# Presentation: 231061

## FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT

_**USDA/ NRCS**_

- Serving the public through government employment is a noble career
- and one that strengthens our nation.

## Student Educational Employment Program

**      **The Student Educational Employment Program has two 	components available to all levels of students:
- 		- High School
- 		- Vocational and Technical
- 		- Associate Degree
- 		- Baccalaureate Degree
- 		- Masters Degree
- 		- PHD Degree students
- Employment is under the Excepted Service Authority of USDA/NRCS
** **

_**Student Educational Employment Program**_

## Student Temporary Employment Program(STEP)

- Job opportunities under this component offer you temporary employment.
- Employment can range from summer jobs to positions that can last for as long as you are a student.
- These employment opportunities need not necessarily be related to your academic field of study.
- Can be converted to SCEP if academic field of study changes.

## Student Career Employment Program(SCEP)

- Offers you valuable work experience directly related to your academic field of study.
- Provides formal periods of work and study while you are attending school.
- Requires a commitment by you, your school, and NRCS.
- You may be eligible for permanent employment after successfully completing your education and 640 hours of  employment with NRCS.
- Mobility – different location each summer.
- Mentor – someone who will guide you during your formal education and one year into your career appointment**.**

## Program Features Under Both Components

- Students may be employed year round
- Flexible schedule of work assignments
- Open to all students...high school, under-graduate,  	graduate, and vocational/technical

_**Program Features Under Both Components**_

## Eligibility Requirements

- A student enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a degree-seeking student (diploma, certificate, etc.),
- Taking at least half-time academic or vocational and technical course load in an accredited high school, technical or vocational school, 2-year or 4-year college or university, graduate or professional school, and
- A U.S. citizen, as it is required for conversion to permanent employment.

## Benefits 

- _STEP _
- 	 - Annual and Sick 	Leave

- _SCEP_
- 	- Annual and Sick 	Leave
-  	- Health Insurance
- 	- Life Insurance
- 	- Retirement

## Student Performance Evaluation

**Performance Evaluation:**
- Each student’s supervisor is responsible for completing a Performance Evaluation after each summer internship with NRCS.  Once the evaluation is complete the supervisor will review the findings with the student.
- The purpose of the Performance Evaluation is to provide feedback for the student to encourage a successful career with NRCS.

## Exit Interview

- Each student is responsible for completing the Exit Interview after each summer internship with NRCS.
- The form is returned to the ASTC for the area.
- The ASTC will forward it to the State Office.
- The purpose of the Exit Interview is to provide feedback to MN-NRCS to continue the enhancement of the summer intern program.

## Federal Career Intern Program(FCIP)

***Congratulations***
*** ******Graduate***
***You have earned ***
***A  ***
***Degree***
***And Agreed to a ***
***Two year Internship***
***With NRCS***

## Interns Who are They?

_**Interns Who are They?**_

**  **Are hired under the Excepted Service.
-   Are employees who have completed their formal education.
-   Are full time employees with full benefits.
-   Commit to a two year program that provides training and
-       work experience.
-   Can be non-competitively converted to a career conditional
-      appointment after successful completion of the two year
-      developmental program.

## Benefits of an Internship

- Variety Of Experience
- Mobility
- Advice From Mentor And Others
- Performance In Present Position
- Annual and Sick Leave
- Life Insurance
- Health Insurance
- Retirement

## Career Conditional Appointment

- Full time position
- Earn Annual and Sick Leave
- Health and Life Insurance
- Retirement
- Flex Spending
- Long Term Health Care
- Subject to a one year probationary period

## Mentor Program

- _Mentor Program_
- Students, Interns, and New Employees

## Two Types of Mentors

- Student Mentor
-  - Provides guidance during school years and the first year after appointment to a career conditional		appointment.

- Career Mentor
-  - Provides guidance to a new employee that has completed their formal education.
- If you are wanting a mentor talk with your supervisor.

## TOURS OF DUTY

**Full Time**
**	****	****-80 Hours Per Pay Period**
**Part Time**** **
**	****	****-16 to 64 Hours Per Pay Period (Set Schedule of hours)**
**Intermittent**
**	****	****-Usually Less Than 64 Hours Per Pay Period (Hours vary)**
**	**** ****	**
**	****	****-Work Only when Needed, no set hours**

## $$ GRADES AND STEPS $$

- 	**GRADES:**** RANGE FROM 1-15 (At The State Level)**
**Depends on education and/or experience**
**Depends on level of knowledge, skills, and abilities**
**Promotional potential varies **
**	**
**	****STEPS:**
**Designates Pay Within A Grade**
**Ten Steps – new employees start at Step 1**
**	****Waiting Periods:**
**Steps 2, 3, and 4 are each 52 weeks**
**Steps 5, 6, and 7 are each 104 weeks**
**Steps 8, 9, and 10 are each 156 weeks**

## Fringe Benefits

**Insurance**
**	****Health**
**	****Life**
**Leave**
**	****	****Annual**
**	****	****Sick**
**	****	****Other**
**Worker’s Compensation**
**Retirement**

## HEALTH INSURANCE

- Numerous Plans To Choose From
- Must enroll within 60 days from EOD or wait until Open Season
- Pre-tax dollars to pay premium
- Government Pays Slightly More Than 70% Of Premium
- Self and Family Options
- Family option covers dependent children until age 22
- Open Season - Once A Year – November
- You may change plans or levels of coverage
- Use my.nrcs page to make all changes

## LIFE INSURANCE

- Basic: Equal To Salary Rounded To Next Higher Thousand 	Plus $2,000
- Option A: $10,000
- Option B: Multiples of Salary – One To Five Times
- Option C – Family**:** $5000 for spouse
- 		           $2500 for each child

- Employees are automatically covered by basic unless waived.  Optional
- Insurance is not automatic – you must take action to elect options.
- Open Seasons are rare: elections of coverage must be made within
- 31 days of EOD.

## ANNUAL LEAVE

- Used For: Vacation And Other Personal 				Reasons
- Earning Rate:
- 0 – 3 Years		4 Hours Per Pay Period
- 3 -15 Years		6 Hours Per Pay Period
- 15+Years		8 Hours Per Pay Period
- Can Accumulate And Carryover: Maximum of 240 Hours

## SICK LEAVE

- Used
- 		When Incapacitated For Work (Illness, Injury)
- 		For Doctor Appointment
- 		Contagious Disease In Family
- Earning Rate
- 		4 Hours Per Pay Period
- No Limit On Carryover

## Family Friendly Policies

_**Family Friendly Policies**_

**Family and Medical Leave Act:**
-  Ensures that up to 12 weeks per year of _**UNPAID**_ family and medical leave are available.
**Leave for Family Care and Related purposes:**
-  Sick leave can be used to care for family members, to arrange for or attend funeral services of family members, and for absences relating to adopting a child. Federal employees can receive additional paid leave to serve as bone-marrow or organ donors.

## WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

- For On – The – Job Injury or Illness
- Two – Thirds or Three – Fourths of Salary While Disabled
- COP – Continuation of Pay: Given in traumatic injury cases for a period not to exceed 45 calendar days.
- Medical Bills are Paid
- Report All Injuries immediately to your supervisor

## Workers Compensation Procedures

_**Workers Compensation Procedures**_

**Employee Responsibility:**
-  **Notify supervisor immediately of all job-related ****	****accidents, injuries, or illnesses**
** ****Obtain medical attention as soon as possible**
** ****Complete the employee portion of form CA-1**
**	****and return it to your supervisor.  CA-16****	**
**	****is needed if you seek medical**
**	****treatment. **
**      **

## Obtaining Medical Care

-  You have the right to select a private physician or hospital in the area for treatment. Generally, the area is defined as within 25 miles of your duty station or your home.
-  Your supervisor is not permitted by OWCP to authorize treatment by Chiropractors.

**Obtaining Medical Care**

## Non-Reportable Accident

- Any unintended occurrence involving property or employee on official duty, that causes:
-  no loss of time beyond the day or shift of the injury,
-  no charges for medical treatment, or
-  no property damage.

_**Non-Reportable Accident**_

## RETIREMENTFederal Employees Retirement System (FERS)

- A three-part retirement system:
-  Social Security
-  Basic Benefit Plan
-  Thrift Savings Plan

## Basic Benefit Plan

- To be vested you must have at least 5 years of creditable civilian service. Your contribution is the difference between 7% of your basic pay and Social Security, or 0.80%
- If you leave Federal service  and you are vested you may withdraw your contributions. However, if you do and later return to Federal service there is no redeposit option.

## MINIMUM RETIREMENT AGES ARE:

- _YEAR OF BIRTH_          _MINIMUM RETIREMENT AGE (MRA)_
- Before 1948 --------------------55
- In 1948 -------------------------- 55 and 2 Months
- In 1949 -------------------------- 55 and 4 Months
- In 1950 -------------------------- 55 and 6 Months
- In 1951 -------------------------- 55 and 8 Months
- In 1952 -------------------------- 55 and 10 Months
- 1953 – 1964 ------------------- 56
- In 1965 -------------------------- 56 and 2 Months
- In 1966 -------------------------- 56 and 4 Months
- In 1967 -------------------------- 56 and 6 Months
- In 1968 -------------------------- 56 and 8 Months
- In 1969 -------------------------- 56 and 10 Months
- 1970 and After ---------------- 57

## Years of Service

_**Years of Service**_

**Immediate or Eligible Yrs of Service Met:**
**Age ****	****	****	****	****       Yrs of Eligible Service**
** **62				          5 yrs
-  60 				        20 yrs
-  MRA				        30 yrs
-  MRA				        10*yrs
*****Reduced benefit unless postponed to lessen or
-  eliminate age reduction.

## Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)

**Eligibility:**
-  Can begin to contribute immediately
-  Voluntary
**Highlights:**** **
- Tax deferred
- Five Investment Funds

## Contributions:
Agency Automatic (1%) Contribution
	-- Not taken out of your salary, this contribution is made whether or not you contribute your own money 
Agency match after second open season
	-- First 3% of Basic Pay, Agency matches $1 for each $1 you contribute
	-- Next 2% of Basic Pay, Agency matches $0.50 for each $1.00 you contribute
Agency contribution is up to 5%

- Agency Automatic (1%) Contribution
- 	-- Not taken out of your salary, this contribution is made whether or not you contribute your own money
- Agency match after second open season
- 	-- First 3% of Basic Pay, Agency matches $1 for each $1 you contribute
- 	-- Next 2% of Basic Pay, Agency matches $0.50 for each $1.00 you contribute
- Agency contribution is up to 5%

_**Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)**_

## 
You put in        Automatic Contribution        Match = Total
		0%			1%			0%   =   1%
	       1%			1%			1%   =   3%
		2%			1%			2%   =   5%
	       3%			1%			3%   =   7%
		4%			1%		        3.5%   = 8.5%
		5%			1%			4%   = 10%

   After three years of Federal civilian service you are vested in these contributions and their earnings.

**You put in        Automatic Contribution        Match = Total**
**	****	****0%****	****	****	****1%****	****	****	****0%   =   1%**
**	****       ****1%****	****	****	****1%****	****	****	****1%   =   3%**
**	****	****2%****	****	****	****1%****	****	****	****2%   =   5%**
**	****       ****3%****	****	****	****1%****	****	****	****3%   =   7%**
**	****	****4%****	****	****	****1%****	****	****        3.5%   = 8.5%**
**	****	****5%****	****	****	****1%****	****	****	****4%   = 10%**
**   ****After three years of Federal civilian service you are vested in these contributions and their earnings.**

_**Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)**_

## You can contribute a percentage of your Basic pay or a whole dollar amount up to the following limits:

December 2004 – November 2005:   15%
December 2005 and beyond: no limit

- December 2004 – November 2005:   15%
- December 2005 and beyond: no limit
**	****	****	****	****	****	**

_**Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)**_

## 

For more information go to the TSP website:
	www.tsp.gov

- For more information go to the TSP website:
- 	www.tsp.gov

_**Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)**_

## WebTCas and Direct Deposit

- WebTCas is used to transmit your time and attendance to the National Finance Center (NFC).
- Direct Deposit of your payroll check is mandatory.

## ICAMS

- ICAMS is the database NRCS uses to enter all personnel actions
- Interfaces with WebTCas
- Interfaces with NFC
- Data entries are processed one pay period behind a current pay period

## Questions ?

_**Thank you**_

- _NRCS is an Equal Opportunity Employer_