General Circular No. 001276

To: Heads of State Agencies and Human Resource Directors

Subject: Transition To Performance Planning & Reviewsystem

Issue Date: March 20, 1997

TRANSITION TO PERFORMANCE PLANNING & REVIEW SYSTEM

By means of this General Circular, the Director of Civil Service is establishing procedures to

effect the orderly transition to the new Performance Planning and Review System, which is to

become effective

July 1, 1997 if the Civil Service Commission adopts the proposed rules.

I.Service Ratings and Approved Performance Appraisal Systems Under Current Rules.

DO NOT THROW AWAY CURRENT CHAPTER 10 UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

Between April 1, 1997 and May 31, 1997, all agencies using the service rating system must

complete and deliver a service rating to each permanent employee who, as of March 31, 1997,

has worked ninety days or more in the class of position he occupies. The service rating shall be

for the period from

April 1, 1996, through March 31, 1997. By June 1, 1997, the appointing authority shall furnish

the Director a report of the number of employees receiving "Satisfactory" and "Unsatisfactory"

ratings. All provisions of current Civil Service Rules 10.2 through 10.11 shall apply, including

the rules on re-ratings.

All agencies with Civil Service-approved performance appraisal systems must continue

completing performance appraisals according to current Rules 10.12 through 10.22, including the

rules on re-ratings, through June 30, 1997. By June 1, 1997, the appointing authority shall

furnish the Director a report of the number of employees receiving each kind of performance

appraisal.

II.Approval of New Rules.

We anticipate that the Civil Service Commission will consider for final approval the proposed

new Rules for the Performance Planning and Review System at its May 7, 1997, regular business

meeting. If these are approved, they will have an effective date of July 1, 1997.

III.Performance Planning & Review Training of Supervisors.

Performance Planning and Review Training for supervisors shall be offered during May and June

1997 statewide. General Circular #1274 provided information on this training.

IV. No annual service rating shall be given after May 31, 1997. However, employees receiving

"Unsatisfactory" service ratings before June 1, 1997, must be re-rated under current Rule 10.8(a).

Transition General Circular - Page Two

No annual Civil Service-approved performance appraisal rating shall be given after June 30,

1997. However, employees receiving a "Needs Improvement" or "Unsatisfactory" performance

appraisal rating before July 1, 1997, must be re-rated under current Rule 10.18.

V.If adopted by the Commission, the new rules for the Performance Planning and Review

System will be effective July 1, 1997.

Since re-ratings of 1997 "Unsatisfactory" service ratings will be occurring from June 30, 1997

through September 30, 1997, the current rules should be retained as they will still remain in

effect in such re-rating situations.

Since re-ratings of 1997 "Unsatisfactory" and "Needs Improvement" Civil Service-approved

performance appraisals will be occurring through

December 31, 1997, the current rules should be retained as they will still remain in effect in such

re-rating situations.

VI.Planning Sessions Under New Performance Planning and Review System.

Planning sessions under the new Performance Planning and Review System for all classified

employees (except new employees appointed July 1, 1997 or later**) may occur anytime after

the rating supervisor has received the Performance Planning and Review Training and must

occur according to the following chart:

(Have) Planning Session (for employees with) 1998 Anniversary Date

No later than 07/31/97 01/01/98 - 01/31/98 &

07/01/98 - 07/31/98

No later than 08/31/97 02/01/98 - 02/28/98 &

08/01/98 - 08/31/98

No later than 09/30/97 03/01/98 - 03/31/98 &

09/01/98 - 09/30/98

No later than 10/31/97 04/01/98 - 04/30/98 &

10/01/98 - 10/31/98

No later than 11/30/97 05/01/98 - 05/31/98 &

11/01/98 - 11/30/98

No later than 12/31/97 06/01/98 - 06/30/98 &

12/01/98 - 12/31/98

Transition General Circular - Page Three

** For each new employee (as defined in Rules 6.14 and 8.27) appointed

July 1, 1997 or later, a planning session under the new Performance Planning and Review

System shall be conducted no later than 30 calendar days after his appointment. The first rating

for the new employee shall occur within the 45 calendar days before his first eligibility date for a

merit increase (anniversary date) in 1998.

NOTE: Remember to do planning sessions on each classified employee who will have an

anniversary date in 1998, whether a new or current employee or a job appointment.

VII. Re-Ratings Under Current Rules.

The appointing authority shall cause each employee who received an "Unsatisfactory" service

rating by June 1, 1997 to be re-rated no sooner than June 30, 1997 nor later than September 30,

1997; and he shall report such re-rating to the Director. An employee whose re-rating is not

reported to the Director as of September 30, 1997, shall be considered satisfactory. A person

who is re-rated "Unsatisfactory" as of September 30, 1997, shall not be able to have that rating

changed until his first official rating on the new Performance Planning and Review System prior

to his anniversary date in 1998 provided the Commission adopts the proposed new rules for

Performance Planning and Review.

Through December 31, 1997, the appointing authority shall cause each employee who received

an "Unsatisfactory" or "Needs Improvement" Civil Service-approved performance appraisal to be

re-rated according to current rules governing same. A person who is re-rated "Unsatisfactory" or

"Needs Improvement" as of December 31, 1997, shall not be able to have that rating changed

until his first official rating on the new Performance Planning and Review System prior to his

anniversary date in 1998 provided the Commission adopts the proposed new rules for

Performance Planning and Review.

PLEASE REMEMBER, AS LONG AS A CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEE HAS AN OFFICIAL

"UNSATISFACTORY" SERVICE RATING OR RE-RATING OR AN OFFICIAL

"UNSATISFACTORY" OR "NEEDS IMPROVEMENT" CIVIL SERVICE-APPROVED

PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL RATING OR RE-RATING, THE EMPLOYEE REMAINS

INELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE ANY MERIT INCREASES OR PROMOTIONS.

VIII.First Ratings Under New Performance Planning and Review System.

If the Commission adopts the proposed new Rules on Performance Planning and Review,

classified employees shall receive their first ratings on the new Performance Planning and

Review System prior to their anniversary dates in 1998 (refer to new Rule 10.6). The new

Performance Planning and Review Form cannot be used OFFICIALLY TO RATE any classified

employee before November 17, 1997, provided the Commission adopts the proposed new rules.

Transition General Circular - Page Four

IX.Transition Examples If Proposed New Rules Are Adopted.

A. Anniversary date May 1. On Service Rating system.

Rated "Satisfactory" on May 1, 1997.

Planning session must be completed no later than November 30, 1997.

Rating on new system within the 45 calendar days before May 1, 1998.

Planning session for next year within 30 calendar days after May 1, 1998.

B. Anniversary date October 15. On Service Rating system.

Rated "Unsatisfactory" on May 15, 1997.

(No merit increases nor promotions)

Re-rated "Satisfactory" on September 30, 1997.

Planning session must be completed no later than October 31, 1997.

Rating on new system within the 45 calendar days before October 15, 1998.

Planning session for next year within 30 calendar days after

October 15, 1998.

C. Anniversary date June 20. On Civil Service-approved Performance Appraisal.

Performance Appraisal "Needs Imp." before June 20, 1997.

(No merit increases nor promotions)

Re-rated "Needs Imp." on Performance Appraisal on October 1, 1997.

(No merit increases nor promotions)

Planning session must be completed no later than December 31, 1997.

Rating on new system within the 45 calendar days before June 20, 1998.

Planning session for next year within 30 calendar days after June 20, 1998.

D. Anniversary date December 29. On Service Rating.

Rated "Satisfactory" on April 1, 1997.

Planning session must be completed no later than December 31, 1997.

Rating on the new system within the 45 calendar days before

December 29, 1998.

Planning session for next year within 30 calendar days after

December 29, 1998.

We are attaching to this general circular a job aide listing important transition dates/deadlines. If

you have any questions concerning this general circular, please contact Terry Gomez at (504)

342-8274 or

Anne Soileau at (504) 342-8272.

Sincerely,

Allen H. Reynolds

Director

IMPORTANT DEADLINE DATES DURING TRANSITION

Provided Proposed New Performance Planning & Review System Rules

Are Approved by Civil Service Commission

05-31-97 Service Ratings must be completed as usual.

06-01-97 Report (CS-121) due to Civil Service Director as usual on number of each type of

Service Rating and Performance Appraisal Rating.

May/June 97 As soon as supervisors have taken the Performance Planning and Review Training

class, they may start planning sessions with their employees.

06-30-97 Ratings on Performance Appraisal systems previously approved by Civil Service

shall end.

07-01-97 New Chapter 10 Rules effective provided they were approved by the Commission.

For new employees hired July 1, 1997 or later, planning sessions shall be conducted within the

30 calendar days after their appointment; remember ratings for these employees on the system

shall occur within the 45 calendar days before their 1998 anniversary dates.

07-31-97 First planning sessions for employees (appointed before July 1, 1997) with

anniversary dates during January and July of 1998 shall be completed.

09-30-97 Complete all re-ratings of employees who received "Unsatisfactory" 1997 Service

Ratings.

12-31-97 Complete all re-ratings of employees who received "Needs Improvement" or

"Unsatisfactory" 1997 Performance Appraisal Ratings.

01-01-98 Ratings on new Performance Planning & Review forms shall begin within the 45

calendar days before employees' 1998 anniversary dates.