Effective April 16, 2015, the Postal Service™ is revising Handbook EL-312, Employment and Placement, part 584 to update policy for employee evaluations.
n 584.43 is changed to state that completion of temporary service may affect the probationary period in accordance with the appropriate collective bargaining agreement.
n 584.45 contained a note that is no longer true so it has been deleted.
n The text formerly under 584.5 is now renumbered as 584.51, and minor editorial changes were made for reader ease of use.
n 584.52 is renumbered (formerly 584.51) and contains minor editorial changes.
n 584.53 is renumbered (formerly 584.52) and contains minor editorial changes.
n 584.54 is renumbered (formerly 584.53) and a phrase is deleted.
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Handbook EL-312, Employment and Placement
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5 Suitability
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58 Post Hire Suitability
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584 Employee Evaluation
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584.43 Periods of Noncareer Service
[Revise the text of 584.43 to read as follows:]
Postal service in a casual or temporary status preceding the career appointment may affect the probationary period, in accordance with the appropriate collective bargaining agreement.
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584.45 Position Changes During Probation
[Delete Note (second paragraph) in its entirety.]
A change from part-time to full-time employment does not interrupt or otherwise change the time counted toward completion of a probationary period. Promotion, demotion, or reassignment in the same installation or to another installation within the Postal Service does not require a new probationary period, but does require completion of any unfinished probationary period.
584.5 Bargaining Employees
[Delete the text of 584.5 in its entirety and add new 584.51 to read as follows:]
584.51 PS Form 1750 as a Performance Report
PS Form 1750, Employee Evaluation and/or Probationary Report, establishes benchmarks for satisfactory work performance.
n For noncareer employees, the form serves as an evaluation report to make the appropriate rehire decisions, to facilitate coaching and counseling, and to provide assistance to employees needing guidance.
n For career employees, the form serves as a probationary report that clearly outlines expectations for the probationary period, including the factors to be evaluated.
During the employee’s first week at the work site, the immediate supervisor must hold an initial discussion to clearly outline performance expectations for the evaluation or probationary period, including the factors to be evaluated and examples of satisfactory performance.
[Renumber current 584.51 as new 584.52 and revise the second sentence to read as follows:]
584.52 Performance Evaluation Intervals
***Both the supervisor and the employee must initial PS Form 1750 to indicate that these discussions have taken place.***
[Renumber current 584.52 as new 584.53 and revise the last sentence to read as follows:]
584.53 Formal Evaluations at Other Intervals
***If these additional evaluations occur during an employee’s probationary period, they are documented using PS Form 1750.
[Renumber current 584.53 as new 584.54 and revise the last sentence to read as follows:]
584.54 Evaluation After the Probationary Period
***Such evaluations are used for the early identification and correction of problems.
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We will incorporate these revisions into the next online update of Handbook EL-312, Employment and Placement, which is available on the Postal Service PolicyNet website:
n Go to http://blue.usps.gov.
n Under “Essential Links” in the left-hand column, click PolicyNet.
n On the PolicyNet page, click HBKs.
The direct URL for the Postal Service PolicyNet website is http://blue.usps.gov/cpim.
— Human Resources (HQ),
Employee Resource Management, 4-16-15
