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Workforce Connection 2/22/2012

Glossary of Terms


ACRONYMS

APWU American Postal Workers’ Union

ART Advance Round Trip

CBA Collective Bargaining Agreement

CC City Carrier

CFS Computerized Forwarding System

CK Clerk

CSRS Civil Service Retirement System

CSV Customer Service Variance

EAS Executive and Administrative Schedule

DAR Decision Analysis Report

DCC

District Complement Coordinator

DSR Discontinued Service Retirement

EAP

Employee Assistance Program

EDW Enterprise Data Warehouse

EIN Employee Identification Number

EPAH Employee Personnel Action History

ESG Employee Sub-Group

F50 PS Form 50

FERS Federal Employees Retirement System

FLRA Fair Labor Relations Authority

FLSA Fair Labor Standards Act

FT Full time

FUG Field User Guide

HCES Human Capital Enterprise System

HRSSC Human Resources Shared Service Center

IOP Integrated Operating Plan

IVR Interactive Voice Recognition

IWR Interactive Web Response System

JBM Job Bid Management

LDC Labor Distribution Code

LD&D Learning Development and Diversity

LMOUs Local Memo of Understanding

LMS Learning Management System

LR Labor Relations

MAP Mail Arrival Profile

MH

Mail Handler

MVO Motor Vehicle Operator

NALC National Association of Letter Carriers

NOA Nature of Action

NPMHU National Postal Mail Handlers Union


NTE Not-to-Exceed

NTFT Non Traditional Full Time

OIC Office in Charge

OIG Office of the Inspector General

ONE Orientation for New Employees

OPM U.S. Office of Personnel Management

OS

On Schedule

OVC Over Complement

POS Point of Sale

PCES Postal Career Executive Service

PEDC Postal Employee Development Center

PMR Postmaster Relief

POR Post on Request

PRC Postal Regulatory Commission

PSE Postal Support Employee

PTF Part Time Flexible

PTR Part Time Regular

RCA Rural Carrier Associate

RCR Rural Carrier Relief

RIF Reduction-in-Force

RMF Relocation Management Firm

RSC Rate Schedule Code

RTR Reduction, Thrift Savings and Reduction

SCF Sectional Center Facility

SO Selecting Official

SSA

Sales & Service Associate

TE Transitional Employee

TQ Temporary Quarters

TRC Temporary Relief Carrier

WOS Window Operations Survey

UAR Unassigned Reason

VOMA Vehicle Operations Maintenance Assistant

WebCOINS Web-based Complement Information System

WSCS Workload Service Credit System


GLOSSARY OF HR TERMSClick on a term in the list below to see its definition.

204-B Detail

Assignment

Authorized

Automated Bid Clusters

Bargaining

Bid Cluster

Candidate Number

Career Employee

Carrier

Casual Employee

Chief Position

City Carrier

Clerk

Complement

Concurrence

Contract Type

Conversion

Cost Center

Craft

Detail

Discontinued Service Retirement (DSR)

District

District Complement Coordinator (DCC)

Downgrade

Duty Assignment

Duty Station

eCareer

Employee Group

Employee Identification Number (EIN)

Employee Personnel Action History (EPAH)

Employee Sub-Group

Excessing

Domicile

Form 50

Holder

Human Capital Enterprise System (HCES)

Human Resources Administrator

Human Resources Shared Service Center (HRSSC)

Incumbent Employee

Installation Head

Involuntary Reassignment

Job

Job Bid Management

Job Description

Job Family

Job Posting Number

Jurisdiction

Lateral Reassignment

Limited Tour Hours

Local Services

Local Schemes

Mail Handlers

Manager

Maximization

Medical Documentation

Motor Vehicle Operator (MVO)

Mutual Swap

National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC)

Nature of Action (NOA) Code

Non-Career Non-Bidding Positions

Non-Competitive

Non-Standard Work Schedule

Normal Attrition

Not-to-Exceed

OASys

Occupation Code

Occupied

On-Rolls Complement

Organizational Unit (Org Unit)

Orientation for New Employees (ONE)

Pay Grade

Pay Location

Pay Scale

Postal Employee Development Center (PEDC)

Position

Postmaster Upgrade

Postal Support Employee (PSE)

Promotion

Workforce Optimization 2/22/2012

Qualifications

Rank

Reassignment

Register

Repost

Resignation/Voluntary Separation

Rotating Work Schedule

Route

Rate Schedule Code (RSC)

Retreat Rights

Rural Route

Salary Schedules

Saved Grade

Saved Salary

Schemes, Skills and Licenses

Section

Seniority

Skills

Standard Work Schedule

Station

Temporary Relief Carrier

Tour

Transitional Employee

Unassigned Reason

Vacancy

Variable Work Schedule

Voluntary Early Retirement (VER)

Work Area

Work Schedule


204-B Detail A craft employee working as an acting supervisor.

Assignment The term used in the Human Capital Enterprise System (HCES) to define the association of an employee to a position.

Authorized The term used in HCES to categorize the number of non-bargaining positions approved for a specific job or occupation code within an organization.

Automated Bid Clusters The term used in HCES to label organizations that use the Job Bid Management module to post bargaining unit vacancies and that accept employee bids by IVR (phone), IWR (computer/kiosk), or TDD/TTY (deaf assistance).

Bargaining Bargaining Positions - positions in which employees are represented by one of the USPS unions (APWU, NALC, NPMHU, NRLC, etc).

Bargaining Unit - an organized group of employees is considered a Bargaining Unit when found to be an appropriate candidate for representation by the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA). Furthermore, to become a Bargaining Unit, the group must be voted on by employees who are represented by a labor union in their dealings and negotiations with management for wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment. This type of organization is also called a collective bargaining unit.

Bargaining Unit Employee - a career or non-career employee who is represented by a labor organization (union) that negotiates with USPS for wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment. Bargaining unit employees include city carriers, clerks, information technology employees (Information Technology/Accounting Service Center), machinists (tool-and-die), mail handlers, maintenance employees, motor vehicle operators (MVOs), nurses, postal police officers, and rural carriers. Transitional employees are non-career bargaining unit employees. (See “Craft Employee”)

Bid Cluster Bid Cluster Number - the number assigned to identify a job bidding cluster. The code begins with ‘BC’ and includes the Cost Center/ finance number of the installation head of the lead office. A Bid Cluster may be either automated or manual and typically refers to a geographically related cluster of installations (such as District Office, Stations and Branches, or Processing and Distribution Centers).

Bid Cluster Text – this is the name of the Bid Cluster.

Candidate Number See “OASys”

Career Employee An employee under a career (long term) appointment.

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Career Bargaining/Bidding Positions – career employees in these positions may be represented by a collective bargaining agreement with APWU, NALC, NPMHU, or NRLC.

Career non-Bargaining/non-Bidding Positions – these are typically administrative, management, and technical positions.

Carrier This term may refer to any of the three following definitions:

(1) An employee or contractor who delivers and collects mail on foot or by vehicle (See “City Carrier”)

(2) An individual contractor or private company (airline, trucking company, railroad, etc.) that transports the mail from one postal facility to another.

(3) A competitor that legally provides delivery or freight forwarding service of letters, flats, and parcels individually and in bulk outside U.S. mail.

Casual Employee A non-career non-bargaining unit employee with a limited term appointment who performs duties assigned to bargaining unit positions as described in the applicable national agreement or other collective bargaining agreements.

Chief Position An Executive and Administrative Schedule (EAS) or Postal Career Executive Service (PCES) employee who will act as a point of contact with the HRSSC for decision-making and administrative matters pertaining to a designated group of employees.

City Carrier An employee who delivers and collects mail on foot or by vehicle in a prescribed area that is authorized for city delivery service.

Clerk The general term used for an employee who distributes or sorts mail and performs other allied mail processing functions or who assists customers at a retail window at a Post Office, station, or branch. Clerks are recognized by unions at the national level as part of their own craft. (See “Craft”)

Complement The number of employees authorized to be assigned to one finance number/Cost Center.

Concurrence An employment situation in which one employee has two or more position assignments with the USPS.

Contract Type A specific type of contract under which each bargaining unit or individual craft is employed by the USPS.

Conversion A change in an employee’s status or tenure. This term applies in two situations in which the employee moves from one category of employment to another, either part time to full time or non-career to career.

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Cost Center A distinction used to identify each postal facility as related to the reporting of financial transactions through a USPS approved revenue system. This was formerly referred to as the finance number. Each postal facility is assigned a Cost Center which consists of a 10-digit number (6-digit finance number plus 4-digit unit ID). Through the use of this mechanism, Cost Centers report their financial activity each day that they are scheduled to be open for business.

Craft A designation used to classify various related employee positions within a broader group that is a bargaining unit represented by a union. The craft is determined by the type of work performed and the similarity of duties and responsibilities shared by the employees such as those in the clerk craft or the maintenance craft.

Craft Employee – This refers to either a career or a non-career employee who is represented by a labor organization (union) that negotiates with USPS for wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment. Craft employees include city carriers, clerks, information technology employees (Information Technology/Accounting Service Center), machinists (tool-and-die), mail handlers, maintenance employees, motor vehicle operators, nurses, postal police officers, and rural carriers. (See “Bargaining Unit Employee”)

Craft Ratio Compliance - The percentage of full time to part-time flexible employees. It is pre-determined as part of each craft’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

Detail A temporary assignment from one position to another.

Discontinued Service Retirement (DSR) A discontinued service or involuntary retirement provides an immediate, possibly reduced annuity for employees who are separated against their will.

District A district is an administrative field unit that oversees most operational and support functions for Post Offices in a defined geographic area. District offices report to an Area Office. (See “Complement”)

District Complement Committee (DCC) See “Complement”

Downgrade A reduction in the level of a specific assignment or position.

Duty Assignment A set of duties and responsibilities within a recognized position that is regularly scheduled during specific hours of duty.

Duty Station The physical location of the cost center where an employee performs his or her work. This station may differ from the cost center to which they report if the employee is domiciled (i.e.: Postal Inspectors who report to Inspection Service HQ, but are domiciled throughout the USPS).

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eCareer

External– the process where a vacancy or future vacancy is identified and a decision is made to post it for external candidates.

Internal – the internal online system through which USPS promotion and hiring activities are completed.

Employee Group A high level identification of the nature of an employee’s work assignment. It is the 1st digit of the Designation/Activity code (i.e.: full-time, part-time flexible, temporary-non-career, etc.)

Employee Sub-Group – this designation works with the employee group to identify an employee’s work assignment classification. The number is similar to the 2nd two digits of the Des/Act code, but is unique to each RSC (ie: I4=IS Admin, O4=OIG Admin, P3=PRC Admin, etc).

Employee Identification Number (EIN) The EIN is a unique 8-digit number that is assigned to an employee and used in place of a Social Security Number.

Employee Personnel Action History (EPAH) The historical repository for all electronically generated personnel actions. The data included in this repository goes back to 1971 for payroll retirement history and to 1989 for personnel actions such as promotions, reassignments, and pay for performance.

Employee Sub-Group See “Employee Group”

Excessing A situation in which the number of employees in a section, craft, or installation needs to be reduced more rapidly than can be affected through attrition.

Domicile The location where an employee is physically working.

Domiciled Cost Center - the Cost Center (finance number) assigned to the location where the employee is physically working.

Form 50 The PS Form 50 (Exception to SF Form 50). It is a “Notification of Personnel Action” which has been adapted from a standard Office of Personnel Management form for USPS specific use; results from significant changes to an employee’s salary, assignment, or benefits.

Holder A term used to refer to the person who occupies a specific position.

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Human Capital Enterprise System (HCES) A multi-platform system that houses personnel and payroll data of all employees and includes functionalities such as complement and staffing data. It is the technical component of the Human Capital Enterprise program.

Human Resources Administrator An employee who oversees and administers HR related work/tasks.

Human Resources Shared Service Center (HRSSC) The national operational and processing center for personnel actions such as new hires, reassignments, promotions, benefits administration, separations, and retirements. The center is a specialized full-service facility and call center staffed by career human resources specialists. The HRSSC also provides self-service options that employees use to manage their benefits. The center is located in Greensboro, NC.

Incumbent Employee An employee currently holding a duty assignment.

Installation Head A designation given to an Organizational Unit in HCES that identifies it as the principal entity in a grouping of units; an Installation Head is responsible for ensuring a facility’s compliance with established procedures , including security (Examples: Postmaster, District Manager, Plant Manager).

Involuntary Reassignment See “Reassignment”

Job See “Position”

Job Bid Management A system within the HCES suite of systems that administers the process of bargaining unit employees requesting to be considered for available work assignments. The job bidding process is very strictly defined in each of the collective bargaining agreements.

Job Bid Management Automated Post On Request (POR) – the process whereby postings and awards are accomplished under HCES. Employees may submit bids directly through the automated bidding systems.

Job Description A summary of the most important features of a job, including the general nature of the work performed (duties and responsibilities) and the level of the work performed. A job description describes the job itself but does not describe any specific individual who might fill the job. This term is also sometimes known as a “Standard Position Description.”

Job Family A collection of jobs with the same nature of work (i.e., engineers, postmasters, etc).

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http://blue.usps.gov/humanresources/professionalportal/erm/hrss/home.shtml


Job Posting Number A system-generated number that is assigned to postings that display vacancies for both non-bargaining (eCareer) and bargaining unit positions (HCES).

Jurisdiction The limits or territory within which an individual’s authority may be exercised.

Lateral Reassignment See “Reassignment”

Limited Tour Hours Pre-determined duty hours for a part-time regular employee.

Local Services HR personnel at the local district/area level that assist management with HR Activities.

Local Schemes Systematic plan for the distribution of mail to its destination as determined by the mail processing functional area. Schemes are constructed of items that consist of a single set of addressed and routing information.

Mail Handlers A title referring to bargaining unit employees represented by the National Postal Mail Handlers Union whose primary function is the moving of mail in its various stages of processing. This process requires that the employee loads, unloads, and moves mail; cancels postage stamps; and performs other duties related to the moving and processing of mail.

Manager Executive and Administrative Schedule (EAS) level employee that oversees an operation, facility, area, or infrastructure.

Manager’s Designee - a representative authorized by a manager to act on the manager’s behalf.

Maximization Refer to the applicable union contract and local Maximization Full-time Flexible Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the official definition. The process of moving a non-career part-time employee to a full-time flexible employee requires the use of multiple eHRSSC forms.

Medical Documentation Documentation furnished by the employee’s attending physician or practitioner who is performing within the scope of his or her practice; includes an explanation of the nature of the employee’s illness or injury sufficient to indicate to management that the employee was unable to perform their duties.

Motor Vehicle Operator (MVO) A designation for an employee who primarily drives postal vehicles between postal facilities.

Mutual Swap A shared agreement between two employees to swap or trade job positions/locations as provided for in the respective National Agreements.

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National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) The labor union that is the exclusive bargaining representative of all employees in the city carrier bargaining unit.

Nature of Action (NOA) Code Used to generally describe a type of personnel action (Form 50); some NOA Codes are specific to USPS, but are defined within the general framework of Office of Personnel Management (OPM) NOA Codes.

Non-Career Non-Bidding Positions These positions are held by non-career employees who are not represented by a collective bargaining agreement.

Non-Competitive A voluntary lateral reassignment or a change to lower level for EAS employees.

Non-Standard Work Schedule Any schedule that does not have the same fixed days off, reporting time, and end of tour.

Normal Attrition The process of employees exiting the organization through resignation/voluntary separation.

Not-to-Exceed The term used to distinguish positions that are created to be used for a limited period of time (i.e., Not-to-Exceed 2 years).

OASys Online Assessment System that schedules, administers, and scores all primary and secondary assessments/tests required for hiring and promotions.

Candidate Number – An 8-digit random number assigned to each external candidate profile that is required by an external job candidate when registering with OASys (Online Assessment System) to take an assessment/test.

Occupation Code A numeric series that identifies a specific job. The first four digits identify the job family and the remaining four digits are assigned in sequential order.

Occupied The term used to describe a position that has a holder/occupant.

On-Rolls Complement See “Complement”

Organizational Unit (Org Unit) An Org Unit is an organizational entity within a Cost Center. It is a subset of Organizational Structure. In WebCOINS, this distinction can be found in the Employee/Job List and is called "HCES Organization ID.” The Org Units for which you are responsible can be viewed in Team Viewer screen in the eHRSSC Forms

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application by selecting “Employee Organizational Structure” in the drop down options for Employee Selection.

Org Unit Number – Each Org Unit is identified by a unique eight digit number within HCES. The number identifies a specific part of an organization structure where employees are assigned.

Orientation for New Employees (ONE) ONE is an updated orientation program that introduces new employees to the USPS organization, strategy, values, policies, processes and other information and tools to help them get started in their new roles. The updated format combines a 2 day classroom session (reduced from 5 days) with a series of e-learning and LMSIL modules, as outlined in the table below.

Over Complement See “Complement”

Pay Grade The grade (along with the rate schedule/pay scale type) that determines the rate of pay for an employee. For example, E-15 indicates an employee is working in the Executive and Administrative Schedule with a pay grade of 15. Term used interchangeably with Pay Scale Group.

Pay Location A three-digit number, related to the Cost Center which describes where pay checks should go.

Pay Scale Pay Scale Group – Pay Grade and Pay Scale Group are often used interchangeably for the same information within HCES.

Pay Scale Level – the HCES term for the number or letter assigned to specific wage rates within a grade of a salary schedule. Maximum Pay Scale Level is the highest schedule Pay Scale Level for a position.

Pay Scale Types – HCES term for a code that identifies a group of employees for pay purposes. (See “Rate Schedule Code”)

Postal Employee Development Center (PEDC) Field units located in specific postal facilities that provide district-wide training and development support services for all personnel on a continuing basis. PEDCs may be equipped with self-instructional material and electronic equipment for training and other professional development. This is also called the Learning Development and Diversity (LDD) training center.

Position The total collection of tasks, duties and responsibilities that are assigned to one or more individuals whose work has the same nature and level.

Position Comments – this includes additional information on a position. These comments are intended to be used to clarify responsibility, schedules and/or assignments of duty.

Position ID Number – an 8-digit number assigned to every position.

Standard Position Description – See “Job Description”

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Postmaster Upgrade An increase in the level of a Postmaster that occurs when the Workload Service Credit System (WSCS) determines that the level of a Post Office (technically the PM level and occupation code) is to increase.

Postal Support Employee (PSE) Non-career bargaining unit employees defined in the new APWU agreement. PSEs may be hired for a term not-to-exceed 360 calendar days, followed by a five day break in service and potential NTE 360 day reappointment if there is still an operational need. PSEs earn annual leave and may elect to participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program upon reappointment to their second 360 day term. When the Postal Service determines that it has needs to fill vacancies with new career employees, available and qualified PSE employees may be converted to fill the career vacancies on a seniority basis.

Promotion An increase in an employee’s pay grade, within a rate schedule or as a result of a movement to a different rate schedule, determined to be a promotion by Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM), Exhibit 418.1.

Qualifications This term refers generally to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other requirements that are essential for successful job performance. It also refers to the requirements of a job or position such as specific training, skill, scheme, etc.

Rank See “Seniority”

Reassignment An employee movement from one pay location or work area to another.

Involuntary Reassignment – This occurs when an employee is removed from his or her duty assignment and moved to a new station and/ or assignment without volunteering to do so.

Lateral Reassignment – The name for a movement from one assignment to another, which is deemed to be equivalent in pay grade.

Register A file of the names of eligible personnel arranged in descending order by score for appointment consideration. (See Handbook EL–312, chapter 4, for a description of registers.)

Repost The posting of an occupied duty assignment due to certain changes in hours, off days, or duties. This scenario is defined as part of each collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

Resignation/Voluntary Separation A separation at the employee’s discretion. Resignations must be accepted and are binding once

submitted; however, employees are permitted to withdraw their resignation request before close of

business on the effective date of the resignation.

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Rotating Work Schedule A scenario in which an employee works on non-scheduled days that are not fixed.

Route This term may refer to any of the following three definitions:

(1) A scheduled course to be followed by an employee or carrier (or a contractor) in performing transportation or delivery duties.

(2) To designate the time, schedule, mode of transportation (such as air, highway, or rail), and the line of travel to be used in dispatching mail from a postal unit or transportation terminal.

(3) To place letters and flats into the separations of a carrier case.

Rate Schedule Code (RSC) A USPS term for a code used to identify a group of employees for pay purposes. Examples include the Executive and Administrative Schedule, the Mail Handlers Schedule, and the Postal Service Schedule. (See “Pay Scale Type”)

Retreat Rights The rights of an excessed employee, who was reassigned from their craft, section, and/or installation, to return to his or her former craft, section, and/or installation, provided a written request has been submitted in accordance with the applicable National Agreement.

Rural Route A delivery route served by a rural carrier.

Rural Route Number – a specified delivery route for a rural carrier associate, temporary rural carrier or rural carrier; rural routes can be classified as H, J, or K routes.

Salary Schedules A system in which employee compensation is determined through employment categories. Within most of those categories, employees fall into progressively higher pay grades. Major employment categories with separate schedules include clerks, city carriers, executive and administrative, mail handlers, postmasters, and rural carriers.

Saved Grade A special pay type. Employees with a saved grade will continue to be paid the wage they received in a previous higher grade position, as well as keeping the grade and RSC from the previous higher grade. Their pay will be governed by the saved grade, and not by the grade and RSC of the currently held position.

Saved Salary A special pay type. Employees with a saved salary will continue to be paid the wage they received in a previous higher grade position, augmented by any general increases (if applicable for the position held) occurring while the saved salary is in effect.

Schemes, Skills and Licenses Requirements associated to a position and included in employee data. Changes to these requirements can be made in the Employee Data Changes eHRSSC Form.

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Schemes - A systematic plan to guide the effective distribution of mail to its destination. This involves learning states, cities, streets and addresses to properly sort mail to its final destination.

Skill - A requirement such as an exam for typing, sales and service associate, clerical abilities, etc. (See “Qualifications”)

License – Required licenses for the position. For example, a carrier position would require a valid State driver's license, while a tractor trailer operator would require a Commercial Driver's License (CDL). Employees with a valid license may be required by the USPS to get additional certification in driving a RHD (right hand drive) vehicle or a 2 or 7 ton vehicle.

Section Established within each installation by the local parties. Sections are defined in Local Memoranda of Understanding.

Seniority

Higher rank of some employees, which is typically based upon the length of their service. Seniority lists are posted at processing centers, stations and branches; each collective bargaining agreement has seniority rules. The seniority section of the Employee Data Change form can be used to establish an employee's missing seniority date or to terminate an employee's seniority date that is no longer in the bid cluster or craft.

Rank – A status used to designate a holder’s relative importance or seniority within a unit/organization; when more than one candidate is hired from the same hiring list on the same day; the candidate with the highest rating in score order on the hiring list gets the highest ranking.

Skills See “Schemes, Skills and Licenses” and “Qualifications”

Standard Work Schedule A fixed schedule with the same start time, end time and days off.

Station A unit of a main Post Office that is within the corporate limits of the city or town of the main Post Office. This differs from a Post Office branch.

Temporary Relief Carrier A non-career, non-bargaining unit employee with a limited term appointment not to exceed 359 calendar days, who provides service as a rural carrier leave replacement on regular or auxiliary routes or auxiliary assistance on rural routes. TRCs may be reappointed for subsequent terms, not to exceed 359 calendar days with a break in service of at least 6 days. TRCs hired from the annuitant ranks are further limited to 180 work days within 1 calendar year. There are limits to the number of TRCs that may be employed.

Tour A tour can be one of three scheduled shifts: Tour I (usually from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.) is the night shift (graveyard shift), Tour II is the daytime shift (usually from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.), and Tour III is the evening shift (usually from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.).

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Transitional Employee A term used to describe a non-career employee.

Unassigned Reason The officially recorded reason(s) that an employee is not assigned to a position. This part of employee data can be associated to a position in compliance with a collective bargaining agreement. Ordinarily, unassigned reasons do not change. However, an unassigned reason status may change if necessary. This may occur if the duty assignment is abolished or due to a long term illness or accident.

Vacancy A vacancy exists when a position does not have an occupant/holder.

Variable Work Schedule A program for eligible, full-time, Fair Labor Standards Act exempted employees. It allows them to work extended days during each 2-week pay period to meet the full-time requirements of their position in fewer than the usual 10 days. The expectation is that participants will generally work a minimum of 40 hours each week, subject to their status as FLSA-exempt employees.

Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) The Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA) allows agencies that are undergoing substantial restructuring, reshaping, right-sizing, transfer of function, or reorganization to temporarily lower the age and service requirements in order to increase the number of employees who are eligible for retirement. By offering these short-term opportunities, an agency can make it possible for employees to receive an immediate annuity years before they would otherwise be eligible.

Work Area The specific operation to which an employee is assigned; work area is identified via the position number (i.e., Platform, Outgoing Tour1; North Dock Tour2 Incoming).

Work Schedule The hours and days worked for a certain position.

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