingHumanResourceSpecialistforguidanceorcallourHotlineat556-4737.

OralAdmonishments

Anoraladmonishmentisadisciplinarydiscussionbetweenthesupervisorandemployee. Itisadisciplinaryaction,whichisnotanadverseaction. Itisinformalandtheleastseverepenaltyinthedisciplinaryprogram. Theoraladmonishmentisusedtocorrectmisconductordelinquencyortomotivateemployeestoimprovetheirworkhabits,workmethods,orbehavior. Becauseofitsadaptabilitytoavarietyofsituations,theoraladmonishmentisoftenadequatetoeffecttherequiredcorrectionorimprovement,particularlywhentheemployeehasnoprevioushistoryofviolations. Supervisorsconsideringanoraladmonishmentshould:

  • Gatheravailablefacts
  • Counselemployeesprivately. Letthemknowthepurposeofthemeeting,statingtheproblemandthefactssotheyclearlyunderstand.
  • Givetheemployeeanopportunitytoanswerandexpresstheirviewsonthematter.
  • Considertheemployeesanswerandanyexplanationsoffered.
  • Informtheemployeethattheyarebeingdisciplinedbyreceiptofanoraladmonishment.
  • Identifyareaswheretheemployeeneedsimprovementandsuggesthowtheymaydoso,andofferassistance.

Important! Itisimperativethatassoonasyouobservethemisbehavioryouprovidefeedbacktotheemployeeimmediately. Disciplinemustoccurasclosetothemisbehavioraspossibleorittendsnottobeashelpfulininfluencingfuturebehavior. Supervisorsmustbecarefultoreprimandonlythebehaviorandneverattackaperson’sworthorvalue.

Beconsistentandfairatalltimes!

Supervisorsconductinganoraladmonishmentmustbe suretoannotatetheemployee’sAFForm971withthewords“oraladmonishment”andabriefdescriptionofthereasonfortheadmonishment,theeffectivedate,andanoteshowingthatyouadvisedtheemployeeoftheadmonishment. Aftertwoyearsfromtheeffectivedateoftheoraladmonishment,ensurethatreferencetotheadmonishmentisdeleted.

“SupervisorsofBargainingUnitemployees(WageGradeandnon-supervisoryfirefighters)mustadheretoArticle30oftheCollectiveBargainingAgreement.”

ForadditionalinformationandguidanceconcerningoraladmonishmentsyouareencouragedtoreadAirForceInstruction36-704,DisciplineandAdverseActionsoryoumaycontactyourservicingHumanResourcesSpecialist.

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Please check out the 21 SW Community of Practice (21 SW CoP) for NSPS information, samples, how-to-guides, and general information. We will continue to post any new information regarding NSPS in future issues of the “Federal Supervisor” as it becomes available.


We would like to hear from you. Please tell us what topics and issues are important to you and what you would like to learn more about. We will include your topic in a future edition. Send your comments, suggestions, and requests to us at:

("CPF-Peterson" in the GAL)

CHECK IT OUT!! NSPS Training is ongoing. NSPS course offerings, materials, schedules and registration information is available on HQ AFSPC’s Community of Practice (CoP) at: