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Order
Subject
Alternative Duty Location Program
Classification Code Date Office of Primary Interest
3980.1 July 19, 2011 HAIM-20

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FHWA Order 3980.1


Alternative Duty Location
Program Guide

May 2011

Table of Contents

Section

Appendices

  1. ADL Program Locations
  2. ADL Agreement
  3. Guidelines for Requesting Exceptions
  4. Implementation Memo
  5. SOPs for HAHR Coordination

 

Introduction

 

In June 2008, the Agency embarked on a pilot program to support Alternative Duty Locations (ADL) for Headquarters offices and the Resource Center. In July 2009, an evaluation of the pilot program began and culminated with recommendations made by the evaluation team to the Strategic Workforce Council (SWC). The Agency adopted the recommendations of the SWC in April 2010 to move the ADL pilot activities to a more permanent implementation status, thus more effectively using Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) resources to accomplish our mission and objectives.

The following guide provides procedural and processing elements for the ADL Program; develops criteria for ADL positions; defines roles and responsibilities of each involved official and organization; and provides specific requirements governing the announcement of positions and relocation of employees. This guide was developed to provide a consistent and sound structure to the placement of employees in locations that are separate from their supervisors and/or work units; and apply to all ADL employees and their supervisors, as appropriate, regardless of the employee's organizational location.

 

ADL Program Outline

 

ADL Employee Definition: ADL employees have been defined as any Headquarters, Division or Federal Lands employee working in a location other than that of their supervisor or work unit; Office of Technical Services (OTS) employees working outside the six established OTS locations (Baltimore, MD; Arlington, VA; Matteson, IL; Atlanta, GA; Lakewood, CO; or San Francisco, CA); or FHWA Program Management Improvement Team (PMIT) employees located outside the PMIT corporate location of Arlington, VA.

The ADL program does not apply to or affect offices that perform Headquarters functions in field locations, such as the Lakewood and Atlanta Administrative Services Teams and the Field Legal Service Teams.

The ADL program does not apply to short term rotational or temporary assignments of duration of less than one year.

ADL Program Locations: The FHWA locations that have been designated as "Cost Desirable" to house ADL employees can be found in Appendix A.

ADL Coordinator: The individual serving as the overall liaison for the Agency regarding the ADL program.

Host Office: The office where the ADL employee will physically reside.

Home Office: The organizational unit of the ADL employee.

Annual Evaluations: On an annual basis each Headquarters Office, Director of Field Services, Federal Lands Division, and the Office of Technical Services will review its use of ADL positions and reassess the potential for ADL positions in the future.

ADL Space Availability: Managers will be permitted to advertise ADL vacancies in approved cost-desirable locations where space is available at the time the vacancy will be announced.

ADL Guide/Location Exceptions: Exceptions to this guide may be granted on a very limited basis. The Executive Director may approve exceptions on a case by case basis when presented with a business analysis clearly demonstrating the corporate benefits to the agency. Guidelines for requesting an exception can be found in Appendix C.

Release of Headquarters Building Workspace: To assist in managing space requirements throughout Headquarters, offices will be required to release a workstation upon selection of an employee into the ADL program, if that position was previously located in Headquarters. The workstation will then be managed by the Office of Administration's Management Services Division. Should the ADL position need to be returned to the Headquarters location in the future, every effort will be made by the Management Services Division to provide a workstation located with the work unit. If this is not possible, another workstation in the Headquarters building will be provided. This does not apply to positions under the Office of Research, Development, and Technology located at the Turner Fairbanks Highway Research Center.

 

Roles and Responsibilities under the ADL Program

 

Associate Administrators (AA), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Counsel (CC), Directors of Field Services (DFS), and Director of Technical Services (DTS):

Associate Administrator for Administration:

Alternative Duty Location Coordinator:

Human Resource Specialist

Supervisor of ADL Employee(s):

ADL Employee:

Host Office Manager(s):

 

Criteria for ADL Positions

 

Managers will consult with their appropriate Associate Administrator, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Counsel, Director of Field Service, or Director of Technical Services and the ADL Coordinator prior to advertising a position as an ADL.

Position Eligibility Considerations:

The following factors should be considered for an alternative duty location arrangement:

  1. The nature of the work to be performed is portable and the employee's job responsibilities allow for effective or enhanced performance away from their Home Office.

  2. There is a limited level of Senior Leadership involvement needed (e.g., briefings, meetings, etc.) in the Home Office.

  3. The product or work accomplished by the employee while at an alternative duty location can be evaluated and quantified.

  4. The absence of the employee from the traditional work site will not impact negatively on the ability of the organization to accomplish its mission.

  5. For Headquarters ADL employees, there is a limited level of face-to-face interaction with FHWA staff in Washington, DC; other Federal entities located in Washington, DC (e.g., Congress, OST, other US DOT modes, other Federal agencies); or other national organizations located in Washington DC (e.g., AASHTO).

Examples of Suitable Work:

Whether a job is suitable for an alternative duty location arrangement ultimately depends on the needs of the manager and the nature of the work performed rather than job title. Examples of work that the manager, at their discretion, may feel are suitable include:

 

Recruitment and Staffing

 

Under the ADL program, the following recruitment and staffing guidelines apply:

 

Vacancy Announcement Position Requirements

 

Remote Supervision: An ADL employee is not located with their immediate supervisor or work unit. To be successful in this type of arrangement, employees must have a high degree of independence, self-initiative, and organizational skills. These desired traits will be promoted on the announcement as characteristics of an ideal candidate. Interviews with perspective ADL employees should focus on past performance and demonstrated examples of these skills.

ADL Agreement: Every ADL employee, ADL supervisor, and Host Office Manager must sign an ADL agreement that outlines ADL program requirements, expectations, and responsibilities of each party involved. This agreement will also serve as a foundation for further positive communication between the employee, the supervisor and the Host Office.

Orientation: An orientation is required for both the ADL employee and the ADL supervisor. The focus of this orientation will be to outline communication processes and techniques, supervisory expectations and requirements, and performance management strategies. In addition, it is suggested that supervisory training focus on keeping employees engaged and connected to the team in a virtual environment.

Travel: Based on the employee being located away from their Home Office, it is anticipated that the employee will need to travel to their Home Office several times during the year. The vacancy announcement will indicate the requirement for the Government Travel Card as well as a general statement regarding the potential for travel to the Home Office.

Performance Management: Performance results will focus on objective and quantifiable activities, as well as standardized management communication controls. Applicants will be notified upfront of performance expectations and communication responsibilities.

Relocation Assistance (Permanent Change of Station): The policy governing relocation in relation to the ADL program must be clearly stated on every vacancy announcement.

 

Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Eligibility

 

The ADL program will support permanent change of station (PCS) for employees only in situations where the employee is located outside of the identified ADL locations on the vacancy announcement. One of the goals of the ADL program is to increase the number of highly qualified candidates for FHWA positions while eliminating the challenges of recruiting in only one metropolitan area. As the work can be conducted from any ADL designated location, there is not a business reason to support the payment of relocation if an applicant already resides in one of those designated locations. All vacancy announcements will clearly indicate the PCS policy for positions under this program. It is understood that unexpected situations may arise concerning voluntary relocations. In rare situations, where the benefit to the government would be enhanced, the Executive Director may approve a waiver to one or more of the below.

Under the ADL program, the following apply:

  1. The determination to fill a position under the ADL program will be made at the time a position becomes vacant.

  2. Once a vacant position is designated to be included in the ADL program, the specific ADL locations listed on the vacancy announcement will be determined by the manager, based on business reasons, and coordinated through the ADL Coordinator.

  3. Under the ADL program, employees currently located in one of the announced ADL locations will not be eligible for PCS when applying for ADL vacancies that include their current location. PCS is available to applicants with status who are located outside of the designated ADL locations as listed on the vacancy announcement, in accordance with current FHWA PCS policies and practices.

Scenarios: Based on the above, the following scenarios are provided for illustration:

Vacancy Announcements:

All ADL vacancy announcements must be clearly identified as being under the ADL program and must include language regarding PCS eligibility.

Draft Vacancy Announcement Language:

Merit Promotion Announcements (FHWA-wide):

This position is under the FHWA's Alternative Duty Location (ADL) Program and can be filled in any one of the following locations advertised: (provide approved ADL locations).

Under this program, relocation assistance is not available to applicants residing in any one of the ADL locations advertised in this announcement. Relocation is available for applicants located outside of the advertised duty locations. Employees who are not eligible for relocation because they reside in one of the advertised locations may apply for positions in other advertised duty locations; however, if selected, they must move themselves to the location at their own expense.

 

ADL Employee Orientation

 

Employees will be required to participate in an ADL Orientation and sign the ADL agreement (Appendix B) upon completion of the orientation.

The ADL Coordinator and Supervisor will provide the orientation. The primary areas listed below will be covered as well as tailored to each ADL employee based on information from the supervisor and Host Office Manager.

The Orientation may be provided via videoconference, webconference, or in-person, based on situational circumstances.

The primary areas to be covered include the following:

  1. Effective Communication Techniques, Methods, and Strategies for ADL employees
    1. Communication expectations – type and frequency (daily, weekly, monthly/video, Web, or in person).
    2. Establishing and improving communication with team members, customers, and Host Office employees.

  2. Maximizing Use of IT Resources for Communicating
    1. Briefing on IT options and ideal uses (videoconferencing, webconferencing, etc.).
    2. Scheduling/Coordinating with Host Office.

  3. Accountability
    1. Organization and reporting of work activities.
    2. Schedule/Calendar protocol (keeping calendars current, supervisor and/or support staff access).
    3. Leave requirements and protocols.
    4. Performance Expectations (to be completed with supervisor).

  4. Being Part of the Team
    1. Strategies to help connect with virtual team members and provide support to the team.
    2. Goal(s) of the team and individual responsibilities of each team member.

  5. Emergency Preparedness
    1. Host office procedures
    2. Home office procedures

 

ADL Supervisory Training Recommendations

 

Good management practices and supervisory skills can be readily adapted to the virtual/ADL arrangement. However, supervising employees remotely does increase the complexity of supervisor responsibilities, and requires a greater emphasis on communication, organization and time management, performance management, and developing an effective and unified team.

Specific courses that focus on remote supervision can be found at: http://intra.fhwa.dot.gov/opt/training/management_dev/adl_sup_training.htm

 

ADL Resource Management Requirements

 

Time and Attendance

Time and Attendance (T&A) records are managed by the Home Office and the supervisor signs the T&As acknowledging approval. Leave should be requested by the ADL employee via the approved time and attendance process for their office for tracking purposes. Leave should be requested in advance of its occurrence for supervisory approval. Exceptions may be approved in exceptional or emergency situations.

Employee Outlook calendars should be kept up to date and access granted to approved staff in the employee's Home Office and work team.

The ADL employee must request approval from his/her supervisor via e-mail or telephone of any changes to his/her regular schedule (such as changes to teleworking days or locations, requests to change regularly scheduled days off, changes in work hours, etc.).

ADL positions are deemed eligible to telework in accordance with FHWA policy https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/legsregs/directives/orders/36201.cfm. Telework agreements must be signed prior to its occurrence and all FHWA policies governing telework are applicable.

The Host Office may request employees to sign in (electronically or in person) for security and/or emergency planning purposes.

Travel

Travel for the ADL employee is funded by the employee's Home Office and managed in accordance with FHWA's travel policy procedures.

ADL employees must follow FHWA travel card procedures, ensuring bills are paid appropriately and timely.

The Home Office will provide assistance as needed on travel arrangements, authorizations, and vouchers.

Training

The ADL employee's Home Office is responsible for funding the employee's training requests, per the employee's Individual Development Plan and/or performance plan.

Participation in all training activities, on site or off site, must be pre-approved by the ADL employee's supervisor.

The ADL employee, with supervisory approval, can participate in corporate training activities provided in the ADL host office, such as the manager's videoconferences or other general training sessions.

Online courses should be discussed with the supervisor prior to their start and their completion documented in TMS, as well as in the employee's performance work plan.

Supplies

The Host Office will provide day to day supplies to the ADL employee, such as paper, pens, post-it notes, calculator, stapler, etc. There should not be a significant net burden to the operating budget of the Host Office.

Office Furniture and IT Equipment

The ADL Coordinator will work with the Host Office to provide appropriate office furniture and space for the ADL employee. The ADL employee's Home Office will be responsible for purchase and arrangement of Information Technology (IT) equipment.

Administrative Support

In general, the HHHome Office is responsible for providing administrative support for ADL employees. Local office administrative staff may occasionally be asked to provide some ancillary support.

IT Support

Routine IT support will be comparable to that provided to all Host Office employees. IT support beyond that, or special IT needs, will be provided by the Home Office.

 

Performance Management for ADL Employees and Supervisors

 

Performance Management is a key element in all successful organizations. Linking individual performance goals with the organizations objectives, monitoring progress and measuring results is important in all FHWA supervisor/employee relationships and is a key driver in the Agency's success. All performance management should be in accordance with https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/legsregs/directives/orders/m30001c/p1ch5s2.cfm

Good performance management practices can be applied to remote and co-located employees with equal effectiveness. Managing performance by developing specific and quantifiable objectives, with defined tasks and measures so that performance can be more accurately evaluated from a distance, are keys to managing remotely supervised employees. Those practices are also beneficial in more traditional settings. The greatest difference involves the method by which supervisors monitor the performance of an employee, since physical monitoring is not feasible.

Key Components of Performance Management for ADL Employees

  1. Establishing an Employee Performance Plan.

  2. Monitoring Employee Performance – ongoing monitoring with an official mid and end of year performance review at a minimum.

  3. Evaluating Employee Performance – employee is evaluated against their individual performance plan at the end of the rating year.

  4. Employee Development – determining skill gaps and identifying training needs.

  5. Recognizing employees based on performance.

 

Employees Working Remotely Prior To the ADL Program

 

This ADL Program Guide applies to all ADL employees and their supervisors regardless of the employee's organizational location and regardless of when they began working remotely from their work unit.

This ADL Program Guide does not apply to or affect offices that perform Headquarters functions in field locations, such as the Lakewood and Atlanta Administrative Services and the Field Legal Service Teams.

ADL Agreements for Employees, Supervisors, and Host Office Manager

ADL Agreements are required for all ADL positions. Employees, supervisors, and Host Office Managers must sign an agreement within three months after this ADL guide takes effect.


Appendix A

 

ADL Program Locations

The following FHWA locations have been designated as "Cost Desirable" to house ADL employees:

ADL employees may also be placed in Baltimore, MD and the Matteson, IL Resource Center location as space allows.


Appendix B

 

ALTERNATIVE DUTY LOCATION AGREEMENT

Introduction

An alternative duty location agreement is an arrangement between an employee and the Agency where the employee works in a location other than that of their supervisor or work unit. This arrangement is intended to be mutually beneficial to the Host Office Manager, the Home Office (via the supervisor) and the employee.

This agreement dated __________________ is between

__________________________________________________________ (Employee)

_______________________________________________________ (Supervisor) and

___________________________________________________________ (Host Office Manager).

The Agreement

This is to establish terms and conditions of an Alternative Duty Location assignment. The employee is selected to participate in the Alternative Duty Location (ADL) Program and to follow the applicable guidelines and policies of the ADL Program, as well as applicable policies and procedures of the Host Office. The supervisor agrees with the employee's participation in this program. The appropriate Associate Administrator, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Counsel, Director of Field Services, or the Director of Technical Services concurrence is required. The Host Office Manager (HOM) agrees to provide suitable office space, equipment, and support as agreed to by the three parties.

Pay

Salary will be based on the ADL locality pay rate.

Time and Attendance

Time and Attendance (T&A) records are managed by the Home Office and the supervisor signs the T&A's acknowledging approval. Leave should be requested by the ADL employee via the approved time and attendance process for their office for tracking purposes. Leave should be requested in advance of its occurrence for supervisory approval. Exceptions may be approved in exceptional or emergency situations. Failure to follow leave procedures established by the supervisor may result in disciplinary action.

Employee Travel and Training

The Home Office to which the employee reports is responsible for providing training and travel funds, as appropriate, for the employee to continue to develop in their position and to perform their work functions which may require travel. Positions under the ADL program occasionally require additional travel to and from the Host Office to the Home Office. The supervisor must approve all training and travel requests in accordance with Agency policies.

Overtime/Compensatory Time

The employee agrees to obtain supervisor's approval for overtime and/or compensatory time prior to its occurrence. When working at the Host Office, work will be considered normal pay status. An employee working overtime that is ordered and approved by the supervisor will be deemed eligible to receive overtime/compensatory pay, within applicable rules and regulations. The employee understands that unauthorized compensation, due to the employee's action, may result in disciplinary action.

Worker's Compensation

The employee is covered by worker's compensation if injured in the course of performing official duties at the ADL.

Host Office Equipment and Supplies

In order to effectively perform their work, ADL employees may use the Host Office's supplies, such as paper, pens, etc., and equipment such as videoconferencing equipment, printers, copiers, fax machines, and scanner. On rare occasions, with prior approval from the Host Office and supervisor, the employee may use the Government Official Vehicle. All equipment must be protected against damage and unauthorized use. It must be used in a manner that is consistent with Host Office policies and procedures.

Home Office Equipment and Supplies

The Home Office is responsible for providing the employee's specific equipment, such as the computer, personal printer, cell phone (if appropriate) etc.

Employee Accountability

Due to the unique nature of the ADL arrangement, the employee understands that they are responsible for keeping their supervisor informed on work progress, obstacles, and work results. Accountability practices may include weekly written accomplishment reports, regularly scheduled teleconferences, or other activities established by the supervisor. The employee and supervisor will use available technology to regularly communicate, receive and discuss assignments, and to review completed work. Technology would include—but is not limited to—telephone, video conferencing, and Web-conferencing. The employee will complete all assigned work according to procedures mutually agreed upon with the supervisor and outlined in the employee's performance appraisal.

Performance Management and Evaluation

The evaluation of the employee's job performance will be based on established objectives and measurable results as outlined in their performance appraisal. Input may be requested from the Host Office prior to performance discussions. If performance falls below an acceptable level, appropriate performance management actions, in accordance with FHWA policies and procedures, will be initiated.

Dispute Resolution of ADL Issues

Supervisors and employees are strongly encouraged to informally resolve differences and disputes which may arise in connection with any ADL issues. Differences between the employee and the Host Office should be brought to the attention of the ADL Coordinator by the Supervisor.

Work Hours and Location

The employee agrees to work at the Host Office or other approved site such as from the employee's residence per an approved telework agreement between the employee and the supervisor. Employee Outlook calendars should be kept up to date and access granted to approved staff in the employee's Home Office and work team. The ADL employee must request approval from his/her supervisor via e-mail or telephone of any changes to his/her regular schedule (such as changes to teleworking days or locations, requests to change regularly scheduled days off (RDOs), changes in work hours, etc.). Failure to comply with this provision may result in disciplinary action.

The Host Office has the right to adjust the employee's office space (size and location within office) to meet Host Office needs. Current space management guidelines shall be followed when adjustments are necessary. The employee must follow the Host Office's policies, rules and regulations as they pertain to the following: dress code, office etiquette, early dismissal due to inclement weather, office closures, and emergency evacuation. The Host Office may request employees to sign in (electronically or in person) for security and/or emergency planning purposes.

In the rare instance of a local emergency situation, the Host Office may direct assignments to the ADL employee(s). In these rare situations, the Host Office is responsible for coordinating assignments with the supervisor of the ADL employee.

The following are the locations which are agreed to as a part of the ADL Agreement.

Official Organization Location:

 

Alternative Duty Location:

 

Teleworking Location (if applicable):

 

We agree to abide by the terms and conditions of this agreement.

Employee: __________________________________________________________ Date __________________

Supervisor: __________________________________________________________ Date __________________

Host Manager: _______________________________________________________ Date __________________


Appendix C

 

Business Case Guidelines for Requesting Exceptions to the Alternate Duty Location (ADL) Program Guide or Locations

In general, ADL employees may be placed in one of the 26 approved cost desirable locations as well as Baltimore and the Matteson Resource Center location and are subject to all of the ADL guidelines as provided. Exceptions to these locations or this guide are possible, but only upon approval of a business case analysis by the Executive Director.

Based on the guidelines provided in this document, the following examples of exceptions are provided for illustration:

The following are guidelines on what needs to be included in the business case documentation.

  1. Full description of current and proposed future position, location, and the reasons for requesting a change in position/employee location or an exception to the ADL guide.

  2. Describe the benefits to FHWA and provide any data analysis that would support your case, as applicable:

    • Improved efficiency or effectiveness of program development or delivery
    • Improved quality of service
    • Improvement in program or technical assistance due to proximity to specific customers
    • Specific skill set that a particular candidate would bring to the position and whether or not the skill set is readily available elsewhere
    • Enhanced candidate pool for a specific vacancy (include supporting evidence, such as failure of an advertisement including ADL locations to produce an acceptable candidate)
    • Lower locality pay costs
    • Lower travel costs
    • Savings in PCS costs
    • Other
  3. Describe the benefits to the employee:

    • Improved job satisfaction and productivity
    • Accommodation of a significant personal or family situation (e.g. child who requires specialized care)
    • Other
  4. Provide a breakdown of the costs to FHWA, as applicable:

    • Differential in locality pay costs
    • Differential in travel costs
    • Need for additional office space/cost of making adjustments to existing office space/cost for supporting extensive or exclusive work at home
    • Any unusual startup costs
    • Incurrence of PCS costs
    • Anticipated costs incurred to rebuild potentially lost unique expertise
  5. Describe the corporate impacts:

    • Employee's ability to perform in an ADL environment
    • Employee's current performance level
    • Employee's ability to be self directed and meet deadlines
    • Employee's communication skills
    • Employee's ability to overcome lack of physical connection to his or her Home Office or discipline
    • Any other potential issues regarding remote supervision of the employee
    • Other

The basic question to be answered is why would the proposed exception make good business sense from a corporate perspective for FHWA? Business case documentation should cover all of the above items, as applicable, and contain as many specifics and be as quantitative as possible.

Requests for Exceptions to the ADL Program Guide must be coordinated through the ADL Coordinator, and sent to the Director, Office of Human Resources for review and recommendation. The Office of Human Resources will forward the request, with comment, to the Executive Director for decision. The ADL Coordinator will be notified of all determinations (approved or disapproved). Requests must be made PRIOR to the position being advertised, if applicable.


Appendix D

 

Memorandum

SENT VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL

Subject: ACTION: Implementation of Recommended Changes to Resource Sharing and Alternative Duty Location Pilot

Date: April 21, 2010

From: Jeffrey F. Paniati /s/
Executive Director

In Reply Refer To: HOP-1

To: Associate Administrators
Chief Counsel
Chief Financial Officer
Director, Innovative Program Delivery
Directors of Field Services
Federal Lands Highway Division Engineers
Director of Technical Services
Division Administrators

At the recent Spring Business Meeting, the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) extended leadership team was briefed on the findings of the evaluation recently performed for the pilot programs to support Resource Sharing (RS) arrangements in the field and Alternative Duty Locations (ADL) for Headquarters and Resource Center employees that have been in place since June 2008. These evaluation findings led to the development of recommendations by the FHWA Strategic Workforce Council (SWC) on moving both the RS and ADL pilot activities to a more permanent implementation status. The purpose of this memorandum is to formally implement these recommendations. A summary of the SWC recommendations that are being implemented is attached.

In general, the evaluation found that both RS and ADL arrangements can be useful tools in more effectively using FHWA's resources to accomplish our mission and objectives. Resource sharing arrangements range from informal arrangements for mentoring and assistance to shared positions and shared teams to fully merged organizational entities such as the DelMar Division. The RS arrangements can provide greater flexibility in how staff resources are deployed, while allowing Division employees to pursue deeper specialization in a particular area and gain greater diversity in work experience. The RS arrangements are not without potential pitfalls, and several of the implementation actions outlined in the attachment are designed to avoid the pitfalls that were documented during the evaluation. Employees can expect to see RS - in its various forms - continue to be expanded, where appropriate to enhance program delivery and use limited resources more efficiently. Funding will be provided to support the additional travel required.

The ADL pilot program has been very successful in increasing the size and depth of candidate pools for Headquarters and Resource Center positions advertised with location flexibility, and placement of ADL employees outside Washington, DC. The pilot program has resulted in a net savings in administrative (salary, travel, PCS) costs, though this has varied significantly by employee and location. The pilot has clearly demonstrated that ADL employees can be supported in a cost-effective manner if we are smart about selecting the locations to host ADL employees, focusing on locations with lower salary and travel costs. The SWC conducted an extensive cost analysis of every existing FHW A office location to determine the locations that could cost effectively host ADL employees. The 26 "cost-desirable" locations that resulted from this analysis are listed in the attachment; however, space to host ADL employees is currently available at only 11 of these locations. Expansion of ADL opportunities will be: 1) needs-driven - for positions identified by agency leadership as suitable for ADL flexibility, 2) resource constrained - limited by availability of space in cost-desirable locations, and 3) periodically reviewed - as vacancies occur positions will be evaluated for continuation as ADL. As a result, employees can expect a modest expansion of ADL opportunities in the coming years.

The administrative changes necessary to support implementation of the SWC recommendations are currently being completed. A national videoconference has been scheduled for 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. EDT on April 29 to present and discuss the RS/ADL evaluation findings, SWC recommendations, and the implementation actions outlined in this memorandum. I encourage you and your staff to participate in this discussion.

Attachments

April 2010 Changes to Resource Sharing and Alternative Duty Location Pilot Programs

General

Resource Sharing

ADL for Headquarters(HQ)/Resource Center Staff

Attachment

"Cost-Desirable" Locations and Currently Available Space for ADL Employees

Phoenix, AZ 0
Little Rock, AR 1
Sacramento, CA 0
Denver, CO 1
Dover, DE 0
Atlanta, GA 6
Boise, ID 1
Indianapolis, IN 2
Ames, IA 1
Topeka, KS 0
Lincoln, NE 0
Carson City, NV 0
Santa Fe, NM 0
Raleigh, NC 1
Columbus, OH 0
Oklahoma City, OK 0
Salem, OR 0
Harrisburg, PA 0
Philadelphia, PA 0
Nashville, TN 1
Austin, TX 0
Richmond, VA  
Olympia, WA 2
Vancouver, WA 0
Madison, WI 1
Cheyenne, WY 0

ADL employees may also be placed in Baltimore, MD (6 currently available spaces) and Matteson, IL (3 currently available spaces) Resource Center locations.


Appendix E

 

SOPs for Advertising Alternate Duty Location Positions

  1. Offices wishing to advertise a position as an ADL should contact the ADL Coordinator to discuss the ADL locations with space available at the current time, any open advertisements that may impact your vacancy, and to get oriented to the ADL program. This coordination should occur prior to contact with Human Resources.

  2. Upon receipt of an SF-52 vacancy request from an office for one or more ADL locations, the HR Specialist is responsible for checking with the ADL Coordinator to ensure space is available. This coordination must occur prior to advertising the ADL position. Keep in mind that there can be concurrent ADL positions advertised with the same duty locations. Therefore, it is possible that an ADL location may be filled while another ADL vacancy with that duty location is still open.

    The HR Specialist should provide the ADL Coordinator with the following information:

    1. Title/Series/Grade of the position,
    2. Requested ADL locations,
    3. Supervisor/Hiring Official,
    4. Copy of Announcement,
    5. Advise the ADL Coordinator if the advertised position is eligible for PCS benefits, and
    6. Any anticipated announcements moving forward within the next 30 days at the same locations.

    The ADL Coordinator will respond with an email indicating approval to proceed and indicating locations available with ADL space.

  3. Once the ADL Coordinator receives the notification, an email announcement will be sent to the ADL Host Office(s) alerting them of pending actions that will list their location for consideration. At that point, the space at the location should be considered "on hold" and should not be filled by the Host Office.

  4. The ADL Coordinator should be immediately informed of any changes to the position (i.e. cancellation of announcement, etc.). If an ADL location becomes filled, the ADL Coordinator will notify the HR specialist as well as the HQ office's selecting official of any open advertisements that may be effected. This will ensure that the selecting official does not interview/select a candidate for a location that is no longer available. An "alert" will be added to all ADL announcements advising applicants that an ADL location may no longer be available for consideration. Therefore, applicants will be encouraged to select as many ADL locations as possible for which they will be willing and available to work. The alert will be placed at the beginning of the applicant questionnaire.

  5. Once an offer is accepted, the ADL Coordinator should be provided with the Acceptance Letter including:

    1. Location chosen
    2. Effective date
    3. Employee's name, grade, series and step
    4. If the selectee is a current employee within the location selected or are they approved for PCS?
  6. The ADL Coordinator will then alert the Host Office location of the pending ADL arrival and effective date, and notify the other ADL offices that their location was not selected.

  7. Once an ADL employee is brought on board, the ADL Coordinator will contact the supervisor and ADL to facilitate the orientation, review the ADL policy and guide, and obtain the signed ADL agreement with the Host Office.

  8. Requests for Exceptions to the ADL Program must be coordinated through the ADL Coordinator, and sent to the Director, Office of Human Resources for review and recommendation. The Office of Human Resources will forward the request, with comment, to the Executive Director for decision. The ADL Coordinator will be notified of all determinations (approved or disapproved). Requests must be made PRIOR to the position being advertised.

  9. The ADL Coordinator will provide a quarterly update of the ADL program to HAD, HR and the Executive Director.

 

Signature: Victor M. Mendez, Administrator

Victor M. Mendez
Administrator

Page last modified on January 31, 2017
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