NRCS MISSISSIPPI ADMINISTRATIVE HANDBOOK

Table of Contents

 

PURPOSE                                                                                                                                     1

 

HUMAN RESOURCES                                                                                                               1

Personal Records                                                                                                                       1

Computer IDs/Passwords                                                                                                          2

Picture IDs                                                                                                                                 3

Benefits                                                                                                                                      3

      Personal Benefits Statements                                                                                                      3

   Retirement                                                                                                                                 4

      Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)                                                                          4

         Immediate Retirement                                                                                                             4

         Early Retirement                                                                                                                     5

         Deferred Retirement                                                                                                               5

      Retirement on Immediate Annuity – CSRS                                                                                 6

      Credit for Unused Sick Leave                                                                                                    6

      Deposits for Creditable Service and Redeposits for Refunded Service under                               6

         the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)

      Deposits for Creditable Service                                                                                                  6

      Redeposits for Refunded Service                                                                                               7

      Service Credit Deposits for Creditable Service & Redeposit for the Civil                                    7

            Service Retirement System (CSRS)

      Thrift Savings Plan                                                                                                                     8

   Dress Code                                                                                                                                9

   Telephone Tips                                                                                                                          9

   Office Mail                                                                                                                                 9

   Work Schedules                                                                                                                         9

      Credit Hours                                                                                                                           10

      Changing Tour of Duty                                                                                                             11

      Emergency Situations                                                                                                               11

      Establishment of Lunch-Time Periods                                                                                       11

      Overtime                                                                                                                                 12

   Employee Development                                                                                                          12

      Documentation of Training                                                                                                       12

      Career Development Plans                                                                                                       12

   Worker’s Compensation                                                                                                         13

      Notice of Injury                                                                                                                       13

      Medical Treatment                                                                                                                   13

      Lost Wages                                                                                                                             13

   Leave                                                                                                                                        14

      Annual Leave                                                                                                                          14

      Restoration of Annual Leave                                                                                                    15

      Advancing Annual Leave                                                                                                         16

      Sick Leave                                                                                                                              16

      Advancing Sick Leave                                                                                                             16

      Sick Leave for Family Members                                                                                              16

      Sick Leave for Family Members with a Serious Health Condition                                              17

      Sick Leave for Adoption                                                                                                          17

      Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)                                                                                  17

      Leave for Parental Purposes                                                                                                    17

      Leave Without Pay (LWOP)                                                                                                   17

      Absence Without Leave (AWOL)                                                                                           18

      Excused Absence                                                                                                                    18

      Court Leave/Witness Service                                                                                                   18

         Court Leave                                                                                                                         18

         Witness Service                                                                                                                    18

         Subpoenas                                                                                                                           18

      Compensatory Time Off (Comp Time)                                                                                     19

      Military Leave                                                                                                                         19

      Voluntary Leave Transfer Program                                                                                           19

   Employee Assistance Program                                                                                               23

   Applying for Federal Vacancies                                                                                              23

 

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT                                                                                                24

   Time and Attendance                                                                                                               24

   Budgets                                                                                                                                    24

      Discretionary/Mandatory Funds                                                                                               25

         Discretionary Funds                                                                                                              25

         Mandatory Funds                                                                                                                 25

         Within-Grade Increases                                                                                                        25

   Travel                                                                                                                                       25

   Government Travel Credit Cards                                                                                           28

 

MANAGEMENT SERVICES                                                                                                   29

   Government Owned Vehicles (GOV)                                                                                     29

   Voyager Fleet Charge Cards                                                                                                  30

   Insurance Coverage for Accidents and/or Liability                                                               30

      Government-Owned Vehicles                                                                                                  30

      Privately-Owned Vehicles                                                                                                        30

      Commercially-Leased Vehicles                                                                                                30

   Procurement                                                                                                                             32

      Mandatory Procurement Source                                                                                              32

      Business Cards                                                                                                                        32

      Day Planners Refills                                                                                                                 32

      Printing                                                                                                                                    33

      Protective Equipment, Clothing, and Supplies                                                                           33

      Purchase from Employees                                                                                                        33

      Procurement of Light Refreshments and/or Meals                                                                     33

   Safeguarding Sensitive Information                                                                                       34

 

 

 

ADMINISTRATIVE HANDBOOK – NRCS – MISSISSIPPI            2/2007

 

PURPOSE

The purpose of this handbook is to provide guidance and information regarding various commonly encountered administrative matters in the areas of human resources, financial management, procurement, employee responsibilities and conduct, etc.  Information in this document supplements the General Manual and questions regarding its contents should be directed to the appropriate staff person identified on the Administrative Management website located on the Mississippi Homepage, About Us.

 

HUMAN RESOURCES

Personal Records

The following records should be maintained by employees as a part of their personal files:

 
  • Personnel Actions
  • Time and Attendance Reports
  • Performance Standards & Appraisals
  • Position Descriptions
  • Training Documents
  • Awards Documents

 

Some of these documents are maintained in your Official Personnel Folder (OPF) located in the Human Resources (HR) Office.  Other information regarding certain service computation dates (SCD) to keep in mind is as follows:

 

·        Probationary/Trial Period SCD – is considered the final step in the examining process for competitive service employees upon their initial appointment to Federal service – is one year in length - this period is used to determine the employee’s fitness for continued employment in his/her position. 

·        Within Grade Increase SCD – used to determine when these periodic pay increases are due – General Schedule employees are eligible for within-grade increases, unless they are denied for poor performance, after the following waiting periods:  52 weeks for advancement to steps 2-4; 104 weeks for advancement to steps 5-7; and 156 weeks for advancement to steps 8-10.  Also, a “quality step increase” of one step can be awarded under some agency performance incentive programs.  See http://www.opm.gov/oca/pay/html/wgifact.asp for more details.

·        Leave SCD - determines the rate of annual leave accrual (4 hours biweekly for less than 3 years of service; 6 hours biweekly period for 3-15 years of service; and 8 hours biweekly period for 15 or more years of service).

·        Career Tenure SCD – is three years in length – used to determine date employee acquires career status - see http://www.usajobs.gov/EI38.asp for more details.

·        Retirement SCD – determines the date the required service is met for retirement eligibility. 

·        RIF SCD - the date used for reduction-in-force purposes that determines an employee's retention standing or seniority in a reduction-in-force.

·        TSP SCD – determines the date employee becomes vested in the agency automatic 1 percent contribution.

 

You should notify HR of any change in your name, home address, and/or family status as your benefits and/or receiving them can be affected.  As a new employee there are some decisions that you will need to make, most within 31 or 60 days from your appointment date.  Also as events occur and change during your life some of these benefits are affected.  See the information on making these decisions at the web sites below.

 

http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/new_employees.asp

You also need to consider Designations of Beneficiary https://www.opm.gov/insur/life/designate.asp

 

The following automated systems are available and encourage to be utilized by employees:

 

·        Employee Personal Page (EPP) – You can change your Residence Address, Federal and State Tax withholding, Financial Allotments, and Direct Deposit information.  It also allows you to view your payroll, leave, travel, life/health insurance, savings bonds, and other personal information.  EPP is accessed through the NFC home page at (www.nfc.usda.gov).  You will need your social security number (SSN) and Password.  This system can also be set up to use your Eauthentication credentials.  Instructions are provided on the website.

·        Employment Verification (The Work Number for Everyone) – provides employment and salary verification information through a touch-tone phone or computer to credit and reference verifiers upon request.  This service is used to secure a loan or rent an apartment.  Information on this service can be accessed at http://www.nfc.usda.gov/worknum/index.htm.

·        My NRCS Employee Intranet – http://my.nrcs.usda.gov/ - provides important information for NRCS employees and has links to various other web sites.

 

Computer IDs/Passwords

The following information is provided in an effort to clarify the identification of persons responsible for various computer IDs/passwords:

 

Information System Security Point of Contacts (ISSPOC) -  to process requests to add, modify, and/or delete user access to network login IDs, email accounts, and remote access (dial up and VPN).  In other words, for initial computer access, employee moves, employee removals from system, etc. Kay Armstrong (Kay.Armstrong@ms.usda.gov) and Linda Laster (Linda.Laster@ms.usda.gov) are your contacts.

 

Departmental Computer Center (DCC) Access Coordinators – to process requests to add, modify, and/or delete user access to National Finance Center (NFC) accounts and National Information Technology Center (NITC) accounts, password resets and VPS printer issues - Felicia Howard (Felicia.Howard@ms.usda.gov) and Faith Miller (Faith.Miller@ms.usda.gov) are your contacts.

 

For ICAMS passwords – used primarily to input performance standards and ratings, performance appraisals, training, and award nominations.  There is also a screen for self-profile where you can update emergency contacts, education level and other personal information.  Supervisors can make supervisory queries to obtain retirement information, training history, and other information about employees under their supervision. Uylanda Weathers (Uylanda.Weathers@ms.usda.gov) is your contact.

 

New and current employees must contact the Eauthentication (Eauth) Help Desk at eAuthHelpdesk@usda.gov to set up this ID and password.  Please make your Eauth ID the same as your ICAMS ID.  Passwords can be the same as the ICAMS password but not required.  Visit https://my.nrcs.usda.gov/ for a copy of the Eauthentication Job Aid, located under the Field Tools tab.  New employees will not be able to set up an Eauth account until after they have received their first check.  Contact the Eauth help desk also to have these passwords reset.  Include in your request your name, ICAMS ID, work phone number, state, office (i.e., Jackson Field Office), and email address.  In the subject line type “Eauth Password”, and in your request, state that you need your Eauth password reset. 

 

Picture IDs

The Public Affairs Staff is responsible for preparing picture ID cards.  Employees should email a photo showing front shoulder and headshot only on solid blue or light background (no hats or sunglasses) to Laura.Anderson@ms.usda.gov.  Include full name of employee and field office location. 

 

Benefits

Personal Benefits Statements

The Personal Benefits Statement is the annual notification of employee compensation and fringe benefits.  The Benefits Statement provides employees with an estimate of their benefits relating to their current position.  Employees who are retirement eligible should also visit the USDA Self-Service Dashboard website at https://asp.gdcii.com/dashboard/usdaoa/ and/or contact the Human Resources Staff for a more comprehensive review of their retirement options.

 

The Benefits Statement describes the estimated value of benefits available to an employee or his/her survivors in the event of voluntary retirement, disability, or death in service as well as annuity benefits and account balances from the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), and Social Security and/or Medicare benefits.

 

These statements will be mailed to the residence address of each employee who is eligible for retirement benefits and is covered by one of the following retirement coverage codes:

 

C – Social Security System (FICA) and Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS)

K – Federal Employees’ Retirement System (FERS) and FICA

1 – CSRS

 

The following are reasons why some employees will not receive the statement:

·        The employee is intermittent.

·        The employee is not eligible for retirement benefits.

·        The employee was separated in Pay Period 26 or Pay period 1 of the current year.

 

Employees should check his/her residence address on the earnings and leave statement or at the Employee Personal Page (EPP) at www.nfc.usda.gov. 

 

Retirement

Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)

There are three categories of benefits in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) Basic Benefit Plan:  Immediate  |   Early  |   Deferred

 

Eligibility is determined by your age and number of years of creditable service.

 

In some cases, you must have reached the Minimum Retirement Age (MRA) to receive retirement benefits.  Use the following chart to figure your Minimum Retirement Age.

 

 

Minimum Retirement Age

If you were born

Your MRA is

Before 1948

55

In 1948

55 and 2 months

In 1949

55 and 4 months

In 1950

55 and 6 months

In 1951

55 and 8 months

In 1952

55 and 10 months

In 1953 through 1964

56

In 1965

56 and 2 months

In 1966

56 and 4 months

In 1967

56 and 6 months

In 1968

56 and 8 months

In 1969

56 and 10 months

In 1970 and after

57

 

Immediate Retirement:

An immediate retirement benefit is one that starts within 30 days from the date you stop working.

 

If you meet one of the following sets of age and service requirements, you are entitled to an immediate retirement benefit:

 

Immediate Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) Annuity Requirements

Age

Years of Service

62

5

60

20

MRA

30

MRA

10

 

If you retire at the MRA with at least 10, but less than 30 years of service, your benefit will be reduced by 5 percent a year for each year you are under 62, unless you have 20 years of service and your benefit starts when you reach age 60 or later.

 

Disability is also an immediate annuity - employee must have at least 18 months of creditable civilian service and must have become disabled while serving in a position subject to FERS.

 

Early Retirement:

Refers to special eligibility rules as follows:

 

The early retirement benefit is available in certain involuntary separation cases and in cases of voluntary separations during a major reorganization or reduction in force.  To be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:

 

Early Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) Retirement Requirements

Age

Years of Service

50

20

Any Age

25

 

Deferred Retirement:

Refers to delayed payment of benefit until criteria are met, as follows:

 

If you leave Federal service before you meet the age and service requirements for an immediate retirement benefit, you may be eligible for deferred retirement benefits.  To be eligible, you must have completed at least 5 years of creditable civilian service.  You may receive benefits when you reach one of the following ages:

 

Deferred Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) Annuity Requirements

Age

Years of Service

62

5

MRA

30

MRA

10

 

 

 

If you retire at the MRA with at least 10, but less than 30 years of service, your benefit will be reduced by 5 percent a year for each year you are under 62, unless you have 20 years of service and your benefit starts when you reach age 60 or later.

 

Sick leave is not used in the computation of annuity benefits under FERS.  A retirement annuity supplement is payable under certain conditions.

 

Retirement on Immediate Annuity – CSRS

Employees are eligible to retire on an immediate annuity if the following conditions are met:

 

Type of Retirement

Minimum Age

Minimum Service (years)

Special Requirements

Optional

62

5

None

60

20

None

55

30

None

Disability

any age

5

Must be totally disabled for service in the position occupied

Discontinued Service

any age*

25

Separation must be involuntary and not for misconduct or delinquency

50*

20

*Annuity reduced if under age 55.

 

 

Credit for Unused Sick Leave

When retiring on an immediate annuity under CSRS, an employee's unused sick leave balance is credited to his or her length of service.  This additional credit is used only in counting the number of years and months of service for annuity computation.  It is not added in computing the employee's "high-three" average pay or in meeting the minimum length of service requirement.  Employees retiring on disability may elect to use their sick leave prior to the effective date of retirement or have it credited to the length of service for annuity computation.

 

Deposits for Creditable Service and Redeposits for Refunded Service under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)

 

Deposits for Creditable Service

FERS employees may make a deposit into the retirement fund to cover any period of creditable Federal civilian service that was performed before January 1, 1989.  This would include service such as a temporary appointment performed before 1989 during which FERS deductions were not taken out (hereafter referred to as non-deduction service).  You may make a deposit to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in order to receive credit for that period of time.  The deposit is 1.3% of the basic pay you received, plus interest.  Non-deduction service performed before January 1, 1989, does not count for eligibility or computation purposes unless you make a deposit before retirement.

 

There is no choice regarding non-deduction service performed on or after January 1, 1989; it does not count for eligibility or computation purposes.

 

Redeposits for Refunded Service

Employees who were previously employed and covered under the CSRS or CSRS Offset and who received a refund of retirement contributions may make a redeposit for the refunded retirement contributions.  The amount of redeposit is the amount of the refund received plus accrued interest.

 

The redeposit must be made before final adjudication of your retirement to receive credit.  If the employee does not make the redeposit prior to the final adjudication of his or her retirement claim, the service for which the employee received the refund will not be creditable for eligibility or computation purposes.

 

An employee who receives a refund of FERS retirement contributions may not make a redeposit.  All credit for FERS refunded service is lost for both eligibility and computation purposes.

 

To apply to make Deposit or Redeposit, complete the front of the attached SF-3108, Application to Make Service Credit Payments for Civilian Service, and submit to Human Resources.  A SF‑3108 should be filed ONLY when you intend to make payment.  If you are within 6 months of retiring, do NOT file a SF-3108, OPM will give you the opportunity to make payment at retirement.

 

Some of the advantages of making a deposit or redeposit BEFORE retirement include:

·        Less total interest to pay on the deposit/redeposit;

·        The retirement application may be processed faster if the deposit/redeposit is already paid; and

·        You can make installment payments (of $50.00 or more) to lessen the financial strain of paying large deposits or redeposits.

 

Service Credit Deposits for Creditable Service and Redeposit Service for the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS)

 

Employees may pay deposit into the retirement fund to cover any period of creditable Federal civilian service (such as a temporary appointment) that was not subject to civil service retirement deductions (hereafter referred to as non-deduction service).  You may make a deposit to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in order to receive credit for that period of time.  The amount of the deposit is the sum of the deductions that would have been withheld from your pay during the period of non-deduction service, plus interest.  The deductions are based on a percentage of basic pay.  The applicable percentages for different periods of service are noted below.

 

IF the Service was Performed Between

THEN the Percentage of Deductions

from Basic Pay Is

November 1, 1956, and December 31, 1969

6.5%

January 1970 and December 31, 1998

7.0%

January 1, 1999, and December 31, 1999

7.25%

January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2000

7.40%

January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2002

7.5%

January 1, 2003 and December 31,2003

7.0%

January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2004

7.0%

 

Your choices concerning deposit and the effect on your annuity are as follows:

 

For any Nondeduction Service which took Place

Choices

Effect on Annuity

Before 10-1-82

Not paying the deposit

The nondeduction service will be used in the computation of annuity, but the amount of annual annuity will be reduced by 10% of the deposit owed for that service.

Paying the deposit

Your annual annuity will not be reduced as described above.

On or after 10-1-82

Not paying the deposit

The nondeduction service will be used in determining eligibility to retire, but cannot be used at all in determining the length of service for annuity computation.

Paying the deposit

You will receive an annuity based on all of your creditable civilian service.

 

Employees may make a redeposit to the retirement fund to cover any period of Federal service for which a refund of retirement contributions has been made.  If you received a refund for service ending before October 1, 1990, and the redeposit is not paid prior to retirement, the annual annuity will be subject to an actuarial reduction based on the amount of the redeposit due at the time of retirement.  If you received a refund for service on or after October 1, 1990, the service covered by the refund is creditable for determining eligibility to retire.  However, it is not creditable for annuity computation purposes unless a redeposit is paid.  The amount of redeposit equals the amount of the refund received plus accrued interest.  The amount of interest is a variable rate determined by the Department of Treasury each year.

 

To apply to make Deposit or Redeposit, complete Part A of the attached SF-2803, Application to Make Deposit or Redeposit, and submit to Human Resources.  An SF-2803 should be filed ONLY when you intend to make payment.  If you are within 6 months of retiring, do NOT file an SF 2803, OPM will give you the opportunity to make payment at retirement.

 

Some of the advantages of making deposits or redeposits BEFORE retirement include: 

 

·        Less total interest to pay on the deposit/redeposit;

·        The retirement application may be processed faster if the deposit/redeposit is already paid; and you can make installment payments (of $50.00 or more) to lessen the financial strain of paying large deposits or redeposits.

 

Thrift Savings Plan

It is extremely important that FE