DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY 
HUMAN RESOURCES 
IMPLEMENTATION GUIDANCE 
GUIDE NO. 273-02 Civilian Human Resources Management 
A Self-Assessment Guide for Human Resources 
Service Providers 
EFFECTIVE DATE: 16 March 1999 
ISSUE DATE: 16 March 1999 
RELEASER: Betty S. Welch, DASN(CP/EEO)/Signed/ 
SUBJECT: Guidance For Assessing Services Provided By 
Department of the Navy Human Resource Services 
Providers 
REFERENCE: SECNAVINST 12273.1, Assessment and Evaluation of 
Civilian Human Resources Management (HRM) 
FEATURES OF THIS GUIDE: 
1. Provides procedures for establishing and implementing an 
assessment program for Department of the Navy human resources 
service providers, including Human Resources Service Centers 
and Human Resources Offices. 
2. Provides a set of core metrics used to assess processing, 
advisory services and accountability support provided by 
Department of the Navy human resources service providers, 
including Human Resources Service Centers and Human Resources 
Offices. 
DASN(CP/EEO) STAFF OFFICER: Arthur Buck, Strategic Planning and 
Assessment Division 
(202) 764-0674, DSN 764-0674 
buck.art@hq.navy.mil 
INTRODUCTION 
Human resources management responsibility has been deregulated in 
recent years, resulting in greater delegation of authority to 
activity heads and line managers. At the same time, human 
resources management support staffs are being downsized and 
restructured. These changes add new challenges to the task of 
ensuring mission accomplishment while maintaining human resources 
management effectiveness consistent with the basic principles of 
a merit-based civil service. 
This guide outlines goals and accountability for effective and 
efficient delivery of human resources support to Department of 
the Navy organizations. It addresses all of the major program 
areas (such as staffing and employee relations) supported by 
Human Resources Service Centers and Human Resources Offices. 
Within these program areas it addresses the advisory services 
provided to activity management, the processing performed, and 
support for ensuring accountability in human resources 
management. In contrast to previous assessment and evaluation 
efforts, the focus of this guide is much broader than regulatory 
compliance. Accountability involves much more than legal 
compliance. Providing effective, efficient support to serviced 
organizations and satisfying service receivers is emphasized in 
this assessment guide. 
The framework for assessment of human resources management within 
the Department of the Navy is set forth in SECNAV Instruction 
12273.1. This instruction details the roles and responsibilities 
of Echelon 2 and higher level organizations for support and 
validation of service provider self-assessment. Separate 
guidance (GUIDE NO. 273-01) supports activity self-assessment of 
its human resources management responsibilities. 
Table of Contents 
Introduction................................................................................................................... 3 
Purpose........................................................................................................................3 
Background and goals................................................................................................................3 
Program areas..........................................................................................................................4 
Table 1 - Core Program Areas ...................................................................................................4 
Key indicators of success...........................................................................................................4 
Table 2 - Examples of Key Indicators of Success......................................................................5 
The assessment process..............................................................................................................6 
Table 3  Steps in the Assessment Process................................................................................6 
Assessing the core program areas ..............................................................................................7 
Links to other programs and assessment methods.....................................................................7 
Relationship to labor-management agreements .........................................................................7 
Keeping this document up-to-date .............................................................................................7 
Core Program Area 1  Compensation..................................................................................... 8 
Core Program Area 2  Employee Relations............................................................................ 9 
Core Program Area 3  Equal Employment Opportunity.................................................... 10 
Core Program Area 4  Labor Relations................................................................................ 11 
Core Program Area 5  Position Classification...................................................................... 12 
Core Program Area 6  Staffing.............................................................................................. 13 
Core Program Area 7  Training and Employee Development............................................ 14 
Rating Service Provider Results .............................................................................................. 15 
Appendix A  Documenting Results........................................................................................ 16 
Appendix B - Merit System Principles.................................................................................... 17 
Appendix C - Prohibited Personnel Practices ........................................................................ 18 
Department of the Navy 
Human Resources Service Provider Guide - Page 2 Introduction 
Purpose 
This guide gives human resources (HR) service providers a framework and guidelines to assess 
how well they are meeting program goals and objectives. Assessment of support for equal 
employment opportunity is also included. Within the Department of the Navy, the functions 
covered by this guide are support responsibilities that are often shared by Human Resources 
Service Centers and Human Resources Offices. In some cases, organizations within serviced 
activities provide support, and should be assessed accordingly. This guide does not attempt to 
distinguish the responsibilities of these various organizations. It focuses instead on their 
responsibilities to deliver support in partnership with each other. 
Background and goals 
The process used to assess human resources management within the Department of the Navy is 
being revised to meet the following goals: 
1. Achieve process improvement in service delivery, and share examples of best practices. 
2. Support the chain of command responsibility for accountability and service delivery. 
3. Continue to ensure that the Department of the Navy meets its legal and regulatory 
obligations. 
4. Focus on identifying and eliminating systemic problems, rather than dwelling on anecdotal 
issues. 
5. Minimize the workload associated with assessment by : 
  eliminating duplicate inspections; 
  minimizing preparation requirements for service providers; 
  reducing reporting requirements; and 
  making use of Navy-wide tools and data whenever possible. 
This guide emphasizes partnership among service providers to meet these goals. Standard 
assessment tools, such as surveys and reports, will be developed to meet Department-wide needs 
whenever possible. This eliminates the need for dozens of offices to develop similar or identical 
reports and data collection tools. HR service providers are still able to develop locally unique 
approaches to identify how well they are meeting their customers requirements. 
Efforts to lessen the burden associated with the assessment process should not be construed as 
de-emphasizing the importance of assessment. The ability to use both standardized and unique 
approaches to identify service requirements and assess how well they are being met is intended to 
make it easier to place the program emphasis on the customers requirements. 
Department of the Navy 
Human Resources Service Provider Guide - Page 3 Table 1 - Core Program Areas 
1. Compensation 
2. Employee Relations 
3. Equal Employment Opportunity 
4. Labor Relations 
5. Position Classification 
6. Staffing 
7. Training and Employee Development 
Program areas 
This guide focuses on seven core program areas for assessing HR service: 
Key indicators of success 
Specific support functions that are performed for these seven programs fall into four general 
areas: 
  Advisory services. Examples include: providing advice about individual staffing, 
classification and employee relations actions; providing civilian personnel and equal 
employment opportunity training, information and guidance; and participating in command 
and activity management planning, organization design and decision-making efforts. 
  Processing services. Examples include: processing awards; rating applications for 
promotion; recruiting; documenting official personnel actions; ensuring that information 
systems have current and accurate data; classifying positions; determining placements in a 
reduction-in-force; and drafting disciplinary action letters. In this context, processing is 
much broader than clerical and procedural functions. For example, staffing processes 
typically would include measures of timeliness as well as measures of the extent to which an 
adequate number of well-qualified candidates were made available to the selecting official. 
  Representation services. Examples include representing management at hearings and 
representing the Department of the Navy as an employer at a college recruitment function. 
  Accountability support. Examples include: implementing processes to ensure adherence to 
regulatory requirements; compliance with Merit System Principles; and prevention of 
Prohibited Personnel Practices (see Appendix B on page 17 and Appendix C on page 18 for 
further information). 
The nature of the services performed as well as customer requirements and expectations should 
be considered in the selection of specific indicators of success in these areas. Selection of key 
indicators of success, including the measurement approach and goals to be achieved, should also 
conform with requirements from higher level organizations (such as meeting established 
corporate standards) and be done in partnership with service receivers. Measures of success 
should include customer satisfaction, productivity, and accountability results whenever possible. 
Examples of key indicators of success are provided in the following table. 
Department of the Navy 
Human Resources Service Provider Guide - Page 4 The following examples are not all-inclusive. For any given service, some will be more 
important than others. Keep in mind the balance between the cost of measurement and its 
potential value when selecting the most important indicator(s) for each function. 
Table 2 - Examples of Key Indicators of Success 
1. Advisory Services: 
  Timeliness of advice 
  Ease of service receiver access to advisory service 
  Service receiver satisfaction with timeliness of advice 
  Service receiver satisfaction with how well advice meets their needs 
  Level of confidence the service receiver has in the advice provided 
  Cost of advisory services 
  Adequacy of training 
  Correctness of technical advice 
2. Processing Services: 
  Timeliness of processing 
  Service receiver satisfaction with timeliness of service delivery 
  Service receiver satisfaction with quality or adequacy of the product provided 
  Completeness of processing (such as percent of cases not requiring rework) 
  Cost of processing services 
  Technical correctness of processing 
3. Representation Services: 
  Timeliness of action 
  Effectiveness of results 
  Service receiver satisfaction with representation 
  Service receiver satisfaction that representation is a value added process 
  Cost of representation services 
  Extent to which peer review is positive 
4. Accountability Support: 
  Establishment of accountability goals 
  Achievement of accountability goals 
  Customer satisfaction with approach to resolving accountability problems 
  Achievement of process improvement goals 
Department of the Navy 
Human Resources Service Provider Guide - Page 5 The assessment process 
The following outline illustrates how this process comes together: 
Table 2). * 
Table 3  Steps in the Assessment Process 
Process Step 
1. Select a program area. 
2. Select a function that is performed by your 
organization. 
3. Identify a key indicator of success (either 
taken from or similar to those identified in 
4. Identify a goal to be achieved (Note: the 
goal can be based on the results of 
partnering with customers, and may involve 
comparison with other organizations or 
improvement over time). * 
5. Establish and implement a system to 
measure success in achieving the goals. 
6. Gather and tabulate results. 
7. Evaluate and take action based upon the 
results of both self-assessment and external 
validation of results. 
* Requirements of higher level organizations and service receivers should play a role in this step. 
Department of the Navy 
Human Resources Service Provider Guide - Page 6 
Examples 
  Employee Relations 
  Staffing 
  Advice on dealing with problem employees 
  Filling positions through merit promotion 
  Confidence in advice received 
  The time it takes to fill a position 
  At least 80% of customers are very 
confident that they receive good advice 
  At least 70% of clerical jobs are filled 
within 30 days 
  Establish and implement an annual survey 
of managers who have received advice 
during the past year 
  Track and report on timeliness each quarter 
  Annual survey shows that 85% of managers 
are either confident or very confident that 
they are receiving good advice 
  Quarterly results show that 40-50% of 
clerical positions have been filled within 30 
days for the past 2 quarters 
  Share results with service receivers. 
Review goal to ensure that it is appropriate. 
Share best practices. 
  Share results with service receivers. 
Review goal to ensure that it is appropriate. 
Identify reasons for failure to achieve the 
goal. Develop improvement plan. Assessing the core program areas 
The functions that must be assessed in each of the seven core program areas (identified in Table 
3) are listed on the following seven pages. Additional functions can and should be assessed if 
they are significant services provided by the organization. In each area, the functions listed may 
be performed at a Human Resources Service Center, a Human Resources Office, or another 
organization. Each organization is responsible for assessing the functions that it performs. 
Although most processing services are likely to be performed at a Human Resources Service 
Center, and most advisory services at a Human Resources Office, this should not be 
automatically assumed. For each function the service provider performs, the approach outlined 
in Table 3 should be used to perform a self-assessment. The results of the self-assessment should 
be used to identify areas where process improvement is needed and should be shared when best 
practices are identified. Results should be documented at least annually using the format shown 
in Appendix A or a similar format. Documentation should be retained for comparison over time, 
to establishment trends, and for validation by higher-level program offices. 
Links to other programs and assessment methods 
The structure of this guide is intended to complement common assessment methods, such as the 
Malcolm Baldrige and Presidents Quality Award assessment methodologies. 
Relationship to labor-management agreements 
This guide is not intended in any way to contradict the provisions of established labormanagement 
agreements. Partnerships between management and labor organizations to address 
HRM issues, and to develop and implement program improvements, are encouraged. 
Keeping this document up-to-date 
This guide will be updated periodically to incorporate new material, and to change references 
(such as new or changed web sites) as needed. A current version will be maintained at the DON 
HRM web site, at: http://www.dasnhroc.navy.mil. 
Department of the Navy 
Human Resources Service Provider Guide - Page 7 Core Program Area 1  Compensation 
Overview 
Compensation functions include pay, hours of duty, benefits (such as health and life insurance), 
retirement, and leave administration. Each of the following functions must be assessed if it is a 
responsibility of the service organization. The assessment process is outlined in Table 3 on page 
6 of this guide. 
Functions to be assessed 
Advisory Services 
1. Providing advice and guidance on compensation, including pay-setting, recruitment and 
retention pay, proper use of premium pay and issues associated with hours of duty and leave. 
2. Providing advice and guidance on benefits programs, such as life insurance, health insurance, 
and retirement. 
3. Providing advice on workers compensation programs. 
4. Helping activities understand and implement processes that support the Merit System 
Principles, particular with regard to providing equal pay for equal work and rewarding 
excellent performance. The Merit System Principles are outlined in Appendix B on page 17 
of this guide. 
Processing Services 
1. Processing life and health insurance actions. 
2. Processing retirement actions. 
3. Correcting pay errors and making pay adjustments. 
4. Processing workers compensation cases. 
5. Processing Thrift Savings Program changes. 
6. Processing death benefits claims. 
Representation Services 
No Navy-wide requirements are established in this area. Locally developed measures should be 
implemented, as appropriate. 
Accountability Support 
1. Setting pay in accordance with legal requirements. 
2. Documentating recruitment, retention and relocation pay. 
3. Ensuring that life and health insurance actions meet technical requirements. 
4. Ensuring that retirement actions meet technical requirements. 
Department of the Navy 
Human Resources Service Provider Guide - Page 8 Core Program Area 2  Employee Relations 
Overview 
Employee Relations functions include rewarding employees, dealing with problem employees, 
assessing employee performance, and creating a good work environment. Each of the following 
functions must be assessed if it is a responsibility of the service organization. The assessment 
process is outlined in Table 3 on page 6 of this guide. 
Functions to be assessed 
Advisory Services 
1. Providing advice and guidance on performance appraisal and effective use of awards. 
2. Providing advice and guidance on dealing with employee problems, including the civilian 
employee assistance program, and disciplinary and adverse action cases. 
3. Providing advice and guidance on grievances and the grievance process. 
4. Providing advice on quality of worklife issues. 
5. Helping activities understand and implement processes that support the Merit System 
Principles, particular with regard to: 
  maintaining high standards of integrity, conduct, and concern for the public interest, 
  managing employees efficiently and effectively, retaining or separating employees on the 
basis of their performance, and 
  providing equal pay for equal work and rewarding excellent performance. 
The Merit System Principles are outlined in Appendix B on page 17 of this guide. 
Processing Services 
1. Documenting performance ratings. 
2. Processing awards. 
3. Documenting disciplinary and adverse actions. 
Representation Services 
No Navy-wide requirements are established in this area. Locally developed measures should be 
implemented, as appropriate. 
Accountability Support 
1. Ensuring that performance ratings meet technical requirements. 
2. Ensuring that awards meet technical requirements. 
3. Ensuring that disciplinary and adverse actions meet technical requirements. 
Department of the Navy 
Human Resources Service Provider Guide - Page 9 Core Program Area 3  Equal Employment Opportunity 
Overview 
Equal Employment Opportunity functions include support for affirmative employment programs 
and support for the EEO complaints process. Each of the following functions must be assessed if 
it is a responsibility of the service organization. The assessment process is outlined in Table 3 on 
page 6 of this guide. 
Functions to be assessed 
Advisory Services 
1. Providing advice and guidance on how to achieve affirmative employment goals. 
2. Providing advice and guidance on prevention of sexual harassment. 
3. Providing advice and guidance on establishing recruitment, training, and employee relations 
programs that are free from illegal discrimination. 
4. Providing advice and guidance on establishing procedures for timely resolution of 
complaints. 
5. Providing advice on the proper use of special emphasis programs. 
6. Helping activities understand and implement processes that support the Merit System 
Principles, particularly with regard to treating employees and applicants fairly and equitably, 
without regard to political affiliation, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual 
orientation, marital status, age, or handicapping condition. The Merit System Principles are 
outlined in Appendix B on page 17 of this guide. 
Processing Services 
1. Providing EEO counseling. 
2. Documenting EEO complaint processing. 
3. Preparing and submitting required reports. 
Representation Services 
No Navy-wide requirements are established in this area. Locally developed measures should be 
implemented, as appropriate. 
Accountability Support 
1. Ensuring that EEO efforts meet legal requirements. 
2. Ensuring that efforts to prevent sexual harassment meet legal requirements. 
3. Ensuring that complaint processes meet technical requirements. 
Department of the Navy 
Human Resources Service Provider Guide - Page 10 Core Program Area 4  Labor Relations 
Overview 
Labor Relations addresses support for constructive partnership between management and labor 
organizations. Each of the following functions must be assessed if it is a responsibility of the 
service organization. The assessment process is outlined in Table 3 on page 6 of this guide. 
Functions to be assessed 
Advisory Services 
1. Providing advice and guidance on partnership. 
2. Providing advice and guidance on negotiation strategy. 
3. Providing advice and guidance on contract administration. 
4. Providing advice and guidance on responding to unfair labor practice (ULP) charges. 
5. Helping activities understand and implement processes which support the Merit System 
Principles, particularly with regard to: 
  maintaining high standards of integrity, conduct, and concern for the public interest, and 
  managing employees efficiently and effectively. 
The Merit System Principles are outlined in Appendix B on page 17 of this guide. 
Processing Services 
1. Training supervisors in specific contract requirements. 
Representation Services 
No Navy-wide requirements are established in this area. Locally developed measures should be 
implemented, as appropriate. 
Accountability Support 
1. Documenting official time used by union representatives. 
2. Ensuring that supervisory training requirements are met. 
3. Establishing a local job action contingency plan. 
4. Ensuring that employees are informed annually of their Weingarten Rights (rights to union 
representation in certain situations). 
Department of the Navy 
Human Resources Service Provider Guide - Page 11 Core Program Area 5  Position Classification 
Overview 
Position Classification functions include classifying positions and advising management about 
the classification process, organization design and reorganization. Each of the following 
functions must be assessed if it is a responsibility of the service organization. The assessment 
process is outlined in Table 3 on page 6 of this guide. 
Functions to be assessed 
Department of the Navy 
Human Resources Service Provider Guide - Page 12 
Advisory Services 
1. Providing advice and guidance on position classification. 
2. Providing advice and guidance on position management and organization design. 
3. Helping activities understand and implement processes that support the Merit System 
Principles, particularly with regard to providing equal pay for equal work and rewarding 
excellent performance. The Merit System Principles are outlined in Appendix B on page 17 
of this guide. 
Processing Services 
1. Classifying positions. 
2. Documenting classification actions. 
Representation Services 
No Navy-wide requirements are established in this area. Locally developed measures should be 
implemented, as appropriate. 
Accountability Support 
1. Ensuring adequacy of position documentation. 
2. Ensuring accuracy of position classification. 
3. Ensuring grievance and appeal requirements are followed. 
Core Program Area 6  Staffing 
Overview 
Staffing functions include external recruitment, internal recruitment, and downsizing, including 
reductions-in-force. Each of the following functions must be assessed if it is a responsibility of 
the service organization. The assessment process is outlined in Table 3 on page 6 of this guide. 
Functions to be assessed 
Department of the Navy 
Human Resources Service Provider Guide - Page 13 
Advisory Services 
1. Providing advice and guidance on options for staffing and recruitment, including Priority 
Placement Program requirements and Veterans Preference requirements. 
2. Providing advice and guidance on reductions-in-force. 
3. Helping activities understand and implement processes which support the Merit System 
Principles, particularly recruiting qualified individuals from all segments of society and 
selecting and advancing employees on the basis of merit after fair and open competition. The 
Merit System Principles are outlined in Appendix B on page 17 of this guide. 
Processing Services 
1. Filling positions through external recruitment. 
2. Filling positions through merit promotion. 
3. Implementing reductions-in-force. 
Representation Services 
No Navy-wide requirements are established in this area. Locally developed measures should be 
implemented, as appropriate. 
Accountability Support 
1. Ensuring that pre-selection technical requirements are met. 
2. Ensuring that post-selection technical requirements are met. 
3. Ensuring that personnel action documentation is accurate. 
4. Ensuring that priority placement program requirements are met. 
5. Ensuring that Veterans Preference requirements are met. 
6. Ensuring that reductions-in-force meet technical requirements. 
7. Ensuring that delegated examining is performed in accordance with applicable requirements. 
Core Program Area 7  Training and Employee Development 
Overview 
Training and Employee Development functions include helping organizations identify training 
requirements and helping to provide training to meet those requirements. Each of the following 
functions must be assessed if it is a responsibility of the service organization. The assessment 
process is outlined in Table 3 on page 6 of this guide. 
Functions to be assessed 
Advisory Services 
1. Providing advice and guidance on activity training plan development. 
2. Providing advice and guidance on individual development. 
3. Helping activities understand and implement processes which support the Merit System 
Principles, particularly with regard to educating and training employees when it will result in 
better organizational or individual performance. The Merit System Principles are outlined in 
Appendix B on page 17 of this guide. 
Processing Services 
1. Processing requests for training. 
2. Documenting employee training. 
3. Preparing and submitting required reports. 
4. Managing training delivery. 
Representation Services 
No Navy-wide requirements are established in this area. Locally developed measures should be 
implemented, as appropriate. 
Accountability Support 
1. Ensuring that periodic training needs assessments are conducted. 
2. Ensuring that training plans are established where required. 
3. Ensuring that mandatory training requirements are met. 
Department of the Navy 
Human Resources Service Provider Guide - Page 14 SCORE 
0% 
10% 
to 
30% 
40% 
to 
60% 
70% 
to 
90% 
100% 
The following table can be used to assign a rating to the Human Resources Management Results: 
Rating Service Provider Results 
RESULTS 
  No results or poor results in areas reported 
  Early stages of developing trends; some improvements and/or early good 
performance levels in a few areas 
  Results not reported for many to most areas of importance to key 
performance requirements 
  Improvement trends and/or good performance levels reported for many 
to most areas of importance to the key performance requirements 
  No pattern of adverse trends and/or poor performance levels in areas of 
importance to the key performance requirements 
  Some trends and/or current performance levels evaluated against 
relevant comparisons and/or benchmarks show areas of strength and/or 
good to very good relative performance levels 
  Current performance is good to excellent in most areas of importance to 
the key performance requirements 
  Most improvement trends and/or performance levels are sustained 
  Many to most trends and/or current performance levels evaluated against 
relevant comparisons and/or benchmarks show areas of leadership and 
very good relative performance levels 
  Current performance is excellent in most areas of importance to the key 
performance requirements 
  Excellent improvement trends and/or sustained excellent performance 
levels in most areas 
  Strong evidence of industry and benchmark leadership demonstrated in 
Assessment Worksheet 
The worksheet provided in Appendix A on page 16 can be used to document the results of the 
service provider assessment. Additional comments should be attached on plain paper if the space 
provided is not adequate. Best practices are those which should be considered for broader 
deployment. Systemic problems are external policy or program requirements that are causing 
problems in the management of human resources. 
Department of the Navy 
Human Resources Service Provider Guide - Page 15 
many areas Activity Name: 
Core Program Area: 
q Compensation 
q Employee Relations 
q Equal Employment Opportunity 
q Labor Relations 
Advisory Services 
Strengths: 
Areas for improvement: 
Processing Services 
Strengths: 
Areas for improvement: 
Representation Services 
Strengths: 
Areas for improvement: 
Accountability Support 
Strengths: 
Areas for improvement: 
Best Practices: 
Systemic Problems: 
Department of the Navy 
Human Resources Service Provider Guide - Page 16 
Appendix A  Documenting Results 
Date: 
q Position Classification 
q Staffing 
q Training and Employee Development 
Rating: 
Rating: 
Rating: 
Rating: Appendix B - Merit System Principles 
The Merit System Principles listed below are adapted from the statutory language that 
appears in Section 2301 of Title 5, United States Code. 
  Recruit qualified individuals from all segments of society and select and advance employees 
on the basis of merit after fair and open competition. 
  Treat employees and applicants fairly and equitably, without regard to political affiliation, 
race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, or 
handicapping condition. 
  Provide equal pay for equal work and reward excellent performance. 
  Maintain high standards of integrity, conduct, and concern for the public interest. 
  Manage employees efficiently and effectively. 
  Retain or separate employees on the basis of their performance. 
  Educate and train employees when it will result in better organizational or individual 
performance. 
  Protect employees from improper political influence. 
  Protect employees against reprisal for the lawful disclosure of information in "whistleblower" 
situations (i.e., protecting people who report things like illegal and/or wasteful activities). 
Department of the Navy 
Human Resources Service Provider Guide - Page 17 Appendix C - Prohibited Personnel Practices 
The prohibited personnel practices listed below are adapted from the statutory language 
that appears in Section 2302 of Title 5, United States Code. Any employee who has 
authority to take, direct others to take, recommend, or approve any personnel action, shall 
not, with respect to such authority: 
  Discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicapping 
condition, marital status, or political affiliation. 
  Solicit or consider any personnel recommendation or statement not based on personal 
knowledge or records of performance, ability, aptitude, general qualifications, character, 
loyalty, or suitability. 
  Coerce an employee's political activity. 
  Deceive or obstruct any person with respect to such person's right to compete for 
employment. 
  Influence a person to withdraw from competition. 
  Grant any preference or advantage not authorized by law, regulation, or rule. 
  Employ or promote a relative. 
  Retaliate against employees or applicants who exercise their appeal rights, testify or 
cooperate with an inspector general or the Special Counsel, or refuse to break a law. 
  Discriminate based on actions not adversely affecting performance, or 
  Violate any law, rule, or regulation implementing or directly concerning the merit principles. 
Department of the Navy 
Human Resources Service Provider Guide - Page 18