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Idaho Bulletin 360-8-18

September 11, 2008

SUBJECT:  PER - Performance Award Nominations for FY 2008

TO:   All Employees, NRCS, Idaho

Purpose: To provide guidance for the Fiscal Year 2008 performance award nominations

Expiration Date:  September 30, 2009

Action Required By:

November  5 – Quality Step Increase, Performance Bonus, and Extra Effort Award nominations  due to ASTC/Principal Staff

November 12 – ASTC/Principal staff submit nominations for Outstanding Performance, Performance Bonus, and Extra Effort Awards nominations to Sue Ellis, Human Resources Officer

The NRCS Employee Recognition Program is designed to fairly and equitably recognize and reward individuals for excellence in enhancement, support and service to the Agency’s mission through consistently high levels of performance.  To view the General Manual policy on the NRCS Employee Recognition Program please visit: http://policy.nrcs.usda.gov/scripts/lpsiis.dll/GM_360_414.htm

Performance Bonus Awards are lump-sum cash payments for recognition of accomplishments that exceed expectations as documented in the employee’s annual performance plan and are based on the employee’s most recent rating of record.  Performance Bonus Awards are intended to recognize individual performance and may not be given for group contributions.

Rating Officials are responsible for requesting performance bonus awards for staff.  The following ranges may be used as a guide when deciding potential bonus awards.

  • Performance Awards for Employees Rated Outstanding will include QSI’s or cash equivalent ranging from a minimum of 3 percent of the employee’s base pay (without locality) up to a maximum of 10 percent.

  • Performance Awards for Employees Rated Superior will range from a minimum of 1.1 percent of the employee’s base pay (without locality) up to a maximum of 2.9 percent.

  • Performance Awards for Employees Rated Successful will range from no bonus amount up to a maximum of 1 percent of base pay (without locality).

When determining the amount of a bonus award, consider the employee’s rating for each element; consistency of awards given to other employees with similar ratings, and the scope and complexity of the position. 

An employee who is rated at the superior level and exceeds the majority of the elements should receive a higher percentage versus an employee who receives the same rating but exceeded fewer elements.  Consideration should also be given to how much the standard was exceeded.  For example, if the standard called for completing assigned goals 85-90 percent of the time and the employee exceed the goals 98 percent of the time; the award amount should be based on the higher percentage range.

Employees who have one or more elements rated at “marginal” or lower are not eligible for any performance bonus awards.

Quality Step Increase (QSI) Awards may be granted when an employee’s final adjective rating is “outstanding”.  Rating officials should consider whether a QSI is appropriate or advantageous to the employee.  A QSI may not be appropriate or advantageous to an employee if the employee is about to receive a promotion or vacate his or her position.  Employees may receive only one QSI during a 52-week period, and not in conjunction with a Performance Bonus Award.  A QSI Award is an individual award given as an additional within-grade increase (WGI) for outstanding performance, without regard to required waiting periods, that increases an employee’s base pay. If the employee is in the 10th step of the grade, he/she grade will receive the monetary equivalent to a step increase. QSI nominations can only be submitted by the nominee’s supervisor.

Since Performance Bonus Awards are based on the employee’s annual rating, employees may receive only one performance bonus award within a 52-week period, and not in conjunction with a QSI.

To nominate an employee for a performance bonus award:

  • Prepare an AD-287-2, Recommendation and Approval of Awards.  Supervisor should sign as the “Recommending Individual and (Attach #1).
  • Include an AD-435-A Summary rating sheet.
  • Prepare a Justification Outline, not to exceed two pages (Attach #2).
  • Submit nominations through the appropriate ASTC by Nov 5, 2008. ASTC signs as “Reviewing Official”.
  • The ASTC will forward to Human Resources by Nov 12, 2008.

The performance bonus award system provides an opportunity to recognize employees for their overall performance during the fiscal year.  Justification cannot include recognition that was previously given to an employee through a Spot Award or an Extra Effort Award during FY08.

The Spot Award recognition program is to be used throughout the performance year for a one time noteworthy achievement such as using personal initiative and creativity to solve an unusual problem or producing an excellent work product under a tight deadline.  Recognition in these instances should usually be within 4-6 weeks of the contribution.

An Extra Effort Award is a one-time lump sum cash award which is appropriate when an employee or group of employees performs substantially beyond expectations on a specific assignment, for a single project, or similar one-time achievement of a non-recurring nature. Amounts for Extra Effort awards must be based on tangible and/or intangible benefits to the government.  Any employee may nominate another employee for an Extra Effort Award.  If you nominate an employee that you do not supervise, the supervisor must be informed of the nomination.  

Group Awards
This is a reminder that an extra effort award may be given to a group of individuals. An example would be if a group of employees performed beyond expectations on a specific assignment the entire group could be given an extra effort award.

To nominate an employee/group for an extra effort award:

  • Prepare an AD-287-2; Recommendation and Approval of Awards (Attach #1).
  • Prepare a Justification Outline, not to exceed two pages (Attach #2).
  • Submit award package to the nominee's supervisor.  Supervisors are to comment on nominations they receive for the purpose of providing clarification and strength to the substance of the written justification.  Supervisors should sign/date the AD-287-2 in the section for Recommendation and Approval block 21.
  • Supervisors (if not the ASTC/principal staff) should forward nominations to the respective ASTC/principal staff by Nov 5, 2008.
  • ASTC/principal staff, include their comments and forward the nominations to Human Resources by Nov 12, 2008.

The justification for an Extra Effort Award cannot include an assignment or achievement that was recognized with a Spot Award during FY08.

Human Resources will forward all award nominations to State Conservationist and Assistant State Conservationist (Management) for final approval.  Our goal is to have the Human Resources staff process all approved awards through EmpowHR for receipt of awards by employees by mid-December 2008.

For assistance, refer to Idaho Employee Recognition Delegation Chart (Attachment #3). Award forms can be found on the intranet at http://www.id.nrcs.usda.gov/intranet/forms.html

Make certain your nomination is routed in a timely fashion in order to meet the established deadlines. The deadlines are to ensure timely preparation and processing of cash awards. Late nominations will not receive consideration. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Sue Ellis at 208-378-5733.


/s/
JEFF BURWELL
STATE CONSERVATIONIST     

Attachments

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