Current through Rules and Regulations filed through March 20, 2024
(1)
Introduction:
The State has implemented a performance management program
through which agency supervisors and managers set performance expectations,
conduct interim performance reviews, and annually evaluate and rate the work
performed by employees. Performance management can serve as an effective
retention tool, and the State's performance management program provides
supervisors and employees with the opportunity to align work with agency goals
and plans, discuss performance expectations, identify and correct areas for
improvement, encourage and recognize strengths, and discuss positive,
purposeful approaches for meeting goals. Performance discussions should ideally
occur throughout the year during interim reviews and coaching, but must occur
in conjunction with performance planning and end-of-year performance
evaluation.
(2)
Applicability:
This Rule is applicable to all full-time and part-time regular
employees in executive branch agencies except the Board of Regents of the
University System of Georgia. Agencies have the discretion to include their
hourly and temporary employees in their performance management program.
(3)
Definitions:
For the purposes of this Rule, the following terms and
definitions apply in addition to those in Rule
478-1-.02, Terms and
Definitions:
(a) "Coaching" refers to
periodic meetings between the supervisor and employee to discuss how
effectively the employee is performing and applying competencies to meet job
responsibilities and/or goals.
(b)
"Competencies" mean observable and measurable behaviors, knowledge, skills,
abilities, and other characteristics that are necessary to perform successfully
in the position.
(c) "Goal" means a
measurable outcome or result to be achieved as defined in a performance
plan.
(d) "Individual Development
Plan" or "IDP" means an action plan that identifies an employee's short-term
and long-term goals as well as projects, activities, and support that
contribute to the employee's continual learning and development in the
organization. IDPs should be a collaborative effort between the supervisor and
employee.
(e) "Job
Responsibilities" include job tasks that are necessary for successful
performance in the employee's current position.
(f) "Performance Plan" is the document shared
with and acknowledged by the employee that identifies the competencies, goals,
job responsibilities, and/or expectations upon which an employee will be
evaluated. The performance plan should also include unrated employee
development activities in an Individual Development Plan.
(4)
Performance Management
Process:
The performance management process involves four components:
performance planning, performance coaching, performance evaluation, and
performance recognition.
(a)
Performance Planning:
1. The performance
management program requires that supervisors develop a performance plan for
each employee upon the employee's hire into a new job and then annually
thereafter. The performance plan identifies performance standards and
expectations on which the employee will be evaluated. Supervisors are to
present performance plans to their employees within 45 calendar days of an
employee being placed in a new job and annually within 45 calendar days of the
start of a new performance period.
2. Performance planning is intended to be a
collaborative effort between the supervisor and employee. The agency head, or
designee, however, has sole discretion to make the final determination of
individual competencies, goals, job responsibilities, and expectations to be
included in the performance plan.
3. A performance plan may be modified at any
time during a performance period and shall be modified when new or different
responsibilities and/or expectations are added to a position. Employees should
be immediately notified of such modifications to their performance plan, and
the written performance plan must be updated within 15 calendar days of the
modification.
4. Given the
importance of Individual Development Plans in improving and/or expanding
employees' knowledge, skills, and abilities, all agencies are encouraged to
include IDPs in their employees' performance plans. The focus of the IDP may be
development in the current role, building new skill sets or knowledge, and/or
preparation for a future role.
(b) Performance Coaching:
1. The performance management program
requires that supervisors monitor and document their employees' performance and
provide coaching throughout the performance period.
2. At least once during the performance
period, supervisors are encouraged to conduct an interim performance review
with each supervised employee. Interim reviews need not be as formal as annual
performance evaluations but have the option of including detailed assessments
and ratings. At a minimum, interim reviews must offer sufficient feedback to
employees to reinforce successful performance and redirect less than successful
performance.
(c)
Performance Evaluation:
1. At the conclusion
of each annual performance period, supervisors are responsible for documenting,
evaluating, and rating the performance of each employee who has been in the
current position for five months or more. If there has been a change in
supervision during the performance period, agencies should develop a process
for ensuring that all documentation maintained on an employee is considered in
the evaluation.
2. An employee who
has been in the current position for less than five months may receive a
"no-rating" at the discretion of the employing agency. The summary rating
should be based on the rating scale currently supported by the State and
reflect the employee's overall level of performance.
3. Performance evaluations are to be
conducted in a fair, unbiased, and equitable manner. When practicable, the
performance evaluation should include a one-on-one, in-person meeting between
the supervisor and the employee.
4.
Employees are encouraged to actively participate in the evaluation process by
completing and submitting a self-evaluation. The agency head, or designee,
however, has sole discretion to make the final determination on employees'
overall summary performance ratings.
(d) Performance Recognition:
1. Performance recognition may be monetary or
non-monetary and includes any activity designed to acknowledge individual or
collective performance results.
2.
When monetary performance rewards based on employee overall summary ratings are
appropriated statewide, such rewards are implemented as approved by the State
Personnel Board.
(5)
Review of Performance Plans or
Evaluations:
(a) Employees may request
a review of their performance plan if they consider the expectations to be
non-job-related or unachievable.
(b) Employees may request a review of their
annual performance evaluation if the overall summary rating is "Unsatisfactory
Performer," or its equivalent, and they disagree with such rating.
(c) Each agency shall designate at least one
official to serve as an "Agency Review Official" to review performance plans,
evaluations, and supporting documentation, and to render a decision to either
uphold or direct the responsible supervisor to revise the performance plan or
rating. The Agency Review Official reviewing a particular plan or evaluation
should be familiar with the work described and must not be a first- or
second-level supervisor of the employee requesting the review.
(d) The agency may define procedures and
timeframes for requesting reviews and require such to be followed as a
condition of granting a review.
1. Agencies
are responsible for ensuring their employees are aware of the procedure for
requesting a review of a performance plan or evaluation and any applicable
timeframes.
2. The identity of an
Agency Review Official must be provided to each employee upon presentation of
an overall summary rating of "Unsatisfactory Performer," or its
equivalent.
(6)
Recordkeeping:
(a) Performance
evaluations must be dated and acknowledged by the employee and supervisor.
Electronic acknowledgement meets these criteria. Once the employee has
acknowledged the document, no changes can be made or comments added to the
performance evaluation without the employee's knowledge.
(b) Agencies must determine an alternate
method of documenting that the evaluation has been discussed with the employee
when the employee refuses to acknowledge the performance evaluation.
(c) Completed performance evaluations are
maintained in the Human Resources Information System (HRIS) or as otherwise
designated by the agency in accordance with the State's official retention
schedule.
(d) Overall summary
evaluation ratings are to be entered into the HRIS, as communicated to
agencies.
(7)
Performance Management Program Evaluation:
The DOAS Commissioner, or designee, shall conduct an annual
review and evaluation of the statewide application of the performance
management program. Such review and evaluation shall be undertaken with the
goal of assuring, to the extent possible, consistency of employee evaluation
throughout the State.
(8)
Coordination with Other Personnel Policies:
(a) Overall summary performance ratings are
considered when implementing performance-based salary increases and Reductions
in Force, as appropriate within these Rules.
(b) Typically, employment actions resulting
from an employee's performance, such as promotions or demotions, should be
consistent with the most recent annual overall summary performance rating.
Significant accomplishments or deficiencies occurring after the most recent
annual evaluation could support an exception.
O.C.G.A.
§§
45-20-3, 45-20-3.1, 45-20-4;
§§
45-20-1, 45-20-21.
