The following are questions (and answers) employees frequently have about staffing within the Department of Interior.
The Frequently Asked Questions are:
- How are jobs filled within DOI?
- How do I apply for vacancies?
- What is priority consideration?
- What does CTAP mean and how does it affect the filling of vacancies?
- Where can I find information on internal merit promotion procedures?
- How do I apply for a transfer?
- What is a service computation date?
- What is the purpose of time-in-grade restrictions?
- Who establishes qualification requirements for positions?
- How do I qualify for promotions?
- How is education used to qualify individuals for positions?
- How are candidates evaluated for positions?
- What information can I receive on how I was rated for a position?
- Am I allowed to file a complaint if I am not selected for a promotion?
- What is a probationary period?
- Do employees have appeal rights under RIF procedures?
DOI positions may be filled internally (from within DOI) or from external sources. Supervisors, with the advice and assistance of a personnel specialist, will normally determine how they will fill a vacant position. They consider the level and nature of the position and the likelihood of attracting high quality candidates for the position before determining and extending the recruitment area. They also consider the impact of attracting and maintaining a diverse work force.
Personnel offices announce vacancies and accept applications from candidates who apply from within the area of consideration. Candidates are then rated and ranked against established criteria. Those candidates who are ranked as the "best qualified" are referred to the supervisor for selection consideration.
Vacancies are normally advertised through USAJOBS. Bureaus may decide to use local methods of advertising when the area of consideration for the vacancy is limited within a bureau. Vacancy announcements will specify the area of consideration and provide instructions on how to apply. You must follow these instructions to include submitting the appropriate forms specified in the announcement. Generally, you must address selective placement and quality ranking factors by responding to questions listed in the vacancy announcement. The vacancy announcement will also specify whether facsimiles or electronic mail transmissions will be accepted. Be sure to submit the application according to the cutoff date established in the vacancy announcement.
What is priority consideration?
Priority consideration means that some candidates must be considered before others because of something having happen to them in the past. Examples are: candidates who were discriminated against and did not receive full and fair consideration for a position; employees placed in a lower graded position through no fault of their own (classification downgrade, etc.); candidates affected by reduction-in-force; or candidates who previously received improper consideration due to administrative error, etc. Priority consideration does not always mean that a candidate must be selected for the job.
What does CTAP mean and how does it affect the filling of vacancies?
CTAP (Career Transition Assistance Plan) is the agency program that provides assistance to employees who have been separated or are likely to be separated by reduction-in-force. There are four components to the DOI CTAP:
- Career Transition Training and Support Services that provide skills assessment, resume preparation, counseling and job search assistance.
- Special Selection Priority (SSP) that provides for selecting surplus or displaced DOI employees, who apply for vacancies in the local commuting area.
- Reemployment Priority List (RPL) that provides placement assistance of qualified DOI employees or former employees in the local commuting area.
- Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) provides for priority consideration of displaced employees or former employees of other Federal agencies.
Where can I find information on internal merit promotion procedures?
370 DM 335, Promotion and Internal Placement, and bureau implementation plans contain DOI merit promotion procedures. Consult your personnel office for information on the application of merit promotion procedures within your bureau.
How do I apply for a transfer?
You may apply to other Federal agencies for positions advertised through USAJOBS or other announcement sources. Agencies have the discretion to decide the sources of applicants they will consider. Transfers may result from reassignments to the same grade, changes to lower grade, or promotions to positions at a higher grade or with known promotion potential. You must meet the qualifications for the position, which are generally described in the vacancy announcement, and rank among the best qualified applicants to be selected. The vacancy announcement will also contain information on the appropriate forms and other requirements for applying for the position.
What is a service computation date?
The service computation date (SCD) is either an actual or constructed date, used to determine benefits and indicates how long an employee has been in the Federal service.
SCD-Leave is used to determine the rate of annual leave accrual (four hours biweekly for less than three years of service; six hours biweekly period for 3-15 years of service; and eight hours biweekly period for fifteen or more years of service).
SCD-RIF is the date used for reduction-in-force purposes that determines an employee's retention standing or seniority in a reduction-in-force.
These dates are calculated based on an amount of "creditable" service. Creditable service is Federal government employment (civilian or military) that meets the requirements for the particular type of benefit (SCD-Leave or SCD-RIF). The SCD is calculated by subtracting the total years, months, and days of prior creditable service from the date of the most recent appointment.
There are different SCDs because periods of service are counted as "creditable" for different purposes. For example, under the law prior military service that did not terminate honorably is creditable for SCD-RIF, but not for SCD-Leave.
What is the purpose of time-in-grade restrictions?
Time-in-grade restrictions are intended to prevent excessively rapid promotions and protect competitive principles. They apply to competitive service General Schedule positions.
Who establishes qualification requirements for positions?
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has established qualification requirements for General Schedule and Federal Wage positions in the competitive service. (OPM) Operating Manual for Qualification Standards for General Schedule positions, and the Handbook X-118C Job Qualification System for Trades and Labor Occupations, contain qualification standards for occupations in the Federal government.
OPM authorizes agencies to establish qualification requirements for positions when no appropriate OPM standard exists. Agencies may also establish qualification requirements for positions in the excepted service, or may use standards established by OPM.
How do I qualify for promotions?
You must meet the education, training, experience, or other requirements specified for the position for which you are applying. For most positions at the GS-7 level or higher, you must have specialized experience that is closely related to the work of the position. At least one year of the specialized experience must have been gained at a level equivalent to the next lower grade.
How is education used to qualify individuals for positions?
Most positions have qualification standards that allow for the substition of education for some experience. Education and experience may be combined to meet minimum requirements, if the applicable standard allows for qualifying either based on experience or education.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has also established minimum education requirements for professional occupations. These positions have a "positive education requirement" and generally require completion of degree requirements to meet minimum qualification.
Education, alone, may qualify for positions (up to the GS-13 level). For example, four academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree, or a Bachelor's degree is typically qualifying for the GS-5 level. One year of graduate education may qualify for the GS-7 level and a Master's or equivalent degree may qualify for the GS-9 level, etc.
How are candidates evaluated for positions?
Candidates are evaluated for specific positions through the use of a Job Analysis and Crediting Plan. The Job Analysis identifies the basic duties of the position, and the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) required to perform the duties. The Crediting Plan specifies the minimum qualifications (education, training, or experience) requirements for basic eligibility, and quality ranking factors used to identify the best qualified applicants.
Minimum qualifications in the crediting plan would also include any job-related selective factors, if appropriate. Selective factors are specific qualifications (KSAs, licensure or certification) required to perform successfully in the position. Quality ranking factors used to determine applicants that are better qualified for the position, are KSAs expected to enhance performance in the position, but are not essential for satisfactory performance.
During the evaluation process, candidates' experience, education, training, awards, outside activities, self development and supervisory appraisals are reviewed and evaluated against the crediting plan. Evaluations are normally conducted by Personnel specialists or panels.
What information can I receive on how I was rated for a position?
You may request and receive information on whether you qualified and were referred for selection; who was selected; your own supervisory appraisal and rating on the ranking element; procedures used to arrive at the final scores and cut off scores; and any other information allowed by the Freedom of Information Act or the Privacy Act.
Am I allowed to file a complaint if I am not selected for a promotion?
Nonselection from a list of properly ranked and certified applicants is not grievable. You may, however, use complaint processes appropriate for other complaints such as discrimination, etc.
What is a probationary period?
New employees in the competitive service serve a probationary period upon initial appointment. This period is used to determine the employee's fitness for their job. The length of the probationary period is one year. If during that time, the employee fails to demonstrate the required qualifications for continued employment, the employee may be terminated.
Employees initially assigned to supervisory positions are also required to serve a probationary periods. Employees who fail to satisfactorily complete the supervisory probationary period may be removed from the supervisory position.
Do employees have appeal rights under RIF procedures?
An employee who has been separated, downgraded, or furloughed for more than 30 days by a RIF has the right to appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) (within 30 days after the effective date of the RIF action), if the employee feels that the agency did not properly follow the RIF regulations. An employee in a bargaining unit covered by negotiated grievance procedure that does not exclude RIF must use the negotiated grievance procedure and may not appeal to MSPB, unless the employee alleges the action was based on discrimination.
