10.4 Civilian Programs (AFH-1 Section 11D)

ADTC A for SSgt, B for TSgt

Section 11D — Civilian Programs is A (Remembering) for Staff Sergeant and B (Understanding) for Technical Sergeant. E-5 study holds the graded-position sentence, GS versus Federal Wage System structure, and civilian leave numbers. E-6 study applies those facts as a supervisor: who has priority referral, which training source comes first, what an unacceptable appraisal triggers, and who is in the bargaining unit even without paying dues.

The USAF delivers civilian personnel services through installation civilian personnel flights — usually in the force support squadron — and the Air Force Personnel Center. Civilian personnel sections must provide service to all civilian employees unless Headquarters Air Force approves otherwise.

Positions are graded, not ranked

AFH 1's framing sentence is the first 11D item: "Civilian employees do not have a rank. Instead, the positions they occupy are graded, typically under the General Schedule, based upon detailed written job descriptions." Those descriptions drive pay, qualification requirements, performance expectations, and appraisal ratings.

Supervisors own core personnel document accuracy and should use standard core personnel documents as templates.

Filling jobs and civilian resource management

Vacancies use OPM, DoD, and USAF appointing authorities. Referral and selection priorities must be observed when filling competitive service positions. Employees with mandatory selection or priority referral rights normally include people adversely affected by reduction-in-force, involuntary separation, demotion, transfer of function declinations or transfer of work outside the commuting area, overseas returnees, and spouses of military personnel.

AFPC screens candidates and refers one or more lists. OPM qualification standards are written broadly for government-wide application.

Civilian pay funds cover overtime, awards, bonuses, student loan repayment, overhires, voluntary separation incentives, and severance. A corporate board of commanders, HR, finance, and manpower meets at least quarterly. AFH 1 does not publish award-dollar ceilings.

Training sources, appraisals, and conduct

A training-needs survey runs annually; out-of-cycle requests are allowed. Off-site training uses Standard Form 182. See DAFMAN 36-2689 and DAFI 36-2687.

The three primary sources, in the order federal rules force you to consider them:

Federal regulations require agencies to consider and select government training sources before turning to nongovernmental alternatives. Nongovernmental sources may be used when agency or interagency courses cannot satisfy the need or when nongovernmental training is more advantageous. Standard Form 182 does not waive that priority.

Employees learn duties from the core personnel document and expectations from annual performance plans. Supervisors rate each element, then give an overall summary rating. Fail one or more elements and the employee gets an unacceptable appraisal and an opportunity to improve. Awards AFH 1 names: performance cash, time-off, and quality step increases.

DAFI 36-147, Civilian Conduct and Responsibility, and the Joint Ethics Regulation set mandatory and prohibited activities. Civilians adhere to the USAF core values. Required: official testimony (with self-incrimination protections), lawful debts and taxes, being present unless authorized absent, safety instructions, positive public image, reasonable dress and grooming, and professional relationships. Prohibited: discrimination and sexual harassment, drug and alcohol abuse, misuse of purchase cards, misuse of computers, vehicles, and equipment, bribes, personal business at work, and off-duty crime that reflects adversely on USAF employment. Misconduct will not be tolerated.

Pay, work hours, leave, unions, and disputes

Reference: AFI 36-128, Pay Setting and Allowances. AFH 1's "approximately 10 percent lower" overseas comparison is the published figure; it does not give current GS step dollars.

Most civilians work a regular tour: five eight-hour days, Monday through Friday. An uncommon tour is a 40-hour week that includes Saturday and/or Sunday, or fewer than five but not more than six days. Alternate schedules: flexible start/end times, or compressed (80 hours in fewer than 10 workdays; commonly four nines, one eight, and a day off).

Leave is charged in 15-minute increments. Report illness in the first two hours. Jury duty, extreme-weather dismissals, and commander-excused absences are not charged to annual leave. Do not confuse this table with military accrual in 11B (2.5 days/month, 60-day FY cap).

Approximately 53 percent of USAF civilian employees are covered by labor agreements and are members of the bargaining unit even if they are not dues-paying union members. Unions have legal status under federal law. The labor relations officer or specialist in the civilian personnel section is the usual liaison and speaks for management in routine union communications (DAFI 36-701).

Labor-management contracts must include a negotiated grievance procedure for bargaining-unit members; most start with alternative dispute resolution. Supervisors, managers, and employees not covered by a collective bargaining agreement follow different procedures. Administrative grievances are decided by USAF officials, usually the installation commander or designee, though outside fact finders may be used.