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BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION

HUMAN RESOURCES, DIVERSITY AND EEO

Portland, Oregon

PERSONNEL LETTER NO. 410-1 (Revised) DATE: August 13, 2008

SUBJECT: Employee and Organizational Development and Training

PURPOSE

This Personnel Letter:

Describes policies and procedures governing employee, management, and organizational

development and training.

Replaces Personnel Letter 410-1, dated October 23, 2006, to reflect changes in continuedservice agreements for participants in BPAs electrical apprenticeship programs that werenegotiated in the recently concluded BPA-CPTC term negotiations and which areretroactively effective for the class hired in 2007.

POLICY SUMMARY

Employee, management, and organizational development and training will be conductedat BPA in a manner that fosters a high-performance workforce to support achievement ofBPAs mission and strategic objectives. These programs will also be conducted in amanner that complies with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements, including fair

and equitable consideration for training and development opportunities and use ofcompetitive selection procedures when appropriate.


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BPA Personnel Letter 410-1Human Capital Management

August 2008

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PURPOSE........................................................................................................................................1

POLICY SUMMARY.....................................................................................................................1I. POLICY AND RELATED REQUIREMENTS..........................................................................3II. RESPONSIBILITIES.................................................................................................................4III. DEFINITIONS..........................................................................................................................7IV. INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS...................................................9V. WORK UNIT EMPLOYEE EVELOPMENT GUIDELINES................................................10VI. CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE AND RETRAINING...........................................11VII. CONTINUED SERVICE AGREEMENTS..........................................................................12VIII. ACADEMIC DEGREES.....................................................................................................17IX. USE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS IN EMPLOYEE ORORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.....................................................................................18

X. CONFERENCES AS TRAINING ACTIVITIES....................................................................18XI. PAYMENT FOR TRAINING AND RELATED TRAINING COSTS.................................19XII. TRAINING, EDUCATION: COURSE ENROLLMENT, TRACKING, ANDREPORTING.................................................................................................................................20XIII. MANAGERIAL DEVELOPMENT....................................................................................21XIV. REFERENCES....................................................................................................................21APPENDIX A: Agreement to Continue in Service - Electrical Apprenticeship Program...... .... .23APPENDIX B: Agreement to Continue in Service......................................................................24

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I. POLICY AND RELATED REQUIREMENTS

A. Employee training and development is intended to create and sustain a high-quality

workforce in support of BPAs strategic needs consistent with a high performingorganization. The annual agency strategic training and development plan identifiescritical training needs through organizational skill gap analysis and review andrevision of individual development plans.

B. BPA uses a range of options to meet strategy driven organizational and employeedevelopment needs such as classroom training, on-the-job training, technology-basedtraining, employees self-development activities, coaching, mentoring, details,rotational assignments, cross training, and development activities at retreats andconferences.

C. All employees receive fair and equitable consideration for training and developmentopportunities and career assistance without regard to race, color, national origin,religion, age, sex, marital status, political preference, handicapping condition, orother factors unrelated to the need for training.

D. Competitive procedures must be used in accordance with Personnel Letter 335-1when selecting an employee for formal training that enhances promotion potentialand/or permits noncompetitive promotion after successful completion of training.

E. Job Profiles are used to define competencies and help identify skill strengths andskill-based needs/gaps at the individual, workgroup, and organizational level.

F. BPA uses the HRmis Competency and Training Modules to establish and track skillinventories, training resources, and their use.

G. After initial implementation, individual self-evaluations of competencies in ones jobprofile are completed in the HRmis Competency Module annually to coincide withpreparation of the annual agency strategic training and development plan. Self-evaluations are forwarded to the manager for consideration, including discussionwith the employee, and are only used for development. The self-evaluation will notbe used for employee performance or other uses that could negatively impact theemployee and will only be used for development purposes, e.g., not performance

appraisal purposes.

H. Individual 360 Feedback on competencies may also only be used for developmentplanning. The 360 Feedback report becomes the sole property of the recipient.Those giving the feedback are bound by full confidentiality, and may not releasetheir written information (assessment report) without expressed consent of therecipient for any other intent or purpose.

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I. BPA provides career transition assistance services to employees who have been, orare likely to be, separated by reduction in force (RIF) in finding other employment.Examples of such services are found in Personnel Letter No. 330-1.

J. Managers are responsible for assessing employee progress in achieving individualdevelopment plan goals, using the employee self-evaluations and based on measuresdeveloped from discussions with employees, and can be documented in an IndividualDevelopment Plan (IDP).

K. Records of attendance and payment expenses, including travel, tuition, and fees, arekept in HRmis on all training.

L. The Chief Human Capital Officer, Human Capital Management, through staff, isresponsible for ensuring that legal and regulatory requirements are met, including thefollowing proscriptions that BPA-provided training content/methods not:

1. Contain elements likely to induce high levels of emotional response orpsychological stress in participants.

2. Contain any methods or content associated with religious or quasi-religious beliefsystems, or new age belief systems, as defined in EEOC Notice N-915.022,dated September 2, 1988.

3. Be offensive to, or designed to, change participants personal values or lifestylesoutside the workplace.

4. Include content related to human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunedeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) other than that necessary to make employeesmore aware of the medical ramifications of HIV/AIDS and workplace rights ofHIV positive employees.

M. Where BPA-directed or sponsored training has the potential to induce an emotionalresponse or psychological stress in participants, the Manager, Personnel Services,through assigned staff, has the responsibility to inform employees in advance of theprograms content, training methods, and evaluation process. In addition, thisresponsibility includes working with trainers so that course content is designed anddelivered in a manner that minimizes the potential for such stress.

II. RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Senior Vice Presidents and Vice Presidents are responsible for:

1. The training and development of employees in their organizations.

2. Providing adequate resources to meet organizational needs.

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3. Supporting appropriate selection of employees for development and training inaccordance with provisions of this issuance, as well as ensuring that competitiveprocedures are used when required under merit promotion plan requirements.

4. With the Chief Human Capital Officer, Human Capital Management, assessingand prioritizing competency gaps.

B. Treasurer is responsible for adjudicating requests for modification/waiver offinancial obligations under such Continued Service Agreements (see section VII.following).

C. Managers are responsible for:

1. Maintaining current position descriptions and job profiles for occupied positions

within the work group. However, a job profile is not required for positionsexpected to last less than one year.

2. Tying individual development plans and training to desired organizational resultsand clearly communicating this linkage to their employees; and, providingopportunities for development of their employees consistent with budget andother available resources, as well as BPAs strategic competency needs.

3. Providing an evaluation of employees skill levels in current job profilecompetencies.

4. Informing employees of training and development opportunities, counselingemployees about career development programs and opportunities, and assistingemployees in their career development planning.

5. Providing on-the-job training when appropriate. Coaching employees (orassigning a coach) on the application of newly acquired competencies, andassuring and reinforcing on-the-job opportunities to practice and develop thecompetencies and competencies targeted in individual development plans.

6. Securing a Continued Service Agreement when required and forwarding anoriginal copy to Human Capital Management for inclusion in an employees OPF

(see Appendix A and B). In securing such agreements, the manager is responsiblefor advising the employee of all terms and conditions of the service agreementprior to requiring the employee to sign the agreement.

7. Notifying the Treasurer if an employee voluntarily separates prior to completingrequired service under a Continued Service Agreement.

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8. Ensuring that all costs for BPA funded training for employees are appropriatelyrecorded in HRmis.

9. Completing approval process for employee self-evaluations after 90 days in new

supervisory position.

10. Carrying out operational responsibilities for administering Continued ServiceAgreements and advising employees of their obligations, responsibilities, andentitlements under such agreements (see section VII. following).

D. Chief Human Capital Officer, Human Capital Management, through staff, isresponsible for:

1. Developing, communicating, and implementing BPA training and developmentstrategy, procedures, and guidelines.

2. Collecting, analyzing, and maintaining training plans, expenditures, and activitiesfor information and reporting; and, evaluating training to assess efficiency, and todetermine how well it meets short- and long-term program needs by occupations,organizations, or other appropriate groups.

3. Ensuring that processes for workgroup and individual development plans, self-evaluation and feedback, and development funding are developed, published, andeffectively implemented.

4. Assessing and prioritizing competency gaps, designing and recommending

training and development initiatives, as well as evaluation methods, andimplementing programs/actions to close targeted gaps.

5. Ensuring that the Human Resource Management Information System (HRmis) ismaintained.

6. Ensuring that all training (including SCEP training) is recorded in HRmis.

7. Regularly evaluating and modifying training programs or plans in order topromote a more strategic approach to BPAs integration of training programs intooverall mission accomplishment, and provide specific training to develop

managers as part of a comprehensive management succession program.

8. Responsible, through assigned staff, for developing BPAs overall training anddevelopment policy and evaluating its effectiveness from a policy perspective.

9. Advising applicants for electrical apprenticeships, through recruitmentannouncements, of the requirement to sign a service agreement upon hiring orselection for such training, including the length of the continued service

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agreement and the maximum amount of financial liability if the employeevoluntarily separates prior to completing post-graduation service that is required.

E. Employees are responsible for:

1. Completing self-evaluations on assigned job profile competencies, identifyingpotential development actions, creating a self-development plan, successfullycompleting and applying authorized training, and fulfilling continued serviceagreements..

2. Completing evaluation forms associated with training received.

3. Obtaining notification of their grades, or other evidence of completion fornon-graded courses when done at government expense.

4. Setting clear and realistic learning goals and discussing them with their managerin a collaborative manner.

5. Developing the competencies described in individual development plans.

6. Paying fees assessed for professional certification examination or for job-relatedcertificates or licenses, except as otherwise provided for under the provisions of acollective bargaining agreement. This responsibility does not preclude BPA fromauthorizing training funds to pay for job-related training that may, as a secondarybenefit, assist an employee to maintain certification or accreditation.

7. Reimbursing BPA for any training costs associated with training covered by acontinued service agreement when the employee voluntarily separates before theagreed upon time is passed.

8. Completing a self-evaluation after 120 days in new position.

III. DEFINITIONS

A. Competency: An underlying characteristic of an employee, which results ineffective and/or superior performance. Competencies include knowledge, skills,abilities (KSAs) or behavioral attributes required to perform a job. These are

generally demonstrated through qualifying experience, education, or training.Knowledge is a range of information or understanding, usually factual or procedural,gained thorough experience or association. Skill is the proficient manual, verbal, ormental manipulation of data or things. It is desirable, quantifiable, and measurable.Ability is the natural aptitude or acquired proficiency to perform an observableactivity. Behavior is to act, react, or function in a particular manner.

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B. Competency 360 Feedback: A written confidential evaluation of a persons work-related competencies, which can be used to identify strengths and development needs.The assessment is completed by the individual (a self-assessment) and multiple raters,at the request of the individual.

C. Competency Gap: The difference between an individuals current proficiency leveland the required performance level for competencies in the employees job profile.Competency gaps are the basis for development.

D. Competency Self-Evaluation: The process of an employee self-rating theirproficiency level against the competencies for the Full Performance Level of theposition.

E. Development Culture: A culture whereby BPA employees are encouraged andsupported to pursue development opportunities and/or options that are in alignment

with our business, strategic goals, and industry needs. Development is encouragedand supported from an individual, work group, and organizational level.

F. Development Opportunity: An experience with the potential to assist an individualin his/her development, including, but not limited to, on-the-job assignments,mentoring, shadowing, job exchanges, internships, apprenticeships, training,seminars, and independent study.

G. Individual Development Plan (IDP): A written action plan that lists competenciesto be learned, sets learning goals, and describes experiences (coursework, jobassignments, feedback, and life experiences) which will be used toward that learning

and growth, developed collaboratively with an employees manager. The writtendocument may contain specific due dates of scheduled accomplishment.

H. Formal Training: As used in paragraph I.D., formal training means the plannedcoordinated program of training intended to prepare participants for careeradvancement (e.g., Upward Mobility, BPA sponsored programs such as the ExecutiveCareer Development Program, and similar programs operated by the Department ofEnergy or other Federal agencies).

I. Job Profile: A list of competencies most critical to success in the job at the FullPerformance Level including importance and proficiency rating. Job profiles are

developed by HR in collaboration with managers and subject matter experts.

J. Mission-Related Training: Training that supports BPA goals by improvingorganizational performance at any appropriate level in BPA. It includes training thatsupports BPAs strategic plan and business objectives; improves an employeescurrent job performance; allows for expansion or enhancement of an employeescurrent job; enables an employee to perform needed or potentially needed dutiesoutside the current job at the same level or responsibility; or meets organizational

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needs in response to human resource plans and reengineering, downsizing,restructuring, and/or program changes.

.K. On-the-Job Training (OJT): Formal or informal performance-based training,

conducted in the work environment by individuals who are technical subject-matterexperts, which provides the trainee with practical hands-on experience. The OJTgenerally occurs at intervals following initial knowledge training that takes place in aclassroom or other setting.

L. Manager: The employees supervisor of record.

M. Retraining: Training or development provided to address an individuals skills(obsolescence in the current position) and/or training and development, in accordancewith Personnel Letter No. 330-1, to prepare an individual for a different occupationwithin BPA, in another government agency, or in the private sector.

N. Strategic Plan: BPAs mission, general goals and objectives, the means andstrategies to achieve goals and objectives (processes, skills, technologies, variousresources), the relationship between performance goals in the performance plan andgeneral goals and objectives in the strategic plan, the key factors that can affectachievement, the program evaluations to be used, and schedule of evaluations.

O. Subject-Matter Expert (SME): An employee who has thorough knowledge of theposition requirements, which may be evidenced by currently serving in, having held,or supervised the same or a similar position.

P. Technical/Functional Competencies: Competencies needed to perform a task or jobthat is technical (e.g., engineering, economics) or related to a job function (e.g.,marketing sales) in nature.

IV. INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

A. Annually, or earlier if the employees job profile is changed, the employee andmanager use the employees position job profile as a basis for evaluation andidentification of strengths and development needs.

B. Employee can then partner with the Manager to create an individual development

plan. If practical, employees are encouraged to develop an initial draft for discussionwith the manager. Refer to BPA Form 3410.19e (Individual Development Plan).Following discussion, the manager finalizes the Individual Development Plan.

C. The manager and employee discuss methods of implementation and tracking (e.g.,determining how these action items will be implemented, what resources will beneeded to accomplish actions, etc.), as well as the relationship of action items to otherassignments, and the manager decides upon such methods.

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D. Specify the time frame for follow-up reviews of progress and make adjustmentsaccordingly.

V. WORK UNIT EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES

A. Planning and Needs Assessment:

1. Use BPAs and the Business Unit strategic plans to ensure that staffing anddevelopment efforts support strategic drivers.

2. Use BPAs and the Business Unit staffing plans and review/update job profiles toidentify critical competencies needed within the organization. Staffing plans canassist in determining development opportunities and resource needs.

3. Complete competency self-evaluations to determine the training and developmentneeds (individual and organizational). Use this information to write individualdevelopment plans and identify priority skill gaps within the occupation.

4. Human Capital Management, Training and Organizational Development, plans,budgets for, operates, and implements the internal BPA Employee DevelopmentProgram.

5. In some instances, Business units develop, implement, and evaluate employeedevelopment programs unique to specific functions (e.g., dispatcher training) withappropriate coordination with affected employees, as well as Labor Relations staff

if consultation with bargaining units is required.

B. Evaluation:

1. Identify specific metrics that the manager and/or employees can use to measureprogress and track the results of training or development opportunities.

2. Evaluation may include tracking or measuring results as it relates to changedbehavior, learned skills, knowledge, and demonstrated abilities.

3. Identify manager and employee expectations and individual development

expectations to manage the development path. Define the development-relatedresponsibilities of the manager and the employees. Managers and employeesevaluate development needs and issues.

4. Employee development is planned annually, through a cooperative effort betweenHuman Capital Management, Training and Organizational Development andBusiness Units, by analysis of BPA's mission goals and strategic businessobjectives HPO (e.g., diversity, high-quality communications, etc.); business unit

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objectives and targets; and, identification of organizational and employeefunctional/technical, and behavioral competency needs to meet those goals,objectives, and targets.

5. Training and development provided by Human Capital Management, Training andOrganizational Development, is evaluated by attendees, and for some courses bytheir managers, to determine how well it meets individual or organizationallearning objectives.

VI. CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE AND RETRAINING

A. BPA provides career transition assistance training to employees in accordance withthe provisions of Personnel Letter No. 330-1. Services include vocational and careerassessment and counseling services; training in job search skills, techniques, andstrategies; financial and retirement planning; and, retraining.

B. BPA may train an employee to meet the qualification requirements of another positionin the Agency. The new position must be at or below the full performance level of theposition currently held by the employee, or at or below the highest grade previouslyheld by the employee. Consistent with paragraph I.D., competitive procedures mustbe used when selecting an employee for training that enhances promotion potentialand/or permits noncompetitive promotion after successful completion of training.BPA may train an employee to meet the qualification requirements of a position inanother agency (subject to the at or below requirements noted above) if it isdetermined that such training would be in the interest of the government and thereexists a reasonable expectation of placement in another agency.

C. BPA may authorize full or part-time training to address recruitment or retentionissues if the training qualifies an employee for a shortage position based on BPAsassessment of occupations and the employee is expected to be placed in the shortageposition after training.

D. Retraining programs are established where the nature of the work, or the allocationand assignment of work, are changing. If otherwise applicable, the provisions ofPersonnel Letter No. 330-1 will apply. Prior to starting a retraining program for aspecific type of work, Human Capital Management, Training and OrganizationalDevelopment, with input from managers in the impacted business unit(s), develops a

written retraining plan specific to the work skills being developed. Early involvementof affected bargaining units is encouraged. Once completed but prior toimplementation, such programs must be provided to the labor relations staff for adetermination as to whether there are any bargaining obligations with any affectedbargaining unit. The plan addresses, but is not limited to, the following issues:

1. The use of a merit promotion plan and other merit-based processes in accordancewith merit system principles.

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2. Qualifications for employees who are retrained.

3. Saved pay and grade provisions.

4. Availability of promotion opportunities.

5. Development of performance standards.

6. The use of individual development plans.

7. Costs.

8. Continued service agreements.

9. Career Transition Assistance Program Requirements, if applicable.

E. To assist in retraining employees in occupations in which BPA has or anticipates ashortage of qualified personnel, especially in occupations that it has determinedinvolve skills critical to its mission, BPA may exercise the option to authorizeacademic degree training and payment of related costs.

VII. CONTINUED SERVICE AGREEMENTS

A. Establishing Continued Service Obligations

1. Coverage: The provisions of this section apply to all BPA employees except forstudents who are provided tuition assistance in accordance with the provisions ofPersonnel Letter No. 213-1. The exception does not apply to any students whoare hired as electrical apprentices and receive such tuition assistance.

2. BPA minimum requirement: A Continued Service Agreement, a writtenobligation to work for BPA for a specific time period, shall be required for eachtraining activity that exceeds 160 training hours

3. Exemptions: A Continued Service Agreement shall not be required for thefollowing:

a. a single work assignment not part of a formal training program or anassignment for which only one of the objectives is to develop or assessemployee competency levels;

b. coaching, mentoring, on-the-job, or similar training;

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c. correspondence courses completed as part-time training; training providedby manufacturers, suppliers, or contractors for the purpose of equipmentor operating systems installation, use, or maintenance; or,

d. training performed under a performance improvement plan;

4. Employee agreement: Prior to approval of covered training, the employee mustsign a Continued Service Agreement indicating that he/she has read andunderstands the provisions of the agreement and this issuance. If the trainingcommences upon employment with BPA, the Continued Service Agreement mustbe signed either prior to entering into duty with BPA or on the first day duty ofsuch duty status. The original agreement must be maintained as part of theemployee's training record; a copy of the agreement must be provided to theemployee. Refusal to sign an agreement renders the training costs involved asunallowable costs and may impact the employees future employment if such

employment is tied directly to such training.

a. Service agreement documentation for employees in any electricalapprenticeship program shall be based on the contents reflected inAppendix A.

b. Service agreement documentation for all other employees shall be basedon the contents reflected in Appendix B.

B. Period Of Obligated Service

1. Standard obligation:

a. A Continued Service Agreement obligates an employee to remain withBPA for a specified amount of time in order to protect BPAs investmentin the training by ensuring that BPA receives a return on such investment.The length of the continued service period, except as noted in the nextparagraph, shall be at least three times, but no more than six times, thelength of the training period when the training is delivered entirelyexternal to BPA. A decision, within this range, on the length of thecontinued service period is based on the following criteria: the total costof the training, the mission-criticality of the occupational series of the

employees position or target position, and level of difficulty BPAanticipates in recruiting and retaining high quality employees in suchoccupational series.

b. For BPAs electrical apprenticeship programs, the length of thecontinued service period with BPA shall equal 1 year (365 days) followinggraduation from the apprenticeship program.

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c. For all other situations other than electrical apprenticeshipprograms, the length of the training period equals the number of hoursspent in training (both full-time and part-time training), divided by eight todetermine the number of training days. The length of the continued

service period is determined by multiplying the number of training daysby the appropriate multiplier (see paragraph VII.B.1.a.). Training coveredby this paragraph may be a single training activity or incident or a groupof concurrent or sequential activities with a common purpose and/orobtained from the same source over a defined time period. A singleincident or a defined group of activities, such as those under a specifictraining program, require a single Continued Service Agreement.

2. Adjustment for non-pay status: When BPA pays some or all of the additionalexpenses of training, but the employee receives no salary for the training periodbecause the employee is on Leave Without Pay (LWOP), such as attendance at a

university, the employee is counted as being in training for the number of hourshe or she is granted LWOP for the purpose of attending such training.

3. Responsibility for service completion record: When a Continued ServiceAgreement is imposed because a training activity exceeds 160 training hours, andno or minimal tuition, fee, or travel costs are incurred (and therefore no orminimal costs can be recovered), if the continued service obligation is not met, amemorandum still must be placed in the employee's official personnel filedocumenting the agreement and the employee's actions, unless the obligation iswaived under the provisions of this issuance.

C. Calculation of Financial Liability for Voluntary Separation from BPA Prior toCompleting Required Continued Service

1. For employees in electrical apprenticeship programs who voluntarily separatefrom BPA before completing the required post-graduation service, the followingrules apply:

a. The amount of financial liability shall be $60,000 as of graduation for theapprenticeship class hired in 2007. The amount of financial liability forfuture-year, incoming apprentice classes will be adjusted each year by thepercentage increase given to the CPTC employees as a general wage

adjustment, with the result rounded off to the nearest thousand-dollarincrement. Hence, the amount for the apprenticeship classes hired in 2008and 2009 will be $63,000 and $65,000, respectively. (Note: The amount offinancial liability will be adjusted for apprentices who enter an electricalapprenticeship program above the step 1 level to proportionately reflect thereduced amount of classroom training hours received in order complete theapprenticeship program.)

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b. Upon graduation, the financial liability will be reduced proportionately byeach day of service (in any position) with BPA (e.g., for the 2007 apprenticeclass, each day of service with BPA, whether worked or not and whether in apay status of not, results in a reduction of financial liability equal to $164.38).

c. For those who voluntarily leave the apprenticeship program prior tograduation, the amount of financial liability shall be as noted in the tablebelow.

Employee leaves: Liability

As a Step 1-2 Apprentice No liability

As a Step 3 Apprentice One-sixth of liability amount required upon graduation

As a Step 4 Apprentice One-third of liability amount required upon graduation

As a Step 5 Apprentice One-half of liability amount required upon graduation

As a Step 6 Apprentice Two-thirds of liability amount required upon graduation

As a Step 7-8 Apprentice Five-sixths of liability amount required upon graduation

2. For all other employees, the following calculation determines if money is owedto the Federal Government when an employee under a continued serviceobligation voluntarily leaves BPA:

a. Sum the full-time and part-time hours to determine total hours in training anddivide by eight to determine total workdays in training.

b. Sum the total cost of the training, including training-related travel cost, but

not salary paid during the training period, to determine the total monetaryvalue of the continued service obligation.

c. Divide the total monetary value by an amount equal to the number ofworkdays in training times the multiplier (i.e., between three and six times)reflected in the service agreement that describes the length of the continuedservice period. The resulting value is the dollar value of each 8-hour dayworked or on paid leave (i.e., daily payback value) after the trainee hasreturned to work at the end of the training period.

d. Multiply each work and leave day after returning to work at the end of the

training period by the daily payback value in the proceeding paragraph andsubtract that amount from the total monetary value determined in paragraph iiabove.

e. Appropriate adjustments are made to the calculations above if the employeeworks an authorized compressed work schedule.

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f. Completion of obligation: The obligation is completed when the result of thecalculation in paragraph VII.C.2.d. above is $0 or less (i.e., the daily paybackvalue times the total work and paid leave days credited equals or is greaterthan the cost of the training assignment).

D. Administering Continued Service Agreements

1. Involuntary separations: A Continued Service Agreement will be canceled andright of recovery waived if the employee is separated involuntarily, during eitherthe training covered by the Continued Service Agreement or the subsequentcontinued service period following training.

2. Orders to military service: Military orders to report for service (other thantraining duty) will be sufficient reason for holding the Continued ServiceAgreement in abeyance while performing such military service. If the employee

is physically capable of returning to employment at BPA and chooses not to, theemployee will be subject at that time to the terms of the Continued ServiceAgreement. The employee is responsible for submitting proof (a copy of theemployee's orders with reporting endorsements).

3. Transfer to an international organization: Separation from BPA for thepurpose of accepting employment with an international organization, of which theUnited States is a member, can be considered grounds for waiving the right torecover if such employment is deemed to be in the interests of BPA and theUnited States.

4. Transfer to another Federal agency: When BPA receives a request for transferfrom an employee subject to a Continued Service Agreement, it must notify thegaining agency that the employee is still subject to a Continued ServiceAgreement. If BPA determines that the training received will be used in the newposition, the agreement is transferred to the gaining agency, and the gainingagency must then ensure the agreement is fulfilled. If BPA determines that thetraining received will not be used in the new position, it must notify the employeein writing, before the effective date of the transfer, that it intends to recover theremaining costs, unless recovery is waived under the provisions of this issuance.The provisions of this paragraph do not apply to Continued Service Agreementsfor participants in electrical apprenticeship programs.

5. Liability in voluntary separation: When an employee voluntarily leaves Federalservice during the training period or during the period of obligated post-trainingservice, the employee immediately becomes liable to the Government forrepayment of the additional expenses.

6. Method of collection: Training expenses will be collected from an employee whovoluntarily leaves BPA before fulfilling his/her Continued Service Agreement by

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withholding the actual amount of additional expenses from any monies due theemployee and/or by other collection methods provided by statute or regulations.

7. Request for waiver: Each organization with employees covered by Continued

Service Agreements must ensure that an employee with remaining, obligatedservice who leaves BPA is:

a. notified by the employee's supervisor of the amount BPA intends to recover;

b. advised by the employee's supervisor of his/her right to requestreconsideration of the amount to be recovered or to pursue a waiver of theGovernment's right to recover;

c. advised of how to submit the employee's requests in writing before theeffective date of separation from BPA when the employee provides at least 2

weeks notice;

d. advised to state the grounds on which the employee believes the determinationto reconsider, or waive recovery rights, should be based; and

e. given the opportunity to respond to the BPAs findings, before BPA mayrecover training expenses.

8. Approval of Requests for Waiver: The BPA Treasurer has the sole andexclusive authority to approve, in writing, requests for waiver of repayment if it isdetermined that BPAs recovery of funds would be against equity and good

conscience or against the best public interest or the interests of Bonneville.

9. Record of unmet obligation: If any Continued Service Agreement is violatedand a waiver is not granted, a statement to that effect must be placed and retainedin the employee's official personnel folder until funds owed to the United StatesGovernment are recovered. The statement must confirm that an unfulfilledagreement exists, specify the amount of the unexpired term of the agreement, andnote the amount of money due the United States Government. After the employeeseparates from the Federal Government or transfers to another agency, if theobligation is not transferred or waived, the BPA Chief Financial Officer isresponsible for negotiating and recovering any amount due.

VIII. ACADEMIC DEGREES

A. BPA may authorize training for an employee to obtain an academic degree only forshortage occupations as defined in Office of Personnel Management regulations.

B. To the maximum extent possible, BPA will assist and support employees in utilizingalternative work schedules to take advantage of existing educational systems on their

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own time. In addition, telecommuting arrangements may be considered, consistentwith the provisions of Personnel Letter No. 610-3.

C. BPA will not pay an additional rate of tuition because a student is a degree candidate.

If it is not possible to distinguish between costs associated with the acquisition ofspecific knowledge or competencies and the costs associated with the acquisition ofan academic degree, BPA will pay the full tuition of an employee participating in anauthorized program of training at an institution.

D. All BPA funded academic training is required to be recorded in HRmis.

IX. USE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS IN EMPLOYEE OR

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Only trained and certified consultants may administer psychological and career

assessment instruments. Human Capital Management, Training and OrganizationalDevelopment, maintains a list of certified internal consultants. When determining theappropriateness of the instrument, the certified consultant will consider:

A. The fit of the instrument to the needs and expectations of the client(s).

B. The costs of administering the instrument(s).

C. Various options for administering the instrument(s) and timelines, and the availabilityof certified consultants to handle the administration and debriefing of the instrument.

X. CONFERENCES AS TRAINING ACTIVITIES

A. BPA sponsors an employees attendance at a conference as a development activitywhen:

1. The announced purpose of the conference is educational or instructional.

2. More than half of the time is scheduled for a planned, organized exchange ofinformation between presenters and audience.

3. The content of the conference is applicable to improving individual and/or

organizational performance.

4. Development benefits will be derived through the employees attendance.

B. For attendance at diversity-related conferences, refer to guidelines published by theCivil Rights and EEO office, available on the diversity web page.

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XI. PAYMENT FOR TRAINING AND RELATED TRAINING COSTS

A. BPA will pay or reimburse an employee the following expenses incurred inconnection with approved training:

1. The employees pay for hours in training that correspond to the employeesregularly scheduled non-overtime tour of duty, unless on approved absence, aswell as any premium pay (e.g., overtime, compensatory time off, etc.) requiredunder OPM regulations. Regularly scheduled means work that is scheduled inadvance of the administrative workweek in which it occurs. Under the provisionsof Personnel Letter No. 610-5, managers have the flexibility to adjust the tour ofduty for training purposes (e.g., to attend a 2-day university class held on a Fridayand Saturday, a manager could adjust the employees regular Monday-Fridayschedule to a Tuesday-Saturday schedule if deemed appropriate by the manager).(Note: See paragraph XI.D. for rules regarding paid time for hourly employees.)

2. Tuition and matriculation fees.

3. Library and laboratory services.

4. Travel, including per diem and meals and incidental expenses (M&IE) instead ofsubsistence.

5. Limited relocation expenses for the transportation of an employees immediatefamily, household goods, and personal effects and related expenses wheneverthese estimated costs are less than the estimated aggregate per diem payments or

actual expense payments for the period of training. An employee selected fortemporary duty training may receive travel and per diem or payment of limitedrelocation expenses, but not both.

6. Purchase or rental of books, materials, and supplies.

B. If an employee does not complete a training course, which exceeds 80 hours in anon-Government facility, the employee will be required to reimburse BPA for anytuition or related costs incurred. Exceptions will be considered by the authorizingofficial upon receipt of written justification from the employee and managerconcerned.

C. Official travel performed for the purpose of participating in authorized training orattending professional meetings and conferences for development and training is paidin the same way as official travel and per diem for any other purpose.

D. Authorized Training vs. Required Training (hourly employees) under agreement withthe Columbia Power Trades Council (CPTC) to employees in the CPTC bargainingunit:

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1. Non-ordered, authorized training is training which an employee is permitted butnot required to attend. Since the employee is being permitted (not ordered), thereis no obligation to compensate for the time spent in class or in travel to and from

the class that is in excess of the normal workday. This interpretation will applywhenever the employee has the option of accepting or declining the training beingoffered.

2. Required training is training which the employee must attend. As negotiated withthe CPTC, BPA is obligated to pay for the time spent in class and/or the travel toand from the class. If such time is outside of the employees regular workday orworkweek, premium pay shall be paid, consistent with the CPTC agreement.

3. Apprentice training does not fall into either of these two categories. Apprenticesare required to attend a certain number of related training sessions as specified in

their particular Apprentice program, without eligibility for overtime pay. It isincumbent upon management to determine whether the training is required(mandatory) or merely authorized (permitted). Managers are responsible foradvising employees prior to the training whether or not they have the option todecline such training.

E. Educational assistance expenses (e.g., undergraduate and graduate courses) paid orreimbursed by BPA may or may not be treated as taxable income to the employeeunder Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules. Recent history shows that Congressfrequently changes the tax code that applies to such expenses. Employees areresponsible for any income tax liabilities and are encouraged to obtain current

information from the IRS or their tax advisors.

F. Under the Government Employees Training Act, BPA may pay for meals orrefreshments if the meal/refreshment is necessary to achieve the objective of the BPAofficially sanctioned training program scheduled through the BPA training system.Examples may include: (1) in a training event where a meal is provided as part of thetuition in order to fully participate, it would be necessary for the employee to have themeal provided; (2) the size or location of the training, combined with availablefacilities, prohibits employees from being served in a reasonable time in order to fullyparticipate.

XII. TRAINING, EDUCATION: COURSEENROLLMENT, TRACKING, AND

REPORTING

Procedures for enrolling in BPA funded training are documented in the Human ResourcesManagement Information System (HRmis). All BPA-sponsored training must bedocumented in HRmis. The HRmis allows authorized users to enter, update, and trackdata for BPA employees and contractor personnel. The system consists of training data

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files, supporting data files, and the computer programs necessary to collect, manipulate,and report HRmis data. For each incidence of training, the following records must bemaintained and be accessible to employees and officials with oversight responsibilities:training participant name and identification number, approving and authorizing

officials(s), objective(s), source, location, cost, duty and non-duty hours, beginning andend dates, and evaluation/completion documentation. In addition, tax liability andcontinued service obligation records must be maintained, if applicable. AuthorizedHRmis users are located throughout the Agency, as well as in Human CapitalManagement, Training and Organizational Development.

XIII. MANAGERIAL DEVELOPMENT

A. BPA provides initial and continuing development of individuals in executive,managerial, and supervisory positions, and candidates for those positions.Managerial development is designed as part of BPAs strategic plan and fosters

agency, as well as Business Unit objectives.

B. Assignments to managerial training and development are consistent with meritsystem principles and provide for:

1. Initial training for new supervisors, managers, and new executives consistent withindividual development plans.

2. Continual learning experiences, both short- and long-term throughout anindividuals career, in order for the individual to achieve the mastery level ofproficiency for his/her current management level and position.

3. Systematic development of candidates for advancement to a higher managementlevel (succession planning).

XIV. REFERENCES

5 U.S.C., Chapter 41, Training

5 CFR, Part 410, Training

5 CFR, Part 412, Executive, Management, and Supervisory Development

BPA Manual Chapter 400/410A, Employee Development

Section 625 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act of 2000

Equal Employment Opportunity Notice N-915.022

Public Law 104-146 (Section 9 of the Ryan White CARE Amendment Act of 1996)

Executive Order 1311, Using Technology to Improve Training Opportunities for

Federal Government Employees

5 U.S.C. 2301, Merit System Principles

Personnel Letter No. 330-1, Career Transition Assistance Program

Personnel Letter No. 335-5, Career Development Programs

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Personnel Letter No. 335-6, BPA Consecutive Accelerated Training and Promotion

Plan for Annual Employees

Personnel Letter No. 335-7, BPA Accelerated Training and Promotion Plan for

Annual Positions

Personnel Letter No. 410-7, Information Resources Technical Training Program

Personnel Letter No. 511-7, Technical Career Path Development and Staffing

Program

Personnel Letter No. 610-3, Telecommuting Guidance

Personnel Letter No. 610-5, Hours of Duty

Roy B. Fox

Acting Chief Human Capital Officer, Human Capital Management

Attachments (2)Appendix A - AGREEMENT TO CONTINUE IN SERVICE, Electrical Apprenticeship ProgramAppendix B - AGREEMENT TO CONTINUE IN SERVICE

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APPENDIX A

AGREEMENT TO CONTINUE IN SERVICE

Electrical Apprenticeship Program

1. I acknowledge that I have read and understand this continued service agreement and the

provisions of Personnel Letter No. 410-1 that describe continued service agreements.

2. I agree that during my training, as well as upon completion of my Bonneville-sponsoredapprenticeship, I am liable for the costs of the training I receive, in accordance with theprovisions of Personnel Letter No. 410-1, if I voluntarily separate from BPA prior tocompleting one year of service with BPA following my graduation from the apprenticeshipprogram.

3. In accordance with the provisions of Personnel Letter No. 410-1, I understand that if Ivoluntarily leave Bonneville before completing the required period of continued servicenoted above, I agree to reimburse Bonneville for the expenses paid during my training, as

defined in Personnel Letter No. 410-1.

4. Upon signing this continued service agreement, I understand that Bonneville has informedme of the amount of financial liability I will incur if I voluntarily separate from BPA priorto completing the required period of continued service noted above. I also understand thatthe amount of my liability after my graduation from the apprenticeship program will beprorated according to service owed and service time rendered as described in PersonnelLetter No. 410-1.

5. I understand that any amount that may be due Bonneville as a result of failure on my partto meet the terms of this continued service agreement will be reimbursed to Bonneville andmay be withheld from any monies owed to me by Bonneville, or may be recovered byother methods as allowed by law.

Employee Name (Print): _________________________________

Employee Signature: ____________________________________

Date: _________________________________________________

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APPENDIX B

AGREEMENT TO CONTINUE IN SERVICE

1. I acknowledge that I have read and understand this continued service agreement and theprovisions of Personnel Letter No. 410-1 that describe continued service agreements.

2. I agree that upon completion of my Bonneville-sponsored training that exceeds 160 hours,I am liable for the costs of the training I receive, in accordance with provisions ofPersonnel Letter No. 410-1, if I voluntarily separate from BPA before completing a periodof post-training service equal to ___ times the length of the training period. 1

3. In accordance with the provisions of Personnel Letter No. 410-1, I understand that if I

voluntarily leave Bonneville before completing the required period of continued service, Iagree to reimburse Bonneville for the expenses paid during my training, as defined inPersonnel Letter No. 410-1. I also understand that this amount will be prorated according

to service owed and service time rendered.

4. I understand that any amount that may be due Bonneville as a result of failure on my partto meet the terms of this continued service agreement will be reimbursed to Bonneville andmay be withheld from any monies owed to me by Bonneville, or may be recovered byother methods as allowed by law.

Employee Name (Print): _________________________________

Employee Signature: ____________________________________

Date: _________________________________________________

Training:

Date to Complete:

1See section VII.B.1 for guidance on the establishment of the appropriate length of service.

thesis questioneer

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