Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority, 4341-4343 [2017-00655]
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4341
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 9 / Friday, January 13, 2017 / Notices
Leroy A. Richardson,
Chief, Information Collection Review Office,
Office of Scientific Integrity, Office of the
Associate Director for Science, Office of the
Director, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2017–00590 Filed 1–12–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163–18–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and
Families
Proposed Information Collection
Activity; Comment Request
Title: Pathways for Advancing Careers
and Education (PACE): Third Follow-Up
Data Collection.
OMB No.: 0970–0397.
Description: The Administration for
Children and Families (ACF), U.S.
Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS), is proposing a data
collection activity as part of the
Pathways for Advancing Careers (PACE)
evaluation. PACE is an evaluation of
nine promising career pathways
strategies to promote education,
employment, and self-sufficiency. The
major goal of PACE is to increase the
approximately 15 months after random
assignment, and data collection through
in-depth interviews for a small sample
of study participants (approved August
2013); and a third for a second followup survey of participants administered
36 months after random assignment
(approved December 2014).
This Federal Register Notice provides
the opportunity to comment on a
proposed new information collection
activity for PACE—a third follow-up
survey for PACE participants
approximately 72 months after program
enrollment. The purpose of the survey
is to follow-up with study participants
to document their education and
training experiences; employment
experiences including their
advancement in their career; economic
well-being; student debt and repayment
status; and parenting practices and child
outcomes for participants with children.
Previously approved collection
activities under 0970–0397 will
continue under this new request,
specifically the 36-Month Follow-Up
Survey and Follow-Up Survey Contact
Information Update Letters.
Respondents: Individuals enrolled in
the PACE study at programs selected for
long-term follow-up.
empirical knowledge about the
effectiveness of programs for lowincome individuals and families to
achieve educational credentials, attain
employment, and advance to positions
that enable self-sufficiency.
PACE is one project within the
broader portfolio of research that the
ACF Office of Planning, Research, and
Evaluation (OPRE) is utilizing to assess
the success of career pathways programs
and models. In addition to PACE, this
strategy includes a multi-pronged
research and evaluation approach for
the Health Profession Opportunity
Grants (HPOG) Program to better
understand and assess the activities
conducted and their results. In order to
maximize learning across this portfolio,
survey development for the HPOG and
PACE baseline and follow up surveys
has been coordinated, and the majority
of the data elements collected in these
surveys are similar. (See OMB Control
#0970–0394 for HPOG data collection.)
Three data collection efforts have
been approved for PACE: One for
baseline data collection (approved
November 2011); a second for data
collection activities to document
program implementation, data
collection activities for an initial followup survey of participants administered
ANNUAL BURDEN ESTIMATES
[This information request is for a three-year period]
Total number
of
respondents
Annual
number of
respondents
Number of
responses
per
respondent
Average
burden hours
per response
Annual
burden hours
72-Month Follow-Up Survey ................................................
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Instrument
3,600
1,200
1
0.75
1,125.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 1,125.
In compliance with the requirements
of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Administration for Children and
Families is soliciting public comment
on the specific aspects of the
information collection described above.
Copies of the proposed collection of
information can be obtained and
comments may be forwarded by writing
to the Administration for Children and
Families, Office of Planning, Research,
and Evaluation, 330 C Street SW.,
Washington, DC 20201, Attn: OPRE
Reports Clearance Officer. Email
address: OPREinfocollection@
acf.hhs.gov. All requests should be
identified by the title of the information
collection.
The Department specifically requests
comments on (a) whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
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for the proper performance of the
functions of the agency, including
whether the information shall have
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information; (c)
the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (d)
ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on
respondents, including through the use
of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Consideration will be given to
comments and suggestions submitted
within 60 days of this publication.
Mary Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017–00583 Filed 1–12–17; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and
Families
Statement of Organization, Functions,
and Delegations of Authority
Administration for Children
and Families, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Statement of Organizations,
Functions, and Delegations of
Authority. The Administration for
Children and Families (ACF) and the
National Treasury Employees Union
(NTEU) have renewed the ACF Labor
Management Committee Charter.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Benjamin Goldhaber, Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Administration, 330 C
Street SW., Washington, DC 20201,
(202) 795–7790.
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 9 / Friday, January 13, 2017 / Notices
The ACF Labor Management
Committee Charter is being published as
follows:
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Cooperation Agreement and Charter for the
Labor Management Committee (LMC) the
Administration for Children and Families
(ACF) and National Treasury Employees
Union (NTEU)
The Administration for Children and
Families (ACF) and the National Treasury
Employees Union (NTEU) jointly establish
the ACF/NTEU Labor Management
Committee (Committee or LMC). The parties
recognize that a strong relationship between
labor and management as true and equal
partners is essential in order for ACF to
continue to deliver high quality human
services to the American people as well as
continue to recognize and value its
employees and their union representation.
This cooperative relationship envisions the
open sharing of information at the earliest
pre-decisional stage thereby engendering
mutual trust and respect.
Purpose and Objectives
The Committee’s goal is to establish an
ACF/NTEU labor-management culture that
fosters the full development and utilization
of employees’ skills, knowledge, expertise
and capabilities through cooperative dialogue
and endeavors with ACF employees and their
union representative.
In pursuit of this goal, the Committee sets
forth the following objectives:
• Focus on ACF mission achievement by
serving the public interest first;
• Promote a quality workplace through
improved working conditions and enhanced
working relationships;
• Provide a communication and
information sharing channel for all
bargaining-unit employees through their
union representatives;
• Enhance and establish policy and
program improvement initiatives through
pre-decisional involvement of NTEU without
regard to whether those matters are
negotiable subjects of bargaining under 5
U.S.C. § 7106;
• Make a good-faith effort to resolve issues
concerning proposed changes in conditions
of employment as it relates to numbers,
types, and grades of employees and positions
assigned to any organizational subdivision,
work product, or tour of duty; and the
technology, methods, and means of
performing work;
• Identify and target mutual interests and
shared problems and craft solutions;
• Respect each other as equal partners in
order to address issues from a problemsolving, interest based, and cooperative
perspective;
• Promote cooperative labor-management
working relationships across the Agency; and
• Provide a forum from which to build
mutual trust, respect, and understanding
between the partners.
Scope
The ACF LMC will implement the
purposes and objectives on which it is
founded by:
• Identifying issues impacting ACF’s
mission, labor-management relations, and
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others of mutual interest to committee
members and providing proposed
recommendations to ACF and NTEU
leadership;
• Discussing issues and developing
proposed recommendations on items referred
to the Committee by ACF or NTEU
leadership;
• Exchanging facts and information about
agency-wide issues affecting management,
labor and mission achievement, and serving
as a forum for discussion of such issues; and
• Promoting and facilitating labormanagement cooperation throughout ACF,
including cooperative relationships at all
appropriate levels.
The Parties recognize that although the
work of the Committee may reduce the need
for formal bargaining, the discussion of
issues by the Committee does not relieve the
Agency of its bargaining obligations under
the Federal Labor-Management Relations
Statute (the Statute), absent explicit
agreement by the Union.
Principles
1. ACF allows employees through their
union representatives to have pre-decisional
involvement in workplace matters to the
fullest extent practicable without regard to
whether those matters are negotiable subjects
of bargaining pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 7106.
Pre-decisional involvement takes place
before the bargaining process.
2. The basic principles that underlie predecisional involvement are as follows:
a. The pre-decisional process begins early:
as soon as management identifies an issue or
problem that it intends to address but before
the scope of the problem has been defined or
potential solutions are evaluated.
b. Information is shared freely during the
entire process.
c. There is an understanding of
confidentiality.
d. The parties use interest-based problem
solving.
e. The parties must have a high degree of
commitment to the process and to achieving
their shared goals.
3. The Committee is responsible for
reaching a common understanding on the
structure of their pre-decisional involvement
process.
4. Pre-decisional involvement does not
waive management’s statutory right to make
decisions under 5 U.S.C. § 7106, nor does it
waive the NTEU’s right to engage in
bargaining prior to implementation
consistent with 5 U.S.C. § 7106. Either party
retains the right to reject any
recommendations and/or proposed
agreements arrived at during discussions. It
is understood that no agreement will become
final and binding until the parties have
signed a written agreement to memorialize
the terms. Pre-decisional involvement may
result in an agreement on an issue, which
should be memorialized in a Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) that eliminates the
need for further bargaining on the matter.
Agency head review is required for any MOU
that the parties propose.
5. ACF recognizes that bargaining unit
employees represented by NTEU are an
essential source of ideas and information
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about the realities of achieving the ACF’s
mission. Their input generated through the
Committee will assist management in making
better informed decisions before making
changes in working conditions that affect
them. It is the intent of the parties that
collaboration will result in less formal
bargaining and/or fewer issues that must be
referred to the collective bargaining process.
Structure
Composition
1. Membership: The Committee will
consist of eight members, four NTEU
representatives and four management
representatives. All members of the
Committee must be current and active
employees of ACF. In addition, an Executive
Secretary will be appointed by the Co-Chairs
to perform administrative duties as directed
by the Committee. The ACF Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Administration and the NTEU
National President, or their designees, will be
considered ex officio members of the
Committee. NTEU representatives will be
appointed by the NTEU National President
and management representatives will be
appointed by the ACF Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Administration or his/her
designee. The parties will provide the names
of appointed committee members and
alternates as soon as possible, but no later
than 30 days from the date of execution of
this Charter. In the event that a committee
member is no longer able to serve, a
replacement member will be appointed as
soon as possible, but no later than 30 days
after the original committee member resigns.
NTEU and ACF may each appoint one
alternate. Alternates can participate fully in
discussions but not in decisions. NTEU’s
representatives will be allocated appropriate
official time to prepare for and participate in
in the Committee, to include travel time to
and from each meeting.
2. Co-Chairs: NTEU and ACF will each
appoint a Committee Co-Chair for a term to
be established individually by each entity.
3. Guests: NTEU and ACF may each invite
two non-member guests per committee
meeting. Guests may provide information
and their individual views to the Committee
and may fully participate in committee
discussions, but will not be involved in the
decision making process of the Committee
and shall not be involved in making final
recommendations to ACF management.
Guests may vary per meeting, and may
include, but are not limited to, individuals
from NTEU’s national office, retired/former
federal government employees, and the
Department’s National Labor Relations
Office.
Decision Making: All Committee members
have equal status during Committee
deliberations. The Committee has authority
to recommend action to ACF management
and NTEU. However, the Committee can only
make decisions regarding recommendations
when a quorum is present. A quorum exists
when at least three representatives from labor
and three representatives from ACF are
present. When there is no quorum, meetings
may still be held to discuss issues, however
no decisions may be made. All decisions
must be made by consensus. If consensus is
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 9 / Friday, January 13, 2017 / Notices
not reached, each party may use its statutory
and other rights as specified in the
‘‘Preservation of Rights’’ section below. This
decision making process will be evaluated by
the Committee after one full year of its
operation.
Meeting Schedule and Logistics: The
Committee will meet on a quarterly basis or
more frequently by consensus of its members.
The Committee will normally meet at ACF
Central Office in Washington, DC, but may
also meet at another location by consensus.
If a Committee member is unable to
physically attend a meeting, he/she may
participate by phone or video
teleconferencing. The date and time for any
meetings will be established by mutual
agreement. Committee meetings may be held
in conjunction with other meetings where it
is deemed cost effective and there is
consensus.
Working Groups: The Committee has the
authority to form workgroups that may
include individuals who are not members of
the Committee. Any such workgroups will be
given their charge and/or responsibilities
from the LMC in writing. Non-Committee
member bargaining unit participants on such
groups will be appointed by NTEU and will
be provided appropriate official time to
participate in workgroup activities.
Support: The Committee will use the
services of a facilitator trained in interestbased bargaining techniques as needed. The
appointed Executive Secretary will provide
administrative support to the Committee.
Such support shall include creation and
dissemination of meeting agenda and
minutes, announcements of meetings, and
other matters as determined by the
Committee. The Agency will make available
the use of video and telephone conferencing
for the participation of all committee
members at meetings. The Agency will
provide meeting rooms for LMC meetings.
Participation: The Agency encourages the
use of video and telephone conferencing for
the participation of those members who are
domiciled outside the 50 mile radius of
Washington, DC, and will provide the
necessary equipment to facilitate the process.
Union representatives will be granted official
time for preparation and participation in the
meetings, pursuant to Article 10 of the
Collective Bargaining Agreement. The
Agency will pay for all reasonable local
travel expenses, namely transportation and
parking. For those participants domiciled
outside the 50 mile radius, the Agency agrees
to reimburse the Union representatives 50
percent of reasonable travel expenses,
including transportation, lodging, and per
diem.
In the interest of facilitating the working
relations among the members, the Agency
agrees to assume the full costs associated
with travel, including transportation, lodging
and per diem for participants for the first
scheduled meeting of the Committee. For all
subsequent meetings, the Agency will
reimburse the Union representatives for 50
percent as stated above.
Agenda Development and Dissemination:
The LMC’s potential agenda items will be
submitted to the Co-Chairs who will
mutually establish a formal agenda for the
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next LMC meeting. The formal agenda will be
distributed to all LMC members at least three
work days prior to the next LMC meeting. For
issues requiring a decision by the LMC, all
proposals or related materials will be
distributed to the LMC members as soon as
possible but no later than seven work days
prior to the meeting at which the decision
will need to be made.
Communication: Final, approved minutes
of the Committee will be disseminated and
made available to all ACF employees via
methods determined by the Committee.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Evaluation
The Committee will evaluate its progress
on an annual basis. It will determine whether
to renew its procedures and/or to make
changes in any aspect of the LMC.
AGENCY:
4343
Preservation of Rights
Cooperation is not intended to supplant
the decision-making authority, or to usurp
the responsibility of agency management, but
to further involve ACF employees in
developing ACF decisions through the active
and systematic participation of NTEU and
those it represents who perform ACF’s work.
This LMC is based on the belief that NTEU
participation in ACF decision-making will
promote decisions of such a nature that the
need for formal bargaining will be reduced
and, where bargaining becomes necessary,
will inform and facilitate the negotiations.
Accordingly, subject to statute, executive
orders, and the collective bargaining
agreement, ACF reserves the right to
determine whether to implement
recommendations arising from the
cooperation endeavor, and NTEU reserves
the right to bargain concerning the substance,
impact and implementation of final ACF
decisions prior to implementation. The ACF
recognizes its statutory, regulatory, and/or
contractual obligations to provide
notification to NTEU and to bargain.
Effective Date, Duration, and Modifications
This LMC shall be instituted upon the date
the parties have signed the Charter. The
partners may amend or supplement this
Agreement at any time upon consensus. This
Agreement may be terminated by either of
the parties to this Agreement. Termination by
either party shall be provided in writing and
shall be considered effective exactly 30
calendar days after receipt by the recipient
party. Notification of termination shall be
sent out in a written notice to all ACF staff
within 10 days of the termination and shall
be published in the Federal Register within
30 days of the termination.
On behalf of NTEU and ACF, the
undersigned execute this Agreement on this
30th day of December, 2016, by Anthony
Reardon, NTEU National President; Mark H.
Greenberg, Acting Assistant Secretary for
Children and Families; and Benjamin
Goldhaber, Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Administration, Administration for Children
and Families.
Dated: January 6, 2017.
Mark H. Greenberg,
Assistant Secretary for Children and Families.
[FR Doc. 2017–00655 Filed 1–12–17; 8:45 am]
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Food and Drug Administration
[Docket No. FDA–2014–D–1524]
Repackaging of Certain Human Drug
Products by Pharmacies and
Outsourcing Facilities; Final Guidance
for Industry; Availability
Food and Drug Administration,
HHS.
ACTION:
Notice of availability.
The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA or the Agency) is
announcing the availability of a final
guidance for industry entitled
‘‘Repackaging of Certain Human Drug
Products by Pharmacies and
Outsourcing Facilities.’’ This guidance
describes the conditions under which
FDA does not intend to take action for
violations of certain provisions of the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
(the FD&C Act), when a State-licensed
pharmacy, a Federal facility, or an
outsourcing facility repackages certain
human drug products.
DATES: Submit either electronic or
written comments on Agency guidances
at any time.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
as follows:
SUMMARY:
Electronic Submissions
Submit electronic comments in the
following way:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
Comments submitted electronically,
including attachments, to https://
www.regulations.gov will be posted to
the docket unchanged. Because your
comment will be made public, you are
solely responsible for ensuring that your
comment does not include any
confidential information that you or a
third party may not wish to be posted,
such as medical information, your or
anyone else’s Social Security number, or
confidential business information, such
as a manufacturing process. Please note
that if you include your name, contact
information, or other information that
identifies you in the body of your
comments, that information will be
posted on https://www.regulations.gov.
• If you want to submit a comment
with confidential information that you
do not wish to be made available to the
public, submit the comment as a
written/paper submission and in the
manner detailed (see ‘‘Written/Paper
Submissions’’ and ‘‘Instructions’’).
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 9 (Friday, January 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4341-4343]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-00655]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of
Authority
AGENCY: Administration for Children and Families, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Statement of Organizations, Functions, and Delegations of
Authority. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the
National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) have renewed the ACF Labor
Management Committee Charter.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Benjamin Goldhaber, Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Administration, 330 C Street SW., Washington, DC 20201,
(202) 795-7790.
[[Page 4342]]
The ACF Labor Management Committee Charter is being published as
follows:
Cooperation Agreement and Charter for the Labor Management Committee
(LMC) the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and National
Treasury Employees Union (NTEU)
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the
National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) jointly establish the ACF/
NTEU Labor Management Committee (Committee or LMC). The parties
recognize that a strong relationship between labor and management as
true and equal partners is essential in order for ACF to continue to
deliver high quality human services to the American people as well
as continue to recognize and value its employees and their union
representation. This cooperative relationship envisions the open
sharing of information at the earliest pre-decisional stage thereby
engendering mutual trust and respect.
Purpose and Objectives
The Committee's goal is to establish an ACF/NTEU labor-
management culture that fosters the full development and utilization
of employees' skills, knowledge, expertise and capabilities through
cooperative dialogue and endeavors with ACF employees and their
union representative.
In pursuit of this goal, the Committee sets forth the following
objectives:
Focus on ACF mission achievement by serving the public
interest first;
Promote a quality workplace through improved working
conditions and enhanced working relationships;
Provide a communication and information sharing channel
for all bargaining-unit employees through their union
representatives;
Enhance and establish policy and program improvement
initiatives through pre-decisional involvement of NTEU without
regard to whether those matters are negotiable subjects of
bargaining under 5 U.S.C. Sec. 7106;
Make a good-faith effort to resolve issues concerning
proposed changes in conditions of employment as it relates to
numbers, types, and grades of employees and positions assigned to
any organizational subdivision, work product, or tour of duty; and
the technology, methods, and means of performing work;
Identify and target mutual interests and shared
problems and craft solutions;
Respect each other as equal partners in order to
address issues from a problem-solving, interest based, and
cooperative perspective;
Promote cooperative labor-management working
relationships across the Agency; and
Provide a forum from which to build mutual trust,
respect, and understanding between the partners.
Scope
The ACF LMC will implement the purposes and objectives on which
it is founded by:
Identifying issues impacting ACF's mission, labor-
management relations, and others of mutual interest to committee
members and providing proposed recommendations to ACF and NTEU
leadership;
Discussing issues and developing proposed
recommendations on items referred to the Committee by ACF or NTEU
leadership;
Exchanging facts and information about agency-wide
issues affecting management, labor and mission achievement, and
serving as a forum for discussion of such issues; and
Promoting and facilitating labor-management cooperation
throughout ACF, including cooperative relationships at all
appropriate levels.
The Parties recognize that although the work of the Committee
may reduce the need for formal bargaining, the discussion of issues
by the Committee does not relieve the Agency of its bargaining
obligations under the Federal Labor-Management Relations Statute
(the Statute), absent explicit agreement by the Union.
Principles
1. ACF allows employees through their union representatives to
have pre-decisional involvement in workplace matters to the fullest
extent practicable without regard to whether those matters are
negotiable subjects of bargaining pursuant to 5 U.S.C. Sec. 7106.
Pre-decisional involvement takes place before the bargaining
process.
2. The basic principles that underlie pre-decisional involvement
are as follows:
a. The pre-decisional process begins early: as soon as
management identifies an issue or problem that it intends to address
but before the scope of the problem has been defined or potential
solutions are evaluated.
b. Information is shared freely during the entire process.
c. There is an understanding of confidentiality.
d. The parties use interest-based problem solving.
e. The parties must have a high degree of commitment to the
process and to achieving their shared goals.
3. The Committee is responsible for reaching a common
understanding on the structure of their pre-decisional involvement
process.
4. Pre-decisional involvement does not waive management's
statutory right to make decisions under 5 U.S.C. Sec. 7106, nor
does it waive the NTEU's right to engage in bargaining prior to
implementation consistent with 5 U.S.C. Sec. 7106. Either party
retains the right to reject any recommendations and/or proposed
agreements arrived at during discussions. It is understood that no
agreement will become final and binding until the parties have
signed a written agreement to memorialize the terms. Pre-decisional
involvement may result in an agreement on an issue, which should be
memorialized in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that eliminates
the need for further bargaining on the matter. Agency head review is
required for any MOU that the parties propose.
5. ACF recognizes that bargaining unit employees represented by
NTEU are an essential source of ideas and information about the
realities of achieving the ACF's mission. Their input generated
through the Committee will assist management in making better
informed decisions before making changes in working conditions that
affect them. It is the intent of the parties that collaboration will
result in less formal bargaining and/or fewer issues that must be
referred to the collective bargaining process.
Structure
Composition
1. Membership: The Committee will consist of eight members, four
NTEU representatives and four management representatives. All
members of the Committee must be current and active employees of
ACF. In addition, an Executive Secretary will be appointed by the
Co-Chairs to perform administrative duties as directed by the
Committee. The ACF Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration and
the NTEU National President, or their designees, will be considered
ex officio members of the Committee. NTEU representatives will be
appointed by the NTEU National President and management
representatives will be appointed by the ACF Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Administration or his/her designee. The parties will
provide the names of appointed committee members and alternates as
soon as possible, but no later than 30 days from the date of
execution of this Charter. In the event that a committee member is
no longer able to serve, a replacement member will be appointed as
soon as possible, but no later than 30 days after the original
committee member resigns. NTEU and ACF may each appoint one
alternate. Alternates can participate fully in discussions but not
in decisions. NTEU's representatives will be allocated appropriate
official time to prepare for and participate in in the Committee, to
include travel time to and from each meeting.
2. Co-Chairs: NTEU and ACF will each appoint a Committee Co-
Chair for a term to be established individually by each entity.
3. Guests: NTEU and ACF may each invite two non-member guests
per committee meeting. Guests may provide information and their
individual views to the Committee and may fully participate in
committee discussions, but will not be involved in the decision
making process of the Committee and shall not be involved in making
final recommendations to ACF management. Guests may vary per
meeting, and may include, but are not limited to, individuals from
NTEU's national office, retired/former federal government employees,
and the Department's National Labor Relations Office.
Decision Making: All Committee members have equal status during
Committee deliberations. The Committee has authority to recommend
action to ACF management and NTEU. However, the Committee can only
make decisions regarding recommendations when a quorum is present. A
quorum exists when at least three representatives from labor and
three representatives from ACF are present. When there is no quorum,
meetings may still be held to discuss issues, however no decisions
may be made. All decisions must be made by consensus. If consensus
is
[[Page 4343]]
not reached, each party may use its statutory and other rights as
specified in the ``Preservation of Rights'' section below. This
decision making process will be evaluated by the Committee after one
full year of its operation.
Meeting Schedule and Logistics: The Committee will meet on a
quarterly basis or more frequently by consensus of its members. The
Committee will normally meet at ACF Central Office in Washington,
DC, but may also meet at another location by consensus. If a
Committee member is unable to physically attend a meeting, he/she
may participate by phone or video teleconferencing. The date and
time for any meetings will be established by mutual agreement.
Committee meetings may be held in conjunction with other meetings
where it is deemed cost effective and there is consensus.
Working Groups: The Committee has the authority to form
workgroups that may include individuals who are not members of the
Committee. Any such workgroups will be given their charge and/or
responsibilities from the LMC in writing. Non-Committee member
bargaining unit participants on such groups will be appointed by
NTEU and will be provided appropriate official time to participate
in workgroup activities.
Support: The Committee will use the services of a facilitator
trained in interest-based bargaining techniques as needed. The
appointed Executive Secretary will provide administrative support to
the Committee. Such support shall include creation and dissemination
of meeting agenda and minutes, announcements of meetings, and other
matters as determined by the Committee. The Agency will make
available the use of video and telephone conferencing for the
participation of all committee members at meetings. The Agency will
provide meeting rooms for LMC meetings.
Participation: The Agency encourages the use of video and
telephone conferencing for the participation of those members who
are domiciled outside the 50 mile radius of Washington, DC, and will
provide the necessary equipment to facilitate the process. Union
representatives will be granted official time for preparation and
participation in the meetings, pursuant to Article 10 of the
Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Agency will pay for all
reasonable local travel expenses, namely transportation and parking.
For those participants domiciled outside the 50 mile radius, the
Agency agrees to reimburse the Union representatives 50 percent of
reasonable travel expenses, including transportation, lodging, and
per diem.
In the interest of facilitating the working relations among the
members, the Agency agrees to assume the full costs associated with
travel, including transportation, lodging and per diem for
participants for the first scheduled meeting of the Committee. For
all subsequent meetings, the Agency will reimburse the Union
representatives for 50 percent as stated above.
Agenda Development and Dissemination: The LMC's potential agenda
items will be submitted to the Co-Chairs who will mutually establish
a formal agenda for the next LMC meeting. The formal agenda will be
distributed to all LMC members at least three work days prior to the
next LMC meeting. For issues requiring a decision by the LMC, all
proposals or related materials will be distributed to the LMC
members as soon as possible but no later than seven work days prior
to the meeting at which the decision will need to be made.
Communication: Final, approved minutes of the Committee will be
disseminated and made available to all ACF employees via methods
determined by the Committee.
Evaluation
The Committee will evaluate its progress on an annual basis. It
will determine whether to renew its procedures and/or to make
changes in any aspect of the LMC.
Preservation of Rights
Cooperation is not intended to supplant the decision-making
authority, or to usurp the responsibility of agency management, but
to further involve ACF employees in developing ACF decisions through
the active and systematic participation of NTEU and those it
represents who perform ACF's work. This LMC is based on the belief
that NTEU participation in ACF decision-making will promote
decisions of such a nature that the need for formal bargaining will
be reduced and, where bargaining becomes necessary, will inform and
facilitate the negotiations.
Accordingly, subject to statute, executive orders, and the
collective bargaining agreement, ACF reserves the right to determine
whether to implement recommendations arising from the cooperation
endeavor, and NTEU reserves the right to bargain concerning the
substance, impact and implementation of final ACF decisions prior to
implementation. The ACF recognizes its statutory, regulatory, and/or
contractual obligations to provide notification to NTEU and to
bargain.
Effective Date, Duration, and Modifications
This LMC shall be instituted upon the date the parties have
signed the Charter. The partners may amend or supplement this
Agreement at any time upon consensus. This Agreement may be
terminated by either of the parties to this Agreement. Termination
by either party shall be provided in writing and shall be considered
effective exactly 30 calendar days after receipt by the recipient
party. Notification of termination shall be sent out in a written
notice to all ACF staff within 10 days of the termination and shall
be published in the Federal Register within 30 days of the
termination.
On behalf of NTEU and ACF, the undersigned execute this
Agreement on this 30th day of December, 2016, by Anthony Reardon,
NTEU National President; Mark H. Greenberg, Acting Assistant
Secretary for Children and Families; and Benjamin Goldhaber, Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Administration, Administration for Children
and Families.
Dated: January 6, 2017.
Mark H. Greenberg,
Assistant Secretary for Children and Families.
[FR Doc. 2017-00655 Filed 1-12-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P
