Joint NTEU/NCUA
2011 CBA Training
Presenters
For NCUA
• John Kutchey, Chief Negotiator
• Lucy Vargas, Director, Labor Relations
• Nathan Walker, Labor Relations Specialist
For NTEU
• Heather Hammes, Chapter 303 President
• Melissa Fowler, Chapter 303 Representative
• Julie E. Decker, Chapter 303 Representative
2
CBA Housekeeping
• Location of CBA
http://ncuacentral/OHR/labor/2011%20Collective%20Bargaining%
20Agreement/2011Agreement%20all.pdf
• Bookmarks – Right click on CBA page, select
“Show Navigation Pane Buttons,” then click on
Toilet Paper
icon for article bookmarks
• CBA supersedes all existing mid-term
agreements and past practices that conflict
(Article 2)
3
Negotiation Process
• NCUA and NTEU (Parties) reached agreement
on ground rules in March 2011
• The Parties negotiated for 4 weeks between
May and June 2011
• The Parties met in August for 7 days with a
mediator/arbitrator
• The Parties reached tentative agreement on
Aug. 31st
4
Employee Access to Union
Representation
Articles 3 and 4
• Employees may meet with union reps after a
formal meeting concerning reorganizations,
relocations, or agency-wide working conditions
(Art 3, Sect 2.D)
• Employees may meet with a union rep, normally
up to 1 hour, to discuss matters covered by the
CBA (Art 4, Sect 9)
• Employees may request union representation
during an administrative (Weingarten) or criminal
(Kalkines) investigation (Article 4, Sect 10)
5
Dues Withholding
Article 7
• Employees may elect to join the union and
pay dues at anytime (Sect 3)
• Dues may be cancelled after one year (Sect 5)
• Requests will be accepted by OHR up to pay
period 15 and take effect during pay period 18
(Sect 5)
6
Compensation
Article 9
• NCUA will comply with all statutory and
presidential pay freezes (Sect 1)
• Adjustments to pay structure, merit pay, and
locality will occur in the first pay period after
January 1 (Sect 2)
• Pay structure adjustments will be equal to
Federal General Schedule (GS) base pay table
effective for most Federal employees (Sect 2)
• Merit increases will be based on performance
rating issued September 30th of the prior year
(Sect 3.A)
7
Merit Pay Pools
• Following merit pools are based on where the
employee was located at the end of the performance
rating period, (Sect 3):
–
–
–
–
–
–
each region;
Office of Consumer Protection;
Office of Corporate Credit Unions;
Office of Small Credit Union Initiatives;
Asset Management & Assistance Center;
Central Offices with twelve or more bargaining unit
employees;
– Combination of Central Offices with fewer than twelve
bargaining unit employees
8
Pay Tiers
Merit Pay
Tier
Percentage of Employees
by Performance Appraisal
Score
Merit Pay Increase
Tier I
Top 25% of employees
provided all are rated at least
“highly successful”
GS increase + 400 basis
points (4%) of NPR
Tier II
Next 50% of employees
GS increase + 300 basis
points (3%) of NPR
Tier III
Remaining employees rated at GS increase + 200 basis
least “fully successful”
points (2%) of NPR
9
Locality Adjustments
• Locality calculations will continue to be based
on the President’s Pay Agent Report and, for
Hawaii, the applicable U.S. Code and will be
posted on the OHR intranet site (Sect 4)
• 2012 locality rates will be frozen, except for
Hawaii’s annual phase-in to a locality area (Sect
4.D)
10
Promotion Increases
• Non-competitive career ladder promotions will
receive at least 8% increases in pay (Sect 5)
• Competitive promotions, including CU-11 to
CU-12 PEs, will receive at least a 9% increase in
pay (Sect 5)
11
Health Benefits
• Continue with Government-sponsored
benefits
• Additionally, after the first pay period in
January, employees may receive the up to
following (Sect 7):
• $50 additional contribution per pay period to FEHB
• $25 contribution to Federal Dental Plan
• $15 contribution to Federal Vision Plan
12
Health Benefits
Implementation
• If a delay in implementation, NTEU and NCUA
will meet to determine how to apply
retroactively. (Sect 7.E)
• Employees not enrolled in FEHB will receive
equivalent in lump sum at end of the calendar
year, prorated for new employees. (Sect 7.B.1)
• Employees not enrolled in Federal Dental or
Vision Plans will not receive additional
contributions. (Sect 7.B.2 and 3)
13
New 401K Contributions
CBA Year
1
2
3
CBA Year
1
2
3
Agency
Automatic
Contribution
3%
3%
3%
Agency
Automatic
Contribution
3%
3%
3%
Pay Frozen in Years 2 and 3
Maximum
Maximum
Employee
Agency
Voluntary
Matching
Contribution Contribution
none
none
1%
1%
2%
2%
Year’s
Maximum
Combined
Contributions
3%
5%
7%
No Pay Freeze in Years 2 and 3
Maximum
Maximum
Employee
Agency
Voluntary
Matching
Contribution Contribution
none
none
0.5%
0.5%
1%
1%
Year’s
Maximum
Combined
Contributions
3%
4%
5%
14
401K Implementation
• Existing FERS and CSRS benefits continue
• Current TSP contributions/matching is
unchanged
• If a delay in implementation, NTEU and NCUA
will meet to determine how to apply
retroactively. (Sect 7.E)
15
Overtime
Article 10
• All overtime must be approved in advance and in
writing (Sect 1)
• Look at SF-50 to determine whether FLSA covered
or exempt (Sect 2)
• FLSA Covered: OT = 1 ½ x basic salary rate (5 CFR
551)
• FLSA Exempt: OT = 1 ½ x basic rate up to the CU10 midpoint or regular salary rate (5 CFR 550)
• Below CU-14: OT pay is default. Compensatory
time must be requested by employee (Sect 6)
16
Field Staff Office Time
Article 11
• Field staff may carry over unused office time
for up to one month (Sect 2.BB)
• Field staff may use up to 3 hours of carry over
office time in any given week
• Supervisors must approve use of more than 3
carry over hours
• Office time cannot be carried over from year
to year (Sect 2.BB)
17
Commute Time
• Commute time definition from 2008 CBA still in
effect – time to travel up to first 40 miles to and
from residence (Sect 2.8)
• Commute definition still in dispute with the
Federal Labor Relations Authority
• Airport travel: commute time deducted to
originating airport on first day and from
terminating airport on last day (Sect 14.C.6)
• TCT Only: travel time to and from home terminal
within official duty station is non-compensable.
When terminal is outside ODS, deduct normal
commute time (Sect 15.B.7)
18
Changes to Alternative
Work Schedule
• Employees attending training, special
assignments, or details may request changes
to AWS in addition to 2x annual adjustment
(Sect 8)
• When management changes AWS, to the
extent practicable, must give employees two
pay periods advance notice (Sect 8)
19
Itinerary for Field Staff
• Field staff itineraries are completed in MS Outlook.
(Sect 11) Field staff will include in the itinerary:
– The primary and additional anticipated work locations,
– Approximate start and end times for each location and day
of the week,
– Eligibility for overnight travel per diem status;
– Requests for anticipated credit hours; and
– Planned breaks over two hours
• Only one entry necessary, if the primary work location
is the same for consecutive days. (Sect 11)
20
Travel Issues
Article 14
• Vouchers must be submitted once each calendar
month. Union reps and vouchers exceeding
$1500 may be submitted as needed. Supervisors
will promptly process vouchers (Sect 2)
• Travel charge cards must be used for all payments
of expenses for official travel (Sect 18)
• Travel cards may be used for daily and weekend
return home travel and for personal trips
reimbursed via cost comparison (Sect 6 and 18.F)
21
Weekend and Alternate
Travel
• Weekend return to the residence may be
conducted after the completion of assigned work
(Sect 6)
• Travel to alternate locations is limited to
continental US, upon completion of a cost
comparison, unless otherwise approved by the
supervisor (Sect 6)
• Approved emergency travel limited to cost
comparison to the affected family member’s
residence up to the cost of returning to
employee’s residence (Sect 9)
22
POV Reimbursement and
Rental Cars
• Office employees will receive POV for travel to an alternate
work location or from the office to an alternate work
location (Sect 11.C)
• Approved POV payment and rental car activities (Sect 13.A):
–
–
–
–
Between common carriers' terminals, lodging and residence;
Between lodging and temporary assignments;
Between temporary assignments;
To obtain meals when the work or TDY location prohibits
suitable meals from being procured;
– For sickness or emergency medical treatment;
– To access other services including, but not limited to, grocery
stores, drug stores, and laundromats
23
Rental Car Reimbursement
and Authorization
• The Agency will reimburse up to a mid-size sedan
when transporting two (2) or fewer employees
(Sect 13.C)
• The Agency will reimburse up to a full size sedan
when transporting three (3) or more employees
• If more than two (2) employees are traveling to
the same location, additional rental cars will be
authorized
• Refueling rental cars is compensable travel time
(Sect 13.D)
24
Airports and Airfare
• Employees are expected to use the airport closest to their
residence, regardless of available discount or contract
rates. Employees should use this airport for cost
comparison purposes (Sect 16)
• If no contract fare, purchase either discount or lowest
unrestricted fares. Costs for changes at the Agency’s
direction will be reimbursed
• Purchase of discount airfares at the employee’s option.
Reimbursement for fees due to changes at Agency direction
or personal emergency will be reimbursed (Sect 16.B)
• Costs for changes for personal convenience may be
reimbursed up to the city pair contract rate (Sect 17)
• If no city pair contract rate available, then no
reimbursement for change fees for personal convenience
25
Supply Allowance
Art 14, Sect 42.B
• Employees hired before July 1 will receive up to
the total $500 supply allowance Employees hired
after July 1 may receive up to $250 for a supply
allowance
• Employees may request additional supply funds
• Supervisors are not required to grant the request
and may question why the employee exhausted
the supply allowance
26
Leave
Article 12
• Included Domestic Partner relationships to
participation in the leave article.
• Added definitions of Parents and Sons and
Daughters, including loco parentis (Sect 2)
• If management rescinds annual leave, employees
will be reimbursed for unavoidable losses (Sect 4)
• Employees are responsible for early or absentee
voting. Training and multi-group meetings will
not be held during the week of election-day (Sect
11)
27
Veteran’s Rights
• Adopted regulations for veterans’
participation rights for the following:
– Leave transfer program,
– Administrative leave upon return from active duty,
and
– FLMA entitlements when retuning from military
service or employees caring for family returning
from military service. (Sect 14, 17, 18, and 19)
28
Emergency Dismissal
Procedures
• Procedures negotiated in a separate MOU and can be
found at:
http://ncuacentral/OHR/labor/Negotiated%20Agreements/EarlyDismissalMOU.pdf
• Covers dismissal procedures for Central Office,
Regional Office and field staff in the event of adverse
weather (e.g. snow, floods) natural disasters, and
other disruptions of Agency operations (e.g. loss of
power, water, closure of major transportation routes)
• When in doubt contact supervisor by phone or email to discuss workload and option of working at
alternative worksite
29
Emergency Dismissal –
Office Staff
• Administrative leave will be granted when the
office closes, opens late or closes early
• Staff on travel are expected to continue working
in the event of an office closure, unless closure
prohibits continuation of work
• Staff on travel to an affected area should contact
their supervisor to discuss workload
• Employees scheduled for telework are expected
to continue working at the alternative worksite
and should contact their supervisor if prevented
from working
30
Emergency Dismissal –
Field Staff
• Are expected to continue working when on
official travel, unless in the same geographic
area as a closed region or central office
• When working in the same affected area as a
closed office, staff should contact their
supervisor to discuss workload
• Staff should contact their supervisor to discuss
workload when working in an affected area
and the office is not closed
31
Early Dismissal –
When in Doubt
• In any event, employees should contact their
supervisor by phone or e-mail to discuss
workload
• If insufficient workload, employees will be
granted admin leave to the extent necessary
to fulfill the work requirement for the day
32
Career Ladder
Article 18
• Supervisors should advise employees who are
eligible for a career ladder promotion of
promotion expectations during the mid-year
and annual performance review (Sect 3.C)
• Sufficient work must be made available for
CU-11 examiners to meet the minimum PE
requirements within 30 months of becoming a
grade 11 examiner (Sect 4.B)
33
PE Certification
• PE Certification Program was incorporated into
the article, with the following changes (Sect 5):
– CU-11s must have at least 6 months in grade before
sitting for the certification test,
– Expanded information on test results provided to
employees,
– Removed package submissions for employees
requesting the structured interview,
– Removed holding times if employees do not pass the
assessments or interview, and
– A Review Committee will be established to review the
entire PE Certification process
34
PE Promotion
• Removed “sufficient work in the SE group”
from conditions for a career ladder promotion
(Sect 4)
• Employees will be promoted to the CU-12 PE
position upon completion of the PE
Certification Program (Sect 9)
35
Details and Special
Assignments – Article 23
• Employees involuntarily detailed to a TDY location will
be given a 14 day advance notice (Sect 3.B)
• The Agency must solicit volunteers for nondevelopmental details or special assignments not
involving examination or supervision duties in excess of
90 days (Sect 3.C)
• Employees returning after a detail of one year or more
will be given time to re-familiarize themselves with the
position. Applicable updates to the position will be
provided (Sect 3.E)
• All detail in excess of 30 days will be noted on an SF-52
(Sect 5)
36
Details to Higher Graded
Duties
• Employees detailed to a higher graded, nondevelopmental position for more than 30 days
will be temporarily promoted (Sect 6.A)
• Employees detailed to a higher graded,
developmental position for more than 60 days
will be temporarily promoted (Sect 6.B)
• Employees who are not qualified for a temporary
promotion in the two scenarios may have their
performance considered for an award (Sect 6.C)
37
Relocation Reimbursement
Article 24
• Amounts identified in the article are maximum
expenses. Employees are not automatically
entitled to maximum amounts (Sect 1)
• Domestic partners now eligible as family member
(Sect 2)
• Relocation travel expenses should be claimed on
a separate voucher (Sect 9)
• Agency has discretion to reimburse employees
for voluntary reassignments (Art 22, Sect 2)
38
Reimbursements
• POV reimbursement will be paid at the IRS
Rate for Relocation (Sect 13.A)
• Miscellaneous expense stipend increased to
the lesser of one-week’s pay or $1000 without
family, or lesser of two week’s pay or $1500
with family (Sect 21)
• Added explanation and computations for
Withholding Tax Allowance (Sect 25)
39
Housing
• House hunting trips are authorized if old and new duty
stations are greater than 75 miles apart (Sect 12)
• Involuntary directed reassignment are eligible to
receive a market loss differential up to $150,000 (Sect
23)
• Relocations due to promotions or competitive
selections for CU-12 or lower positions may receive a
market loss differential up to $25,000 (Sect 23)
• Relocations due to a promotion or competitive
selection to CU-13 or higher positions may receive a
market lost differential up to $50,000 (Sect 23)
40
Office Relocations
Article 25
• Exterior/windowed offices will be reserved for
analysts and management positions (Sect 4.A)
• CU-11 and lower will be assigned interior
office space, but may request to temporarily
occupy available windowed office space
• Office staff, regardless of telework status, have
priority over remote duty employees (Sect 4.D)
41
Performance Evaluations
Article 26
• Performance appraisal period is from Oct 1 to
Sept 30 (Sect 1)
• Performance ratings are based on the quality of
the performance of the assigned work (Sect 2.C)
• Employees are not accountable for changed
elements or standards until they receive a revised
performance plan (Sect 3.B)
• Performance related feedback should be
provided within 90 days of completion of the
work assignment (Sect 4.B)
42
Progress Reviews
• Completion of progress reviews shall be noted in
emails to employee (Sect 5.A)
• Rating officials will advise employees of any
decline in actual performance (Sect 5.C)
• Rating officials will advise in writing when the
performance may lead to “Does not meet” rating
• Employees may request to discuss performance
expectation with the rating official (Sect 5.E)
• Employees will receive a copy of the signed
performance appraisal at least 2 business days
prior to conferring with the rating official (Sect 9.E)
43
Grievance Procedure
Article 31
• Employees may take advantage of the
Agency’s mediation program prior to filing a
grievance (Sect 1.B)
• Employees may be granted up to 2 hours to
prepare a grievance and up to 3 hours for
performance appraisal grievances or
unacceptable performance actions (Sect 8)
44
Health, Wellness and
Safety – Article 34
• For the first year, nursing mothers will be
provided break time and a private location, with a
privacy sign, to express milk. Nursing mothers
assigned to credit unions also will be granted
break time (Sect 3)
• Office employees, regardless of grade, without an
on-site fitness facility shall receive up to $500 for
health club memberships (Sect 5)
• Regions will implement buddy group systems as
required by the NCUA COOP (Sect 9.B)
45
Grand Finale
46