FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
Below are versions of the questions we hear most often. If you'd like more information about the questions or the responses to them, please feel free to contact a steward or the NTEU Office (859) 669-5700 or (859) 669-5370
2. Stewards - How many is NTEU allowed to have?
3. Stewards - How do I contact one?
4. Consulting with Stewards - Can I be refused time for this?
5. Potential Disciplinary Action - What do I do if my manager wants to talk with me about one?
6. TIGTA - If I am told to go to TIGTA, can I have a steward with me?
7. Form 3081 - If I make errors, can that be taken into account when I'm evaluated?
8. Self Assessment - Can I get official time to prepare one?
9. Evaluation - Can I get official time to rebut one?
10. Probationary employees - What rights do I have?
11. Self Assessment - If I'm rebutting one, how soon do I have to rebut it?
12. Evaluation - I gat a 3 in a CJE for 3 years in a row, can I get help to get a better evaluation?
13. Evaluation - Can management lower my evaluation to straight 3's when I go to a new job?
14. Evaluation - Can my manager lower my annual evaluation without on-going counseling?
15. Vacancy Non-Selection - If I was not selected for a vacancy, may I see the ranking panel narratives?
16. Unnacceptable Job Performance - If unsuccessful on a new job, may I return to my former position?
17. Hardship Reassignment - What forms do I need to complete?
18. Tour of Duty - Can I be required to change it for training?
20. Leave/OT - Can I work overtime the same day/week/pay period in which I have taken leave?
21. Comp Time/OT - Can I receive comp time in lieu of overtime?
22. Family Friendly Leave Act (FFLA) - How can I get it?
23. Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) - How can I get it?
24. FMLA - How much time am I eligible for?
25. FMLA - If I have more than one condition, do I need to get a separate FMLA form from my doctor?
26. Release/Recall - How is managment required to contact me for release/recall?
27. Release/Recall - Will I be given a notice of release before being released?
28.What is the definition of a disability?
29. Reasonable Accommodation - What does reasonable accommodation mean?
1. NTEU - Represents whom?
All bargaining unit employees
Per Federal Labor Management Relations Stature
2. Stewards - How many is NTEU allowed to have?
One steward for every 40 bargaining unit employees.
Per Article 9 Sec 1(B)
3. Stewards - How do I contact one?
You should contact your unit's assigned steward first. If unable to get in touch with your steward, you may call extension 5700 or come to the Union Office. You may also contact any steward working in your area.
4. Consulting with a steward - Can I be refused time for this?
No, however, employees must request and gain approval from their managers to be released from work to meet with a steward. If work schedule or requirements prohibits release at the time of your request, the employee should get the reason for denial in writing, and this should be submitted to the Union Office.
Per Article 9, Sec 2(P)
5. Potential Disciplinary Action - What do I do if my manager want to talk with me about one?
Postpone the meeting until you've contacted the Union Office to ask for a Union Representative to accompany you.
Per Article 5 Sec 4(A)5
6. TIGTA - If I am told to go to TIGTA, can I have time to get a steward?
Postpone the meeting until you have contact the Union Office to ask for a Union Representative to accompany you. SEE (When TIGTA CALLS )
Per Article 5 Sec 4(A)5
7. Form 3081 - If I make errors, can that be taken into account when I'm evaluated?
No
Per Article 12 Sec. 21(A)
8. Self Assessment - Can I get official time to prepare one?
Yes - up to 4 hours. In addition, you will be afforded a one-time opportunity to complete an Intranet web based tutorial on official time.
Per Article 12 Sec. 4(B)(5) How do you do a Self Appraisal
9. Evaluation - Can I get official time to rebut one?
Yes - up to 4 hours
Per Article 12 Sec. 4(H)
10. Probationary employees - What rights do I have?
To be advised of your progress at least 90 days prior to the end of your probationary period and to file grievances concerning matters covered in the NC Agreement. In cases where the employee has not been successful, but shows potential as an employee, the Employer will attempt to place the employee in another position during the balance of their probationary period to see if they may become successful.
Per Article 37
11. Self Assessment - If I'm rebutting one, how soon do I have to rebut it?
Within (15) workdays of issuance
Per Article 12 Sec. 4(G)
12. Evaluation - I gat a 3 in a CJE for 3 years in a row, can I get help to get a better evaluation?
Employees in this situation are entitled to receive a individual developmental plan (IDP) from their managers upon request.
Per Article 12 Sec. 4(M)
13. Evaluation - Can management lower my evaluation to straight 3's when I go to a new job?
No
Per Article 12 Sec. 4 (R)
14. Evaluation - Can my manager lower my annual evaluation without on-going counseling?
No
Per Article 12, Sec. 4(M)
15. Vacancy Non-Selection - If I was not selected for a vacancy, may I see the ranking panel narratives?
Yes
Per Article 13 Sec. 10(A)
16. Unnacceptable Job Performance - If unsuccessful on a new job, may I return to my former position?
Yes – within a one-year period, and subject to its right to assign employees, the Employer will make a reasonable effort to return employees to their former or like positions.
Per Article 13 Sec. 9(B)
17. Hardship Reassignment - What forms do I need to complete?
You must complete Form 4536 and the form shown on contract Exhibit 15-1
Per Article 15 Sec 5(I)
18. Tour of Duty - Can I be required to change it for training?
Yes - Employees in travel or in training status or on detail will adhere to the tour of duty of the organizational segment to which they are temporarily assigned.
Per Article 23 Sec. 2 (I)
19. Tour of Duty - Are changes allowed for me for school attendance, childcare issues, or volunteer work?
Yes
Per Article 23 Sec. 3
20. Leave/OT - Can I work overtime the same day/week/pay period in which I have taken leave?
Yes - Overtime is defined as all hours in excess of the 8 hours per day or forty in a workweek. The 8 hour day may be referred to as the 8 hour daily overtime standard that must be met in order to be entitled to overtime pay for the day. The employees forty hour workweek establishes 40 as the weekly overtime standard which must be met in order to be entitled to overtime pay in excess of forty in the workweek. This is adjusted for AWS schedules. You may use any kind of leave except LWOP and AWOL during the workweek e.g., if you have LWOP or AWOL these hours must be made up before you are entitled to overtime.
Per the Time and Leave Handbook.
21. Comp Time/OT - Can I receive comp time in lieu of overtime?
If it is for irregular or occasional overtime work
Per the Time and Leave Handbook
22. Family Friendly Leave Act (FFLA) - How can I get it?
FFLA is generally the use of sick leave, annual leave, LWOP, Comp time and/or credit hours that can be used for a variety of reasons. These reasons are always associated with family situations. Examples include:
Maternity
Family Care
Bereavement
Employees seeking FFLA need to inform their managers. The approval/disapproval should be determined within a reasonable amount of time.
Per Article 33
23. Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) - How can I get it?
Employees will be eligible for FMLA for the following reasons:
Birth or care of a child
Care of a spouse or immediate family member
The employee has a chronic or serious health condition
Generally speaking, FMLA cannot be denied if the employee has a medically certified condition, or is caring for a covered individual who has a medically certified condition. Contact the Union Office if you have specific issues or questions.
Per Article 33
24. FMLA - How much time am I eligible for?
Employees are entitled to a total of 12 administrative workweeks of unpaid leave. Paid leave can also be substituted and would include sick or annual leave, comp time or credit hours.
Per Article 33
25. FMLA - If I have more than one condition, do I need to get a separate FMLA form from my doctor?
Only if the medical condition requires the need to take time off work
Per the Family Medical Leave Act.
26. Release/Recall - How is managment required to contact me for release/recall?
Seasonal employees will:
First be contacted by telephone.One call will be made during the day and a second call will be made during the evening.
If direct phone contact is not made with the affected employee, written confirmation of the attempt to call will be sent to the employee by regular mail on the next day after the telephone calls were made.
Per Article 14 Sec. 2 (C)
27. Release/Recall - Will I be given a notice of release before being released?
Y
es - Five days advance notice must be given
Per Article 14 Sec 2(B)
28.What is the definition of a disability?
A qualified employee for purposes of reasonable accommodation must meet the definition of disability as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, disability is defined as:
- · A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of an individual;
- · A record of such an impairment; or
- · Being regarded as having such impairment.
- Major Life Activities are defined as a function that the average person in the general population can perform with little or no difficulty such as:
- · Breathing
- · Caring for Oneself
- · Hearing
- · Learning
- · Lifting
- · Performing Manual Tasks
- · Seeing
- · Sitting
- · Speaking
- · Standing
- · Walking
- · Working
- In determining whether a disability meets the requirements for reasonable accommodation, there are three factors for consideration:
- · Duration
- · Extent
- · Impact
29. Reasonable Accommodation - What does reasonable accommodation mean?
Federal agencies are required by law to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified employees with disabilities. The intent is to ensure employees with known physical or mental limitations may enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment equal to those enjoyed by similarly situated employees without disabilities. It requires Federal agencies to provide reasonable accommodation unless to do so would cause undue hardship. The law also ensures equal access to Federal programs, activities, and facilities to people with disabilities.
FAQs For Reasonable Accommodation
Per OPM information on Federal Employment of People with Disabilities
(see http://www.opm.gov/disability/ -
30. How do you get a Lawyer?
When you need to get a lawyer it is a very stressfull time. This will help you and some things you might want to keep in mind.
Federal Employees Handbook - Must have book if you are having touble at work.
How you find a lawyer - Helpful advice on how to find a lawyer.
Passman & Kaplan Attorneys at Law P.C -Law firm specialized in Federal Employment Law
Freking & Betz - Law firm in Cincinnati Ohio that specialized in employment law.
(NTEU 73 cannot be held responsable for any attorney, services or company and we do not an endorsement or make recommendation to which Law firm or Lawyer to use)
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This page was last updated on 26 of Jan. 2007