DOE O 325.1, Position Classification

DISTRIBUTION: INITIATED BY: All Departmental Elements Office of Personnel Policy, Programs and Assistance U.S. Department of Energy ORDER Washington, D.C. Approved: 11-4-96 SUBJECT: POSITION CLASSIFICATION 1. OBJECTIVE. To provide guidance, instructions, and responsibilities for classifying positions under the General Schedule and the Federal Wage System and for processing position classification and job grading appeals within the Department of Energy. 2. CANCELLATION. DOE 3511.1A, POSITION CLASSIFICATION, dated 10-1-84. 3. APPLICABILITY. a. DOE Elements. This Order applies to all DOE employees except as identified in 3.c. below. b. Contractors. This Order does not apply to contractors. c. Exclusions. (1) Personnel in recognized bargaining units who negotiate their wage rates with the Power Administrations; and (2) Experts, consultants and personnel in positions above the GS-15 grade level, including positions on the Senior Executive Service. 1. REQUIREMENTS. a. Personnel Officer and Chief Classifier Positions shall be classified by or under the direction of the senior personnel officer at the next higher organization. In no case may a personnel officer (or any of his or her subordinates) classify his or her position or that of his or her senior position classification specialist. b. Classification and Job Grading Appeals. Employees may file a classification appeal at any time. General Schedule employees may appeal within the Department of Energy or directly to the Office of Personnel Management as DOE O 325.1 CANCELE D CANCELE D 2 DOE O 325.1 11-4-96 provided by 5 U.S.C. Chapter 51 and 5 CFR Part 511. Appeals must be in writing and include the information required in Appendix 4, Section J, of the Introduction to the Position Classification Standards. Prevailing rate employees must file appeals first within the Department and, upon receipt of a decision, may continue the appeal with the Office of Personnel Management under the provisions of the Operating Manual for the Federal Wage System. c. Effecting Classification Actions. (1) All identified classification errors must be corrected by the beginning of the fourth pay period from the date the error is determined. (2) New classification standards must be implemented within six months from the date of receipt. The Director of Personnel must be notified when the established time limit cannot be met. (3) Vacant positions identified for downgrading or upgrading because of classification error, receipt of new standards, or action taken by higher authority may not be refilled prior to correcting the classification error. 5. RESPONSIBILITIES. a. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Human Resources. (1) Classifies personnel officer and senior classification specialist positions, and concurs in the selection of personnel officer positions. (2) Decides position classification and job grading appeals. b. Personnel Officials. Assist management by providing technical advice and assistance with regard to the requirements of applicable laws, regulations, merit principles and other guiding policies, directives, negotiated agreements and governing decisions of regulatory agencies and Federal Courts. c. Servicing Personnel Offices. Classify positions up to and including the GS-15 level. 6. REFERENCES. a. Title 5, United States Code, Chapter 51, which governs classification of General Schedule positions. CANCELE D CANCELE D DOE O 325.1 3 (and 4) 11-4-96

b. Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 511, Classification under the General Schedule. c. The Office of Personnel Management, Introduction to the Position Classification Standards, which provides information and guidance regarding position classification standards. d. The Office of Personnel Management booklet, The Classifier's Handbook. e. The Office of Personnel Management Operating Manual for the Federal Wage System and the Job Grading System for Trades and Labor Occupations, which governs classification under the Federal Wage System. 7. CONTACT. Questions concerning this Order should be addressed to the Office of Personnel Policy, Programs and Assistance at (202) 586-8695. BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY: ARCHER L. DURHAM Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration CANCELE D CANCELE D