General Circular No. 001386
To: Heads of State Agencies and Human Resource Directors
Subject: Personnel Action Processing Backlog
Issue Date: January 28, 2000
Please refer to General Circular Number 1360. We have been unable to clear the processing backlog for numerous reasons. Therefore, we are advising agencies that we will not take exception to employees receiving pay prior to the agency’s receipt of approved Personnel Action Forms (SF-1s) from February 1, 2000 through October 31, 2000. Agencies will be expected to correct actions that have errors and that are in violation of Civil Service Rules. If such errors have resulted in overpayments to an employee, the agency is expected to take steps to recoup any overpayment. This will involve a notice to the employee explaining the error and the amount of overpayment as well as providing them with the proposed repayment schedule prior to actually reducing the paycheck.
We are again asking your help by continuing to thoroughly check all SF-1s for accuracy before you submit them. This is extremely important because our backlog must be cleared prior to conversion of data from the CS02 (personnel) and the AM45PC (position control) systems to the new ISIS-HR system. As you probably know, CS02 and AM45PC will no longer exist after October 2000. The accuracy of your agency data will directly affect your human resources and payroll data on the new system.
In addition to asking you to carefully check the items listed in General Circular Number 1360, we are doing the following:
1. We have asked OIS to change the position control programming to allow automatic approval of requests entered in position control by agencies. We will let you know when you have the capability to do this. The Classification and Pay Division will monitor entry with regular reports.
2. Effective immediately, we will discontinue checking division/unit number, position funding, and salary object code on all SF-1s. Therefore, the accuracy of these items is your responsibility.
3. Processors will make pen-and-ink changes on simple errors on SF-1s without returning them or contacting the agency’s human resources office. A note identifying the change(s) will be attached to the approved SF-1 when it is returned to the agency.
4. Effective immediately, we will discontinue returning SF-1s with double incumbency issues because, in most cases, we know the SF-1 clearing the position is here pending entry.
5. Effective immediately, we will discontinue checking employee addresses only on SF-1s submitted by agencies whose employees are paid through the Uniform Payroll System (UPS).
6. Effective immediately, we will stop checking preferred lists for employment. Therefore, agencies will be responsible for any errors made in hiring, etc. that occur when an employee on a preferred list is not contacted prior to hiring a person not on the list. Errors of this nature are very grave and shall be dealt with accordingly.
7. Due to the seriousness of the processing backlog and to allow the processors more processing time, they will no longer accept telephone calls. If you need assistance in completing pending personnel actions, you may call 225.342.8285.
We currently have a backlog of approximately 20,000 SF-1s (classified and unclassified). In order to clear this backlog prior to conversion to the new ISIS-HR system, we need your help, understanding, and especially attention to detail when completing SF-1s. We are well aware of the serious problems this backlog is causing, especially in light of the conversion to a new system in the near future. We will make every effort to clear the backlog and we appreciate your efforts in helping us.
Some agencies have indicated a willingness to help. If your agency is interested in lending us staff to help with filing and other clerical (not data entry) activities, please contact Roy Terrio at 225.342.8285.
Sincerely,
Allen H. Reynolds
Director