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***This is our moment!***

**Chicago Federal Executive Board**

**Federal Employee of the Year Awards -- 2009**

**Nomination Tips**

In response to numerous inquiries from agency nomination coordinators,
the FEOY Committee would like to offer a number of tips for those
managers and supervisors submitting nominations for the FEOY Awards this
year. They have been compiled from feedback received from nomination
panelists and judges over the course of several years.

-   Tell a story.

-   **Avoid** heavy use of acronyms if possible and be sure to let us
    know what they mean. Our judges are from the private sector and are
    generally unfamiliar with government organizations and jargon.

-   Remember that the panelists evaluating your nominations are not from
    your agency and may not be familiar with your mission. A nominee's
    impact on your organization may be obvious to you but not to those
    evaluating your submission.

-   Be as concise as possible. You may lose the interest of panelists
    and judges if they have to wade through a lengthy and repetitive
    narrative.

-   Focus on **recent** accomplishments. An employee's body of work over
    a career may be good background, but the awards are given for
    performance in the past year.

-   Working for a small agency or office **does not** diminish your
    chances for an award. If you have an employee who has done
    outstanding work they deserve to be nominated. We have plenty of
    examples of finalists from small offices.

-   Most of all, take joy in the task of submitting nominations. Whether
    or not they become finalists, your employees will feel honored and
    appreciated by the effort.

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***This is our moment!***

####### 

####### Federal Employee of the Year -- 2009

**Nomination Booklet**

The Federal Employee of the Year Awards Program has achieved a great
deal of stature during its five decades of existence. The awards are
recognized as one of the most important and esteemed forms of
non-monetary recognition available to employees of the United States
Government, including the United States Postal Service and
non-appropriated fund employees, in metropolitan Chicago. The program is
also recognized as the most effective means of publicizing to the
general population, as well as to the Federal family, the high caliber
of devoted employees in the Federal service. Nominations are appropriate
not only for individual employees who have demonstrated their
outstanding performance in their regularly assigned duties, but also for
teams of employees who have played a significant role in furthering the
agency's mission.

##### Categories

Outstanding employees may be nominated for consideration in one of the
following eleven categories. To assist in the nomination process, we
have provided a list of occupations, where appropriate. While we have
attempted to be as inclusive as possible in this, if your nominee\'s
occupation is not specifically noted, please enter the nomination in a
category which has a similar occupation. As a general rule, supervisors
should not be nominated for Categories I, III, IV, V or VI. If the
nominee is a team leader, coach, facilitator, or otherwise not a
full-fledged supervisor, the nomination should be made in the
appropriate non-supervisory category, rather than Category II.

***CATEGORY I - OUTSTANDING PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEE***

This category includes those who are employed in professional work (in
any of the professions or sciences) which requires knowledge of a field
of learning customarily and characteristically acquired through
university education related to the specialization, or involves
certification or licensing by a governmental body or professional
association.

Persons nominated in this category may be employed at any level of
professional work, but they will be compared (and thus should be
nominated) on the basis of their competence, efficiency, and
accomplishment in their professional field. Consultants, supervisors,
and local agency heads are not eligible for this category, which
includes the following occupations:

**Accountant Fire Protection Engineer Nurse**

**Actuary Fishery Biologist Nurse Anesthetist**

**Administrative Law Judge Food Technologist Occupational Therapist**

**Aerospace Engineer Forestry Specialist Operations Research
Specialist**

**Agricultural Engineer General Attorney Optometrist**

**Archaeologist Gen. Biological Science Specialist Patent Attorney**

**Architect Gen. Education & Training Specialist Petroleum Engineer**

**Archivist General Engineer Pharmacist**

**Auditor General Health Science Specialist Pharmacologist**

**Biomedical Engineer General Physical Science Specialist Photographic
Technologist**

**Ceramic Engineer Geneticist Physical Therapist**

**Chaplain Geographer Physicist**

**Chemical Engineer Geologist Physiologist**

**Chemist Health Physicist Plant Protection & Quarantine**

**Civil Engineer Hydrologist Specialist**

**Community Planning Industrial Engineer Podiatrist**

**Computer Science Industrial Hygienist Psychologist**

**Contracting Specialist Instructional Systems Specialist Recreation &
Creative Arts**

**Corrective Therapist Law Clerk Therapist**

**Dental Officer Librarian Safety Engineer**

**Dietitian and Nutritionist Manual Arts Therapist Social Scientist**

**Ecologist Materials Engineer Social Worker**

**Economist Mathematical Statistician Soil Conservationist**

**Education & Vocational Training Mechanical Engineer Soil Scientist**

**Specialist Medical Technologist Speech Pathologist/Audiologist**

**Education Program Specialist Meteorologist Statistician**

**Education Services Specialist Microbiologist Textile Technologist**

**Educational Therapist Mining Engineer Toxicologist**

**Electrical Engineer Nuclear Engineer Veterinarian**

**Electronics Engineer Entomologist**

**Environmental Engineer**

######## **CATEGORY II - OUTSTANDING SUPERVISORY EMPLOYEE**

This category includes employees who direct the work of others. It
covers every general schedule supervisor or manager regardless of the
nature of the work of the supervisor\'s subordinates. Factors to be
evaluated include skill in directing or developing subordinates,
organizational efficiency or achievements, programmatic accomplishments,
empowering employees to get results, and streamlining or re-engineering
action taken to achieve the new philosophy of government.

######## **CATEGORY III - OUTSTANDING PROGRAM SPECIALIST EMPLOYEE**

This category includes employees in any administrative or program area
not specifically covered by one of the other categories. Supervisors are
not eligible for this category, which includes the following
occupations:

**Administrative Officer Health System Specialist Recreation
Specialist**

**Agricultural Commodity Grader Highway Safety Specialist Salary & Wage
Admin. Specialist**

**Agricultural Market Reporter Hospital Housekeeping Mgmt. Spec.
Security Administration Specialist**

**Agricultural Marketing Spec. Ind. Property Mgmt. Spec. Social
Insurance Claims Examiner**

**Air Traffic Controller Industrial Specialist Social Insurance Admin.
Specialist**

**Air Navigation Specialist Insurance Examiner Social Services
Specialist**

**Aircraft Operation Specialist Interior Designer Space Management
Specialist**

**Appraiser and Assessor Inventory Management Specialist Sports
Specialist**

**Apprenticeship & Training Rep. Labor Relations Specialist Supply
Cataloging Specialist**

**Audio-Visual Production Spec. Language Specialist Supply Program Mgmt.
Specialist**

**Bond Sales Promotion Specialist Loan Specialist Support Services
Admin. Specialist**

**Budget Analyst Logistics Management Specialist Technical Writer and
Editor**

**Building Management Specialist Management and Program Analyst
Technical Info Services Spec.**

**Civil Rights Analyst Manpower Development Specialist
Telecommunications Specialist**

**Commissary Store Mgmt. Spec. Mediator Trade Specialist**

**Computer Specialist Medical Records Admin. Specialist Traffic
Management Specialist**

**Contractor Indus. Rel. Spec. Military Personnel Mgmt. Spec. Training
Instructor**

**Distrib. Fac. & Stor.Mgmt.Spec. Misc. Admin. and Program Spec.
Transportation Industry Analyst**

**Document Analyst Outdoor Recreation Planner Transport Loss & Damage
Clms Ex.**

**Employee Development Spec. Packaging Specialist
Transportation/Operations Spec.**

**Employee Relations Specialist Paralegal Specialist Transportation
Specialist**

**Equal Employment Opp. Spec. Passport and Visa Examiner Unemployment
Insurance Specialist**

**Equipment Specialist (GS-11+) Personnel Management Specialist Veterans
Claims Examiner**

**Facility Management Specialist Personnel Staffing Specialist Veterans
Program Specialist**

**Financial Admin. & Prog. Spec. Position Classification Spec. Visual
Information Specialist**

**Financial Analyst Printing Management Specialist Vocational Rehab.
Specialist**

**Financial Management Specialist Program Management Specialist Wage
Analyst**

**Food Assistance Program Spec. Property Disposal Specialist Workers
Comp. Claims Examiner**

**Gen. Claims Examiner (GS-11+) Public Affairs Specialist Writer and
Editor**

**Gen. Facilities & Equip. Spec. Public Health Program Spec. Customs
Entry/Liq Specialist**

**General Communications Spec. Quality Assurance Specialist Information
Technology Specialist**

**Health System Administrator Realty Specialist Human Resources
Specialist**

######## **CATEGORY IV - OUTSTANDING LAW ENFORCEMENT EMPLOYEE**

This category includes those employees engaged in the enforcement of
civil or criminal laws, or the protection of life and property. The
enforcement activities may extend to investigations of citizens, units
of state and local government, or private industry. Supervisors are not
eligible for this category, which includes the following occupations at
the grade levels noted:

**Air Safety Investigator Food Inspector Labor-Mgmt. Relations
Examiner**

**Alcoh. Tobac. & Firearms Insp. Game Law Enforce. Specialist Motor
Carrier Safety Specialist**

**Aviation Safety Inspector GAO Evaluator Police**

**Consumer Safety Inspector Gen. Inspector & Compl. Spec. Public Health
Quarantine Insp.**

**Correctional Instit. Admin. Spec. General Investigator Railroad Safety
Inspector**

**Correctional Officer Guard Safety & Occ. Health Specialist**

**Criminal Investigator Hearings & Appeals Examiner Securities
Compliance Examiner**

**Customs Inspector Import Specialist Tax Examiner (GS-6+)**

**Environmental Protection Spec. Immigration Inspector Tax Law
Specialist**

**Intelligence Specialist Internal Revenue Agent U.S. Marshall**

**Financial Institution Examiner Internal Revenue Officer Veterans
Employment Rep.**

**Fingerprint Identification Spec. Wage & Hour Compliance Spec.**

######## **CATEGORY V - OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL/PROGRAM SUPPORT EMPLOYEE**

This category includes positions which support professional and program
work. Supervisors are not eligible for this category, which includes the
following occupations at the grade levels noted:

**Accounting Technician (GS-4+) Equal Opportunity Asst. Orthotist and
Prosthetist**

**Air Traffic Assistant Equal Opp. Comp. Asst. Park Ranger**

**Aircrew Technician Financial Clerk & Asst(GS-6+) Pathology
Technician**

**Animal Health Technician Financial Inst. Examin. Asst Personnel Clerk
& Asst (GS-6+)**

**Apprentice. & Training Asst. Fire Protection & Prev. Tech Pharmacy
Technician**

**Archives Technician (GS-7+) Freight Rate Tech (GS-7+) Photographer**

**Autopsy Assistant Gen. Arts & Info Asst (GS-7+) Physical Science
Technician**

**Biological Technician Gen. Bus. & Ind. Asst (GS-6+) Physician\'s
Assistant**

**Budget Clerical Asst (GS-6+) Gen. Claims Examiner(GS-1-10) Practical
Nurse**

**Civilian Pay Technician (GS-6+) General Supply Asst (GS-7+)
Procurement Clerk & Asst (GS-6+)**

**Communication Relay Operations Asst Health Aide & Technician
Production Control Assistant**

**Comp. Insp. & Support Asst (GS-6+) Hydrologic Technician Prop.
Disposal Clk & Asst (GS-6)**

**Computer Clerk & Asst (GS-5+) Illustrating Technician Psychology Aide
& Technician**

**Computer Operation Assistant Industrial Engrg. Technician Purchasing
Agent & Assistant**

**Construction Analyst Investigative Asst (GS-6+) Recreation Aide &
Assistant**

**Construction Control Assistant Legal Clerk & Tech (GS-7+)
Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant**

**Contact Representative Legal Inst. Examiner(GS-6+) Respiratory
Therapist**

**Customs Aide (GS-7+) Library Technician Safety Technician**

**list Dental Assistant Loss & Damage Claims Ex. Social Science Aide &
Technician**

**Dental Hygiene Assistant Medical Instrument Tech. Soil Conservation
Technician**

**Dental Lab. Aide & Technician Medical Record Technician Statistical
Assistant (GS-7+)**

**Diagnostic Radiology Tech. Medical Supply Aide & Tech Supply Clk &
Technician (GS-7+)**

**Economics Assistant Medical Technician Tax Technician**

**Editorial Assistant (GS-6+) Meteorologic Technician Therapeutic
Radiology Technician**

**Education & Training Tech. Military Pay Asst (GS-6+) Transportation
Clk & Asst(GS-6+)**

**Electronics Technician Misc. Clerk & Asst (GS-6+) Unemployment Comp.
Clms Examiner**

**Engineering Drafting Tech. Mgmt. Clerk & Asst (GS-6+) Vet. Employ.
Program Assistant**

**Engineering Technician Museum Spec. & Technician Wage & Hour Assistant
(GS-6+)**

**Environmental Health Technician Nuclear Medicine Tech. Workers Comp
Asst (GS-6+)**

**Environmental Protection Asst. Nursing Assistant Human Resources
Assistant (GS-6+)**

**Equipment Specialist (GS-1-10) Office Auto. Clk & Asst(GS-5+)**

***CATEGORY VI - OUTSTANDING SECRETARIAL/CLERICAL EMPLOYEE***

This category is intended to honor support-type clerical employees who
perform work involved in word processing, typing, correspondence, mail
and file work, and other work of a general clerical nature. Supervisors
are not eligible for this category, which includes the following
occupations at the grade levels noted:

**Accounting Technician (GS-1-3) Financial Clk & Asst (GS-1-5) Printing
Clerk**

**Archives Technician (GS-1-6) Freight Rate Clerk (GS-1-6) Procurement
Clk & Asst(GS-15)**

**Budget Clerk & Asst (GS-1-5) Gen. Arts & Info. Clerk (GS-1-6) Prop.
Disp. Clk & Asst(GS-1-5)**

**Cash Processing Clerk Gen. Bus. & Ind. Clerk (GS-1-5) Safety & Health
Clerk**

**Civilian Pay Clerk (GS-1-4) General Supply Clerk (GS-1-6) Sales Store
Clerk**

**Claims Clerk Information Receptionist Secretary**

**Clerk-Steno and Reporter Language Clerk Security Clerk & Assistant**

**Clerk-Typist Legal Clerk & Tech (GS-1-6) Shipment Clerk & Assistant**

**Coding Clerk Legal Instruments Examiner (GS-1-5) Statistical Asst
(GS-1-6)**

**Communications Clerk Mail and File Clerk Supply Clerk & Tech
(GS-1-6)**

**Compl. Insp. & Supp. Clerk (GS-1-5) Management Clerk & Asst (GS-1-5)
Tax Examiner (GS-1-5)**

**Computer Clerk & Asst (GS-1-4) Medical Clerk Telephone Operator**

**Correspondence Clerk Messenger Teller**

**Customs Aide (GS-1-6) Military Pay Clerk (GS-1-4) Trans. Clk & Asst
(GS-1-5)**

**Data Transcriber Misc. Clerk & Asst (GS-1-5) Travel Clerk**

**Dispatcher Office Auto. Clk & Asst (GS-1-4) Voucher Examiner**

**Editorial Assistant (GS-1-5) Office Drafting Clerk Wage & Hour Asst
(GS-1-5)**

**Equipment Operator Personnel Clk & Asst (GS-1-5) Human Resources
Assistant(1-5)**

**CATEGORY VII - OUTSTANDING TRADES AND CRAFTS EMPLOYEE**

This category includes all employees engaged in the performance of
skilled and unskilled work involved in any, of the manual trades,
crafts, and laboring occupations; e.g., carpenter, plumber, mechanic,
inspector, custodian, etc. It also includes employees who supervise
individuals engaged in manual trades, crafts, and laboring occupations.
(Any employee classified as WG or WS should be nominated in this
category.)

**CATEGORY VIII - OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY SERVICE EMPLOYEE**

This category is intended to honor employees (including Postal Service
employees) who perform significant volunteer service in their
communities. Emphasis should be on the demonstrated commitment of the
employee, the scope of their efforts, and the impact they have, either
directly or indirectly, in improving the lives of those in need of
assistance.

######## **CATEGORY IX - OUTSTANDING PUBLIC CONTACT EMPLOYEE**

This category is intended to honor employees (including Postal Service
employees) whose primary job duty is to provide service to the public in
a face-to-face or telephone situation. It covers those front-line
employees who deal directly with the public to provide services or
benefits. The emphasis is on the skill and compassion with which the
employees meet the public to provide direct services, and the efforts of
the employees to go the extra step to ensure the public\'s needs are
met.

***CATEGORY X - OUTSTANDING TEAM***

This category honors groups of employees who, working together as a
team, have made an outstanding contribution to: the achievement of a
special project; the accomplishment of their agency's mission; the
achievement of a significant cost reduction; or the provision of
products and services to customers in an exceptional manner. Teams
nominated in this category may be employed at any level in their
organization. Teams must consist of no less than five (5) members and no
more than twenty (20) members to be considered and team members are not
eligible to be nominated as an individual in other categories. Teams can
consist of members of a single category (professional, crafts & trades,
etc) or be multidisciplinary. Teams whose primary focus is law
enforcement are not eligible and should be nominated under Category XI.

***CATEGORY XI - OUTSTANDING LAW ENFORCEMENT TEAM***

This category honors groups of employees who, working together as a
team, have made an outstanding contribution in the area of law
enforcement. Every member of the team need not meet the eligibility
criteria of Category IV - Outstanding Law Enforcement Employee, although
the team's primary focus must be law enforcement. The same criteria as
Category X - Outstanding Team applies.

*Additional information regarding team nominations:*

-   *Teams must be comprised of at least two-thirds Federal employees,
    including the spokesperson for the team.*

-   *Those Federal employees can be full-time, part-time, temporary,
    permanent or term appointments.*

-   *The remaining third of the team could be comprised of contract
    employees.*

#####  

##### Eligibility

***GENERAL***

A nominee\'s permanent duty location must be within one of the following
counties: Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, or
Will in Illinois; Lake or Porter in Indiana. An individual may be
nominated for only one category. Winners of awards in previous years are
considered ineligible. Former nominees may be nominated again; however,
such nominations must reflect current performance and accomplishments.

**SERVICE REQUIREMENTS**

The nominee for an *individual* award must be a permanent Federal
employee.

**PREPARATION OF NOMINATION FORM**

In evaluating nominees under each of the eleven categories, the
Criteria/Selection Subcommittee will consider the overall
accomplishments of the individual. The following factors, appropriate to
the various nomination categories, will be utilized in screening the
nominations and selecting the winners. While each factor is important,
the nominee need not be exemplary in all. However, ***the factors must
be addressed in order.***

**CATEGORIES I -- VII and IX**

**FACTOR I - JOB COMPETENCE**

Discuss the nominee\'s job performance, citing examples that show
knowledge, efficiency, accuracy, cooperation, dedication, initiative,
and other qualities related to the excellence of the nominee\'s work.
Identify how knowledge and skills enabled the nominee to get results,
cut \"bureaucratic red tape,\" simplify rules and procedures, or other
reinvention efforts which are a direct result of the nominee\'s
abilities. Identify awards, commendations, or other recognition
received, especially in the past year.

**FACTOR II - IMPACT**

Discuss the impact of the nominee\'s job performance on the immediate
office\'s activities, on the agency\'s mission beyond the local area, on
the operations of other government agencies, or the general public or
general community. Comment on the nominee\'s role and successes as a
team leader, coach or facilitator, unleashing a team\'s innovation,
resourcefulness, and creativity.

**FACTOR IV - SPECIAL EFFORTS**

Discuss personal achievement, especially where significant special
effort or sacrifice was involved.

**CATEGORY VIII COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD FACTORS**

These factors apply to *Outstanding Community Service Award*.

**FACTOR I - JOB COMPETENCE**

Same as Factor I above

**FACTOR III -** **COMMUNITY SERVICE**

Discuss the nominee's public service activities not directly job
related. Describe the activities, the level of participation
(leadership, membership etc) and the extent of participation (time and
effort). Describe the impact of those activities on individuals, the
organization, the community the metropolitan area, and the nominee.
Include any recognition the nominee has received for the community
service activities.

**CATEGORY X AND XI OUTSTANDING TEAM FACTORS**

These factors apply to the *Outstanding Team* and *Outstanding Law
Enforcement Team*.

**FACTOR I -- DESCRIPTION**

Discuss the specific accomplishments and contributions of the team and
why this team deserves to win the award.

**FACTOR II - IMPACT**

Impact should be measure in the extent of the accomplishment of the team
in three areas:

-   Impact on the levels of the organization (local, regional, national
    *et al*

-   Impact on the public -- Did the accomplishments make life different
    for the American public?

-   Impact on the process -- Did the team change, innovate or
    permanently alter the process that they were working on?

**FACTOR III - TEAMWORK**

This factor should describe how teamwork impacted the accomplishments
and contributions of the team. Attributes of teamwork include expressing
ideas freely and listening to input of others; attentively responding to
suggestions and problems; enabling and encouraging team members to
participate in decisions and establishing clear expectations of the team
and team members. Describe the contributions of the individual team
members and their impact on the achievements of the team.

**FACTOR IV - SPECIAL EFFORTS**

Explanation of the efforts, sacrifices and innovations the team members
have made.

**RECENT NATURE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT**

While the nominee\'s entire career in the Federal service may be
considered, the primary basis for the nomination of any individual
should be performance and/or accomplishments within the past year.

In comparing individuals within each category, the Criteria/Selection
Subcommittee will assign weights to the factors and also consider the
recent criterion discussed above. In keeping with the purpose of the
awards, greater weight will be given to Factors I and II, except for the
Outstanding Community Service Award, where the greatest weight will be
placed on actual community service. If a question arises as to the
propriety of a category for a given nomination, the Criteria/Selection
Subcommittee will resolve the question. To the extent necessary or
desirable, the Subcommittee may request additional supportive
information or data from the nominating agency.

##### SUBMISSION OF NOMINATIONS

Nominations should be submitted to the Chairperson, Nominations
Committee, Employee of the Year Awards Committee, using the prescribed
nomination form contained in this booklet. The nomination form may be
locally reproduced. [***A signed original and three copies* *of the***
***nomination form are required for each nominee***]{.underline}. The
forms should be typed, single spaced, with a double space between
paragraphs. Do not submit attachments such as copies of certificates or
awards. The Criteria/Selection Subcommittee will only consider data
included on the *nomination form*.

**Mail nominations to: Kathryn Fontaine -- FEOY2009**

**U.S. Department of Labor / OASAM**

**230 S. Dearborn Street; Room 1026**

**Chicago IL 60604**

Nominations **must** be signed by the head of the agency or
installation, or the responsible party acting in that capacity.

**DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF NOMINATIONS**

Nominations must be postmarked no later than midnight **Friday, March 6,
2009.** To be fair to all nominees, this is a firm deadline. No
extensions will be granted.

**THE AWARDS**

A distinctive award will be presented to the employee selected as
outstanding in each category. Finalists in each of the eleven categories
will also receive an award and will be recognized at the FEB awards
ceremony on May 12, 2009. All other nominees will receive personalized
appropriate recognition.

**INQUIRIES**

Inquiries concerning nominations should be directed to the **FEOY
Hotline** at **312-886-1298** or emailed to **<feoya2009@dol.gov>.**