Module 2 FEDERAL HIRING PROCESS

1. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Module 2FEDERAL HIRING PROCESS Presented by: Human Resources Division *Please Note: The following content is subject to change due to OPM’s Hiring Reform Initiative. For more information on the reform please visit http://www.opm.gov. or contact a representative from HR (content last updated 6/2010).

2. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Human Resources Division Table of Contents • Purpose..........................................................................................................3 • Types of Vacancy Announcements..............................................................4 • Merit Promotion Vacancy............................................................................5 • MP Announcement Open Period..............................................................6 • Ratings......................................................................................................7 • Selection Process......................................................................................8 • DEU Vacancy.............................................................................................10 • DEU Announcement Open Period..........................................................11 • Ratings....................................................................................................12 • Veterans Preference Rules..........................................................................13 • Objections...............................................................................................18 • Rule of 3.....................................................................................................19 • Selection Process....................................................................................20 • Job Analysis...............................................................................................21 • When to Conduct a JA............................................................................23 • Results of a JA........................................................................................24 • Crediting Plan.............................................................................................25 Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

3. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Purpose Ensure Candidates are selected based on fair and open competition. Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

4. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Human Resources Division Types of Vacancy Announcements • MP: open to current Federal employees. • DEU: open to all sources inside and outside the Federal Government. Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

5. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Merit Promotion Vacancy Areas of Consideration • Agency-Wide • Current agency employees in competitive positions. • Government-Wide, Status Candidates • Typically current Federal employees, • Previous Federal employment. * Must already be “in the system” to be promoted. * Have some other type of non-competitive appointing authority. Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

6. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director MP Vacancy Announcement Open Period • Must be open a minimum of 8 calendar days (or whatever is in agency’s Merit Promotion Plan). • If opened as agency-wide, position will be posted on agency’s website as official notification to employees (please follow agency’s Merit Promotion Plan). • If opened to Status Candidates, it must be posted on USAJOBS. Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

7. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Ratings • HR Specialist reviews applications to determine minimum qualifications. • More than6 minimally qualified, a rating panel is convened and assigns points on how well a candidate meets the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) using a crediting plan (Please follow agency’s Merit Promotion Plan for determining Best Qualified). • 6 or fewer minimally qualified, the HR Specialist refers all that meet minimum qualifications (Please follow agency’s Merit Promotion Plan for determining Best Qualified). Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

8. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Selection Process • The Selecting Official receives the Selection Certificate • Can interview all, some, or none of the candidates • Any candidate on selection certificate may be selected • Candidates listed in alphabetical order • Selecting Official returns the Selection Certificate to HR • Returned through internal channels, rather than directly to HR to ensure necessary Office level approvals • HR Specialist makes the job offer • Telephonically first • Then in Writing (Offer letter) Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

9. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Selection Process (cont.) • Noncompetitive appointment of certain Military spouses to Competitive service positions: • Those who are relocating with their service-member spouse as a result of permanent change of station (PCS) orders, • Spouses of service members who incurred a 100% disability because of the service member's active duty service, and • Spouses of service members killed while on active duty. *This appointing authority merely provides for non-competitive entry into the competitive service. It does not constitute, establish, or convey a hiring preference. Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

10. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director DEU VACANCY Area of Consideration All Sources or Non-Status Candidates Advertised to everyone inside and outside of the Federal government. * Also called Delegated Examining Unit – DEU.

11. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director DEU Announcement Open Period • Must be open a minimum of 5 work days. • Vacancy Announcement will be posted on USAJOBS. Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

12. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Ratings • HR Specialist reviews applications to determine minimum qualifications. • Further rating by Subject Matter Expert (SME) is usually required • SME uses the crediting plan to assign ratings. • HR Specialist adds any additional veteran’s preference points and then prepares the selection certificate. • Candidates are referred based on their scores and according to Veteran’s Preference and the Rule of 3. Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

13. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Veteran’s Preference Rules • Must be followed when Selecting Official is considering candidates. • Cannot pass over a veteran to select a non-veteran. • 10-Point 30 Percent Compensable Disability Preference (CPS) • Ten points are added to the passing examination score or rating of a veteran who served at any time and who has a compensable service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more. • 10-Point Disability Preference (XP) Ten points are added to the passing examination score or rating of: • A veteran who served at any time and has a present service-connected disability or is receiving compensation, disability retirement benefits, or pension from the military or the Department of Veterans Affairs but does not qualify as a CP or CPS; or • A veteran who received a Purple Heart. Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

14. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Veteran’s Preference Rules (cont.) • 10-Point Derived Preference (XP) • ˗˗ Ten points are added to the passing examination score or rating of • spouses, widows, widowers, or mothers of veterans as described below. • This type of preference is usually referred to as "derived preference" • because it is based on service of a veteran who is not able to use the • preference. • ˗˗ Both a mother and a spouse (including widow or widower) may be • entitled to preference on the basis of the same veteran's service if they • both meet the requirements. However, neither may receive preference if • the veteran is living and is qualified for Federal employment.

15. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Veteran’s Preference Rules (cont.) • 5-Point Preference (TP) •  Five points are added to the passing examination score or rating of a veteran who served: • During a war; or • During the period April 28, 1952 through July 1, 1955; or • For more than 180 consecutive days, other than for training, any part of which occurred after January 31, 1955, and before October 15, 1976; or • During the Gulf War from August 2, 1990, through January 2, 1992; or • For more than 180 consecutive days, other than for training, any part of which occurred during the period beginning September 11, 2001, and ending on the date prescribed by Presidential proclamation or by law as the last day of Operation Iraqi Freedom; or Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

16. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Veteran’s Preference Rules (cont.) • In a campaign or expedition for which a campaign medal has been authorized. Any Armed Forces Expeditionary medal or campaign badge, including El Salvador, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Southwest Asia, Somalia, and Haiti,  qualifies for preference. • A campaign medal holder or Gulf War veteran who originally enlisted after September 7, 1980, (or began active duty on or after October 14, 1982, and has not previously completed 24 months of continuous active duty) must have served continuously for 24 months or the full period called or ordered to active duty. The 24-month service requirement does not apply to 10-point preference eligibles separated for disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, or to veterans separated for hardship or other reasons under 10 U.S.C. 1171 or 1173. Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

17. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Veteran’s Preference Rules (cont.) • For professional series (a positive education requirement exists) at GS-9 or higher, scores are augmented by veterans preference, if any. • For all other positions, the following applies: • The names of CP and CPS veterans are listed at the top (automatically float to the top of the selection certificate), • Scores are augmented by veterans preference points, if any, for XP and TP (do not automatically float to the top of the selection certificate). Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

18. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Objections to Veterans • Can be based on medical or suitability* issues, • Sustained objections are infrequent. • An example might be if an applicant intentionally provides false information on their application. Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

19. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director The Rule of 3 • Selection must be made from the highest3 eligibles on the selection certificate; • An agency may not pass over a veteran to select a non-veteran. • Documentation of Declination by Candidate; • Preferably in writing from the candidate (e-mail will suffice). • Additional names can be certified. Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

20. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Selection Process • HR issues the selection certificate (cert) to the selecting official • Can interview all, some, or none of the candidates • Selecting Official makes selection (adhering to VP Rules and Rule of 3); • designates “A” for selection and “NS” for non-selection of other candidates. • HR Specialist makes the job offer • Verbal offer • Offer Letter Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

21. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Job Analysis • OPM Mandated, • Identifies competencies/KSA’s directly related to performance on the job. • A Job Analysis should identify: • Basic duties/responsibilities of job, and • KSA’s required to perform the duties and responsibilities. Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

22. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Job Analysis • Should be based on all relevant documents such as: • Position Descriptions, • Qualification standards, and • Classification standards. • Must be documented thoroughly, dated, and maintained in case file; • Documentation of essential duties necessary to bring to the job AND how they will be rated. • Must be completed before a Vacancy Announcement is created. Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

23. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director When to Conduct a Job Analysis • May not need to conduct a new job analysis every time you seek to fill a job, • If there are recurring jobs in the same occupation with similar duties and responsibilities, job analyses can be standardized, or • If the job is different/unlike another position, a job analysis must be conducted. Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

24. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Results of Job Analysis • Should provide a list of tasks and duties associated with that job, which are then used to create the Vacancy Announcement, and • Should identify the importance of tasks and duties and should include an indication of the frequency with which these duties are performed. Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

25. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Crediting Plan • Crediting Plan/Rating Schedule is the criteria used to evaluate an applicant’s job-related competencies/KSA’s; • Ratings are performed by a Subject Matter Expert (SME). • Each KSA has a Benchmark or Level of Achievement (Examples of Accomplishments) with an assigned point value. • Levels of Achievement: • Outstanding • Highly Satisfactory • Satisfactory Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

26. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Crediting Plan (cont.) • Examples of accomplishments can be gathered from the job information e.g., position descriptions and/or SMEs. • Be specific in the crediting plan/rating schedule and try to steer clear of words like “extensive” and “limited”. Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

27. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Crediting Plan (cont.) • Example: Instead of “extensive experience writing analytical reports” we might include “applicant provided examples of analytical energy reports they they’ve written/co-written”. • Example: Instead of “limited experience working with Microsoft products” we might say “provided administrative assistance in order to run reports from Microsoft products such as Excel and/or Access”. Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

28. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of the Executive Director Crediting Plan (cont.) • HR will take the lead to ensure that crediting plans are created and fine-tuned to be a valuable assessment tool. • We need the active participation of the office: • SMEs know the job/type of applicant required to best fill the position. • AOs can assist HR in the completion of the Crediting Plan (in advance of advertisement). Module 1: Federal Hiring Process

29. Questions Module 1: Federal Hiring Process