The Revised PEP Process

1. The Revised PEP Process Presented by… Rick Losemann Director, Employee Relations Division Office of Personnel Services and Benefits

2. Purpose of PEP Process • Facilitate communication between employee and supervisor re: expectations and job performance • Acknowledge successes • Openly discuss areas for enhancement and improvement

3. PEP & Progressive Discipline • Progressive discipline and the PEP process work hand-in-hand • PEP process is meant to help employees with performance problems to improve • Progressive discipline is used to hold employees with performance problems accountable if they do not improve

4. Steps in PEP Process 4 • Beginning-of-Cycle • Mid-Cycle • End-of-Cycle

5. Unified PEP Rating Periods • All employees will be rated during same timeframe each year based on EOD • Each employee will receive a Mid-Cycle or End-of-Cycle rating during June and December of each year • No formal Mid- or End-of-Cycle PEP evaluations should be completed, and no ratings will be accepted, outside of the two unified evaluation periods

6. Beginning-of-Cycle • Employee and Supervisor meet to: • Discuss employee’s status • Review Position Description • Discuss performance expectations for coming year

7. Maintain Up-to-Date Position Descriptions for all subordinate staff

8. Performance Standards • Duties/Functions on which employee will be rated during PEP • Described in Position Description and listed on PEP form • Consistent with duties and responsibilities for assigned class

9. Performance Standards • Must be: Specific, attainable, relevant, measurable, and fully consistent with duties, responsibilities, and grade described in the Position Description

10. Performance Standards • Provided to employee at beginning of rating period • Changed during the period only after review with the employee • Describe outcomes for “Outstanding”, as well as “Satisfactory”

11. Mid-Cycle PEP • First rating period after hire, same rating period each year thereafter • Lets employee know how supervisor feels the employee is doing • Only need full evaluation if overall rating is “Unsatisfactory” • Not grievable – employee may provide written comments

12. Performance Ratings • Possible ratings: • Outstanding • Satisfactory • Unsatisfactory • “Satisfactory” = “doing good job” • Supervisor should provide comments for any rating other than “Satisfactory”

13. Full Evaluation Process:Management Preparation • Supervisor prepares preliminary performance appraisal • Appointing Authority may review appraisal before presented to employee • Appointing authority shall approve a performance appraisal before it is final • Appointing authority may only change End-of-Cycle evaluation with written justification • Must cite performance standard/behavioral element and actual performance

14. Full Evaluation Process: Employee Preparation • While no longer mandatory, each employee should be given an opportunity to participate the in performance appraisal process by preparing a self-assessment that: • evaluates performance during rating period; • suggests ways the employee and supervisor can enhance employee’s contribution to unit’s mission, goals, and objectives; and, • suggests training or other methods to promote development of employee’s career objectives in the unit

15. Evaluation Process: Meeting • Employee shall be notified prior to the date of the review and discussion (PEP process requires employee be given 5 days notice prior to the meeting, in order to complete the self-assessment) • Employee and supervisor shall review and discuss the supervisor’s assessment, including employee’s self-assessment, if one is completed

16. Purpose ofReview & Discussion • Promote agreement and understanding about assessment and aid supervisor in determining final ratings • Develop appropriate modifications to Position Description, if needed • Establish specific tasks & indicators that employee needs to accomplish during next rating period to meet overall objectives of the position • Identify any area of training needed, based on employee’s strengths and weaknesses

17. Practical Considerations • Do not rate standards/elements that employee did not have an opportunity to perform • Consider equipment & resource problems, lack of training, frequent interruptions, and other matters outside of employee’s control • Pre-approved time away from the job (sick, personal, annual leave; authorized union duty time; other authorized purposes) should not be considered negatively in rating • No quotas, or prescribed distribution of ratings may be imposed • Employees dealing with Private Service Providers

18. End-of-Cycle Evaluation • Final performance appraisal shall include: • employee’s final performance ratings; • specific tasks employee is to achieve during the next rating period; • any modifications to the employee’s Position Description; • recommendations for training to enhance employee’s skills • Copies to: Supervisor, Employee, Official Personnel File

19. End-of-Cycle Considerations • If employee is reassigned or transfers during the performance cycle: • gets exit appraisal from current supervisor; • new supervisor evaluates employee for # of months working together; • evaluations averaged in accordance with the number of months evaluated by each appraisal • If employee has been working for new supervisor at least 6 months, they can agree not to use the former supervisor’s appraisal

20. More Practical Considerations • If the evaluating supervisor is not the direct supervisor, must have actual knowledge of the employee’s performance • A statement of employee’s objection to an appraisal or comment may be attached and put in their personnel file • Appointing authority must approve End-of-Cycle rating before it is final • But, appointing authority can change End-of-Cycle evaluation only with written justification, citing employee’s performance standards/behavioral elements and actual performance

21. END-OF-CYCLE “Unsatisfactory” • Employee has 180 days to attain an overall “Satisfactory” rating or employment shall be terminated • Performance Improvement Plan: • Identify unacceptable performance; • Describe what employer and employee will do to aid employee in improving; • Meet and evaluate at 90 and 180 days

22. DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS

23. Performance-Related Discipline Steps • Investigate employee’s performance, including most recent performance appraisals; • Notify employee in writing of the deficiency, and provide explanation of employer’s position, with: • Specific instances of unacceptable performance on which proposed action is based; • Performance Standards/behavioral elements involved in each specification of unacceptable performance; • A description of the efforts made by the employer to assist the employee in improving performance. • Meet with employee to hear explanation, unless unavailable or unwilling to meet; and, • After determining appropriate discipline, give written notice of disciplinary action to be taken and appeal rights, and inform employee of effective date of disciplinary action

24. ADDRESS PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY ESCALATE!!!

25. Keep Up with the PEP Process

26. Rating Errors • Halo effect • Horn effect • Restriction of Range • Contrast error • Frame of reference error • First impression error • Recency error • AVOIDANCE!

27. Keep your Manager informed of your concerns regarding subordinates