The Office of Personnel Management issued personnel
flexibility guidelines in advance of Hurricane Charley that
landed in Florida last week that it says should bring the
heads of federal agencies and managers up to date regarding
actions to be taken in preparation for the next natural
disasters.
“These actions with respect to Hurricane Charley are
consistent with our guidance in previous natural disasters
such as Hurricane Isabel last year,” said OPM director Kay
Coles James.
In a recent memo she wrote, “I strongly encourage managers
to grant excused absence to employees who are requested to
assist in authorized emergency law enforcement, relief,
and clean-up efforts in affected communities by federal,
state, or other officials having jurisdiction and whose
participation in such activities has been approved by
their employing agency.”
The memo offered guidance to hire additional federal staff
for a quicker response and asked agencies and departments
to “excuse from duty without charge to leave or loss of
pay federal employees who are affected by Hurricane
Charley and its aftermath and who can be spared from
their usual responsibilities.”
The flexibilities allow for premium pay for employees
performing emergency overtime work subject to annual pay
limitations rather than bi-weekly limits, said OPM.
It said the president may direct it to establish an
emergency leave transfer program so employees in an
executive agency may donate unused annual leave to other
comparable employees affected by the hurricane so they
don’t have to use their own paid leave.
OPM also granted direct hire and emergency critical
hiring authority for 30-day appointments in the
excepted service, to fill a critical hiring need at
the senior level or below, where agencies determine
the qualifications required.
It also said agencies may contract with private sector
temporary employment firms for services to meet
emergency staffing needs for 120 days, and extendable
by as much. To access the guidance, go here:
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