Summary of Changes - USPS

1 Summary of ChangesHandbook EL-312, Employment and PlacementHandbook EL-312, Employment and Placement, has been updated in January 2018, as follows:The chapter, subchapter, part, appendix, or section ..titled .. was .. in Postal Bulletin issue number ..with an issue date of .. Chapter 5, Suitability584 Employee EvaluationRevised to reflect a distinction between individuals selected for career appointments to nonbargaining positions and career appointments to a position in the Management Foundations Program (MFP).N/AN/ATransmittal LetterEmployment and PlacementHandbook EL-312 January 2018 Transmittal LetterA. Introduction. This issue of handbook EL-312, Employment and Placement, was revised in January 2018. All previous editions of handbook EL-312 are This handbook provides employment and placement policy and procedures for the United States Postal Service.

2 These instructions apply to the employment, placement, and assignment of career and noncareer bargaining employees, as well as headquarters, area, and field nonbargaining positions, including most supervisory, managerial, administrative, clerical, and postmaster positions under the following pay systems: (a) EAS, (b) Management Pay Band, and (c) Technical Pay Band. Selections for Attorney Compensation System positions are not covered in this handbook , and this handbook has limited application to the Postal Career Executive Service (PCES). handbook EL-312 is available on the Postal Service Internet and intranet at: and Questions. Send comments and questions to: MANAGERHUMAN RESOURCES (HEADQUARTERS)EMPLOYEE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT US POSTAL SERVICE475 L'ENFANT PLAZA SW RM 9802 WASHINGTON DC Date. This handbook is effective January StoreyVice PresidentEmployee Resource ManagementJanuary 2018iiiContents1 General.

3 111 Overview .. 1111 Scope .. 1112 Review and Approval .. 1113 Conditions on Use of Policy .. 1114 Prohibition of Political Recommendations .. 2115 Disabled and Disability .. 212 Responsibility .. 2121 Vice President, Employee Resource Management .. , Evaluation, and Recognition .. , National Test Administration Center .. 2122 Diversity Development .. 3123 District Managers .. 3124 Manager, Human Resources (District) .. 3125 District Examination Administrators .. 4126 Postal Inspection Service .. 413 Multicomponent Employment and Placement Process .. 42 Recruitment ..721 Planning and Coordination .. 7211 Recruitment Strategies .. and Affirmative Action Considerations .. Vacancies.. 8212 Recruitment Options .. Hiring .. Hiring .. 922 Conducting Recruitment Activities .. 9221 Responsibilities.

4 9222 Publicizing Job Opportunities .. Policy .. Advertisements .. 1023 Sources of Recruitment .. 10231 Applicability of These Instructions .. 10 Employment and PlacementivHandbook EL-312232 Policy.. in Hiring .. Responsibility for Filling Vacancies .. Applicable to Recruitment .. Recruitment and Placement .. Provisions .. Vacancies .. and Other Nonbargaining Vacancies .. Recruitment .. of External Recruitment.. Restricted to Applicants Eligible for Veterans Preference .. of Travel and Relocation Expenses.. 14233 Career Recruitment .. Placement of Bargaining Employees .. Placement in General .. Requirements .. Qualified and Best Qualified Position Requirements .. Qualifications .. Selection System Requirements.. Placement of Nonbargaining Employees .. Recruitment - Competitive and Noncompetitive .. Recruitment in General.

5 Appointment.. and Reemployment .. From Another Federal Entity .. Employment .. Appointment of Veterans With 30 Percent or More Disability .. Appointment of Veterans Recruitment Appointment Eligibles.. of Annuitants .. of People With Disabilities.. 27234 Noncareer Recruitment .. Provisions.. Rules .. Preference Rules .. Bargaining Agreement Limitations.. Employment .. of 30 Percent Disabled Veteran and VRA Authorities to FillTemporary Positions .. Employee Recruitment Sources .. and Technical Positions .. Carrier Associate .. 29 ContentsJanuary Positions .. Recruitment Sources for Casual Vacancies.. Recruitment Sources for Casual Vacancies.. Program .. Employment Service .. of Eligibles .. of People With Disabilities.. Relief (Remotely Managed Post Office) or Postmaster Relief (Part Time Post Office).

6 Relief Staffing .. of Postal Service Annuitants as PMR .. 32235 Employment of People With Disabilities .. Accommodation .. , Attendance, and Conduct Standards .. or Hard of Hearing Applicants and Employees .. Hiring of Persons With Severe Disabilities .. Organizations .. Accommodation in Testing.. Career Hiring of Persons With Severe Disabilities .. Agencies .. Applicants .. Information for Rehabilitation Counselors .. the Hiring Process .. Period .. 363 Examinations ..3931 General .. 39311 Entrance Examinations .. Examinations.. Application .. Test .. Entrance Examination .. 39312 Inservice Examinations .. Examinations .. Examinations .. Inservice Examinations .. 40313 Duration of Results .. Examination or Rated Application Entrance Rating .. Examination Entrance Rating.. 40 Employment and PlacementviHandbook Ratings for Reinstatement, Transfer from Another Agency, or Veterans Recruitment Appointment.

7 Examination or Rated Application Ratings for Inservice Placement.. Examination Results for Inservice Placement .. 41314 Examination Locations .. Center .. Installation.. Site .. 42315 Examination Personnel .. Administrator .. Relationships .. of Examiners and Monitors .. Training .. Training .. Mechanic Performance Test Examiner Training .. and Certification.. of Examiners and Monitors .. on Use of Examinations Personnel .. 44316 Examination Administrator Responsibilities .. Applications .. Supplies .. Scheduling Applicants for Examinations .. Examinations .. 45317 Examination Materials .. Materials .. Materials .. Materials .. Materials .. Series .. Test Series .. Multiple Test Series .. 46318 Security .. Materials.. Restricted Materials .. and Using Duplicate Keys .. Local Inventory Control.

8 Of Restricted Test Materials .. Conditions .. an Emergency Evacuation.. Test Materials .. 47 ContentsJanuary to Examination Room and Rescheduling Applicants.. 4832 Entrance Examination Process .. 48321 Advanced Planning .. 48322 Announcement and Application Process .. Nature of Entrance Examinations .. for Opening Examinations .. Examinations .. Period .. to Administer Examinations.. Applications .. to Apply .. Applications.. Multiple Applications .. for Examinations .. Not Yet Age 18 .. Likely to Gain Permanent Resident Status Duringthe Period of Eligibility .. of Career Postal Employees .. and Reopened Examinations.. Application .. Application .. Entitlement.. on Filing .. for Examination .. 53323 Final Preparation for Examination .. of Facilities .. Site Considerations .. Scheduling Applicants.

9 54324 Scheduling Process .. Applicants .. Center or Location .. Applicants What to Expect.. With Disabilities .. 55325 Admission to Examination Room .. Notice to Applicants What to Expect.. for Admission .. Required for Admission .. Identification Procedures.. Identification .. Impersonation .. Without Proper Authorization .. Applicants by Available Space.. Applicants Scheduled for a Different Day or Time.. 56 Employment and PlacementviiiHandbook Admission Document .. Reporting Applicants .. for Admission .. and Instructions.. 56326 Test Administration Process .. Directions for Conducting .. and Courteous Administration .. Allowed in the Examination Room .. Items .. and Behaviors Not Permitted .. on Schedule .. Examination Materials .. Answer Sheets .. Gridding of Answer Sheets .. Forms .. Test Booklets.

10 One Test Booklet per Applicant .. Insufficient Test Materials.. Errors in Test Materials.. Examinations .. Accuracy .. Procedures .. Time Record Sheets .. Correct Assistance to Applicants .. Gridding of Answers .. Exceptional Situations .. Applicants Abandon Examinations .. Who Leave the Examination Room .. 60327 Ending Examinations.. the Examination .. Test Material From Applicants .. Applicant Review of Completed Tests .. Answer Sheets After Examination .. Inventory After Examination Has Concluded .. Materials to NTAC .. of Materials at Examination Center.. Unused and Reusable Test Materials .. Job or Office Choice Sheets .. 62328 Processing Examination Results .. Answer Sheets .. Scoring.. Ratings .. for the Hiring and Testing Subsystem .. 62 ContentsJanuary of Register Records and Notices of Rating.