- The Appointing Authority can serve as the designated agency Reviewer in response to an employee’s Request for Review of a PPR rating, or shall designate one or more persons to serve in the role of Designated Reviewer.
- If your agency names several individuals to serve on a Review board, at least one person must be named as the Designated Reviewer and whose signature is affixed to all official Review documents.
- The Designated Reviewer should discuss the ratings face-to-face with the employee and the Rating Supervisor, if possible. Of course, this doesn’t have to be at the same time. If not, a phone call is acceptable. If this is not possible due to extenuating circumstances, contact your Human Resources office for recommendations on handling this issue. They may contact Civil Service if necessary.
- Sometimes non-PPR issues come to the attention of the Reviewer in the Review process. The Reviewer, as appropriate, can certainly bring these issues to the attention of the Human Resources office or Appointing Authority. It is not appropriate to address those in the PPR review, even if the employee has included them in the Request for Review.
- Sometimes there are problems with the PPR that do not serve as basis for a change in a factor rating or overall score. For example, the Reviewer may find that the Rating Supervisor didn’t provide as meaningful expectations as he should have, or didn’t communicate as often as the Reviewer felt should have been done. These are the kinds of things that possible would have prevented the Request for Review in the first place. A separate memo or discussion of such findings might be appropriate and the Rating Supervisor’s supervisor should be CC’d or notified of the issues that come to light.
- There are some rule violations that would automatically signal to a Reviewer that a rating should be overturned. Please refer to Civil Service Rule 10.6 for the definition of a compliant rating. (For example, no signatures affixed, rating done outside the window of opportunity.)
- Then there’s the violation of another rule—no planning session conducted. What to use in the absence of a planning session, to rate an employee? Position descriptions, policies and procedures manual, training manual, other communications, documentation from the rating period. Supervisory notes. Electronic mail. It is possible to conduct a valid rating session in the absence of a planning session. However, it will likely be more difficult to defend a rating it is challenged.
- We recommend the Reviewer prepare a decision letter/memo to the employee that:
the dates the Reviewer discussed the rating with the employee and with the Rating SupervisorDocuments
Acknowledges receipt of documentation provided by the employee and the Rating Supervisor (If documentation is submitted by the employee and/or the Rating Supervisor after the deadline for submitting such, and if no agreement was made to accept and consider such documents after the designated date, the Reviewer should indicate it was not considered and why)
Explains the review decision and the basis of his decision
Addresses each PPR-related charge
Includes statement that this is the last step in the Review process at the agency, and refer the employee to C.S. Rule 10.14 for the Request for Director’s Review process.
Provides copies to the Rating Supervisor and the Human Resources office.
Includes a copy of the amended PPR form including the last page, which should be read by the Reviewer, instructions thereon followed, and signatures affixed.