ARTICLE 7

**UNION REPRESENTATION AND OFFICIAL TIME**

**Section 7.01 ‑ Definition**. Official time under this Article shall
include all representational functions including statutory functions.
Only time spent by a Union representative in actual negotiations with
Management does not count towards the allotment of official time.

**Section 7.02 - Representational Functions.** Official time is
authorized for: (1) Attending formal discussions; (2) Attending
investigatory interviews; (3) Meeting with Management representatives,
except when exempted by an appropriate management official[^1]; (4)
Meeting with employees to resolve complaints and grievances; (5)
Attending grievance meetings with managers and employees; (6) Attending
a meeting with a Federal Labor Relations Authority field agent or
attorney pursuant to an unfair labor practice charge or complaint; (7)
Serving as a witness at an arbitration related to this Agreement, an
unfair labor practice hearing or in a proceeding to resolve an impasse
arising from bargaining related to the AFGE/HUD unit; (8) Participating
as the representative of the Union at an arbitration, unfair labor
practice hearing or impasse proceeding related to the AFGE/HUD unit; (9)
Attending authorized labor-management relations meetings; or (10) Other
representational functions permitted by law.

**Section 7.03 ‑ Certification of National and Local Representatives**.
National and Local office representatives certified by the Union in
accordance with this Article shall be recognized as employee
representatives for bargaining unit employees and shall be entitled to
the use of official time under the provisions of this Article. No other
person shall be entitled to such use of official time except as
specifically authorized in this Agreement. The respective presidents
shall certify to the appropriate Management official at the National and
local levels, in writing, the name, title, duty station, phone number,
and allocation of official time of the Union\'s representatives who are
authorized to use official time as provided under Section 7.04 of this
Article. Any official or representative not identified in this manner
shall not be entitled to the use of official time. An employee from one
local office may not be designated as a representative or steward in
another local office.

**Section 7.04 - Representatives and Amounts of Official Time**.

\(1\) **Allocation of Official Time**.

\(a\) Time shall be allotted on a quarterly basis. Quarters shall begin
on the first day of January, April, July, and October. The amount of
official time available to be allocated will be reviewed quarterly to
match changes in Department strength.

\(b\) Allocations shall be provided in four pools: National, Regional
Vice Presidents, Headquarters and Field Office.

\(c\) Two weeks prior to the beginning of the quarter, the Council
President shall provide the appropriate Headquarters official with
changes to the current allocations, by pool, location, representative
and time allocated. Up to 10% of official time may be transferred
quarterly from one pool to another pool at the approval of the Council
President. The Council President may not allocate time in excess of the
amount of time authorized for any quarter.

\(d\) A representative may receive official time from more than one
pool. Allocations to individual field offices can differ from the
amounts listed below.

\(e\) Allocations shall not be carried over from one quarter to another,
unless Management determines additional time is needed.

\(2\) Allocations are expressed as percentages; 100% equals one full
time employee. The number and types of Union representatives and the
amount of official time provided are as follows:

\(a\) **National** - 225% to be used by a maximum of 6 representatives.

\(b\) **Regional** Vice Presidents (RVP) - 325% to be used by a maximum
of 10 Regional Vice Presidents.[^2]

\(c\) **Local**

1.  **Headquarters** - 470% to be used by a maximum of 14
    representatives.

\(2\) **Field Offices**

CURRENT ALLOCATION

FULL TIME EMPLOYEES (FT)

501-565\* 120%

436-500 110%

371-435 100%

306-370 90%

241-305 80%

176-240 70%

110-175 60%

100-109 50%

65-99 25%

45-64 20%

1-44 5%

\* Note: One (1) representative @ 10% for each 65 FT increment above
565.

\(3\) **Redistribution of Official Time**.

\(a\) The Union may request one change in distribution during the
quarter, except that the Council President, in unusual circumstances,
may request one (1) additional change.

**Section 7.05 - Adjustments of Workload**. In order to facilitate
release of Union representatives on official time, individual workloads
shall be adjusted up-front[^3], where practical, to reflect time needed
away from official duties. Such adjustments shall not diminish an
employee\'s right to fair and equitable treatment with regard to
performance appraisals and promotions. If a dispute arises with respect
to the fairness of the workload adjustment, it may be referred for
resolution to the appropriate local management official.

**Section 7.06 - Official Time for Union Representatives Outside of
Immediate Offices**. A representative who goes from his/her duty station
to another office during duty hours in order to represent

the Union or a bargaining unit employee, is on official time for
representational purposes and when traveling. The official time used
shall count against that individual\'s allocation. There shall be no
travel expenses and/or per diem for Union designated representatives
except where expressly stated in this Agreement.

**Section 7.07 - Procedure**.

\(1\) When it is necessary to use official time, the representative
shall first obtain approval from his/her immediate supervisor, or
designee, who has supervisory authority. The representative must, in
addition, when entering a work area to meet with an employee, obtain
advance approval from the supervisor of the employee.

\(2\) Approval under this Section shall be granted unless such absence
would cause an undue interruption of work. If approval is denied or
delayed, the reason shall be given as soon as practicable.

\(3\) Upon conclusion of the representational activity, the
representative shall inform the supervisor or designee that the activity
has been completed.

\(4\) All designated Union representatives who are entitled to official
time under this Article shall record and specifically annotate the use
of all representational time on the report form (Appendix B).

\(a\) These reports shall be kept by the supervisor, or his/her
designee, and each use of time shall be posted on or before the day it
occurs.

\(b\) Each entry on the official time report shall be entered by the
representative and initialed by the supervisor, or his/her designee.

\(c\) A copy of Appendix B shall be furnished to the representative
biweekly.

**Section 7.08 - Official Time for Union-Sponsored Training**. Normally,
forty (40) hours per year of official time may be granted to employee
representatives authorized by Section 7.04, to attend appropriate
Union‑sponsored instruction or briefing consistent with applicable
decisions of the Comptroller General. The number of hours may be
increased when the instruction or briefing is mutually deemed to benefit
both Management and the Union. Official time may be used for travel,
however, Union representatives shall not be eligible for, or entitled
to, travel expenses and per diem. Written requests, including an agenda

describing the training to be conducted, shall be submitted not less
than seven (7) days in advance to the representative\'s immediate
supervisor who shall forward it to the appropriate Management official
for action.

**Section 7.09 ‑ Leave of Absence for Union Officials**.

\(1\) Consistent with the needs of the Department, Management agrees to
approve a leave of absence, without pay, not to exceed three (3) years
for a bargaining unit employee who is elected to a position of National
officer of the American Federation of Government Employees, AFL‑CIO, for
the purpose of serving full time in the elected position, or who is
selected as an AFGE National Union representative. Management shall be
given not less than two (2) weeks advance notice.

\(2\) The Union agrees that all of the leaves of absence granted or
approved in accordance with this Section are subject to appropriate
Governmentwide regulations or other outside authority binding on
Management. Management, to the extent of its authority, shall place the
employee, at the end of the leave of absence, in the position the
employee left, or one of like seniority, status, grade, and pay.

[^1]: ^    ?^ An appropriate management official to authorize official
    time outside an Article 7 allocation is a representative at the
    national level who is responsible for providing labor-management
    advice and guidance on the HUD/AFGE Agreement.

[^2]: ^    ?^ Regional Vice Presidents\' official time must be allocated
    as follows: 50% each for Southeast/Caribbean, Midwest, and Southwest
    Geographic Areas. All other Geographic Areas 25% each.

[^3]: ^    ?^ Up-front workload adjustments may not be appropriate when
    small amounts of official time are allocated and used in irregular
    patterns. In these circumstances, the adjustment may be made at the
    time of usage.