2. HEADQUARTERS WATCH DESK

The Postal Service's Headquarters Watch desk became fully operational this year. The watch desk receives information about critical events that may have national implications and require immediate action. When such an event occurs, local Inspection Service personnel, other law enforcement agencies, and DHS immediately contact the Headquarters Watch Desk to report pertinent information which is disseminated as necessary to Postal Service officials for appropriate action. The Chief Postal Inspector and the Deputy Chief Inspector of Headquarters operations will determine notification requirements for the Postmaster General, Deputy Postmaster General and Chief Operating Officer, members of the Board of Governors, Inspector General, and any other executive officers. When appropriate, the Deputy Chief Inspector of Headquarters operations activates the Command Center to coordinate the incident, as was the case during the response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

5. Planning

A. ENTERPRISE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

The Postal Service's success will depend to a great degree on its ability to use workhours efficiently and adjust staffing relative to changing workload. The enterprise Resource Management System, which manages employee attendance at more than 90 field sites, is a key tool used to assure operations are adequately and efficiently staffed. In 2005 the Postal Service completed national deployment of Interactive Voice Response technology and provided updated enhancements to the software application to improve complement management, cost effectiveness in operational efficiency, and automated, system-generated reports to all management levels. The key components deployed in 2005 are:

• Enhanced Leave Request Application TTY script for the deaf and hearing impaired employees.
• National implementation of the fulfillment center to mail out required information for new Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) cases. New features on enterprise Resource Management System (eRMS) screens to provide tracking information on FMLA direct mail pieces.
• Ongoing (eRMS) software enhancements to provide more user-friendly features.
• New, automated reports to management that provide more concise data and enhanced accountability for managers' review on a quarterly basis.
• Expanded distribution of the successful Sick Leave Awareness Campaign to include poster kits to smaller offices, Headquarters offices, and the Inspection Service. The sick leave videos were recipients of two gold Aurora and one silver Telly awards.
• Integrated link to Time and Attendance Collection System (TACS) with eRMS, which provides real-time data to manage the daily business operations.

Several eRMS integration efforts with eReassign, the Employee Ideas Program, and the Enterprise Injury Compensation Performance Analysis System are still in progress to provide users with an extensive and robust resource tool in 2006.

B. FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT

In order to maintain continuity and provide effective administration of Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) cases, the Postal Service authorized FMLA coordinator positions at the performance cluster level to offer subject matter expertise to employees. An ongoing, comprehensive, 3-day training program is provided as needed to newly appointed FMLA coordinators. To increase operational efficiency and reduce costs, a fulfillment center was established that eliminates manual transactions normally performed by FMLA coordinators and standardizes the mailing of FMLA packets.

C. HUMAN CAPITAL ENTERPRISE/HR SHARED SERVICES

The Human Capital Enterprise/HR Shared Services (HCE/HRSS) is tasked with the redesign of HR business processes, development of new technology to support those processes, and implementation of a Human Resources Shared Services Center to complete basic transactions. These activities will reduce costs, improve efficiency, and provide high quality service to employees.

In 2005 HCE/HRSS partnered with Headquarters managers and field practitioners to continue implementation of PostalPEOPLE, a project that transforms the Human Resources function by streamlining, standardizing, and automating outdated technology. When completed, the new environment will be one fully integrated HR system that includes a Shared Service Center and enhanced self-service options. This work is being completed against both legacy and future technology environments. The Human Resources Shared Service Center (HRSSC) was opened in Greensboro, North Carolina, to support newly developed personnel processes. As of October 2005, the first three major process categories (Retirements and Separations, Benefits and Compensation, and EAS Selections) had been validated and transferred to the service center from three performance clusters (Northland, Minnesota; Santa Ana, California; and Triboro, New York). As a result, the HRSSC now serves more than 40 thousand employees.