The Defense Department’s recent proposals for reforming many personnel practices contain several potential important changes directed at careers of supervisors and managers personally as well as at their job responsibilities.
The proposals were unveiled at a meeting with unions, although not as the start of negotiations but rather as part of a general consultative process, and in some cases could be put in place at the department’s discretion. Most, however would require changes in law.
One plan that would fall into the latter category would place all those not eligible for union membership, including managers and supervisors, into the excepted service. According to the document, that gives senior management would have greater flexibility in the standards they use to fill such positions, deemphasizes the role of veterans’ preference in hiring, doubles the probationary period to two years or more, allows more leeway in how those jobs are classified and how employees are paid including due to market factors, and bases promotion or placement only on the assessment of the person’s qualifications and readiness for advancement.
Another aspect would be to establish two distinct career tracks for those at GS-14 and above: management and technical. According to the document, “Employees interested in further development of their technical skills will have the opportunity for continued advancement without supervisory responsibilities. This option also makes it more likely that those employees in the management track have a real interest and aptitude in supervising the workforce and are not applying simply for a promotion.”
Those in the management track meanwhile would get specific training in best practices for management-related topics such as employee supervision, strategic planning, and budgeting.
Also, Defense agencies could grant paid time off to employees at the GS-12 level and higher for the purpose of professional development opportunities such as education or research. Employees would be allowed a paid sabbatical of up to 12 months in any 10-year period.
