(USF) Processing Personnel Action Requests

This chapter provides an overview of personnel action requests (PARs) and discusses how to perform common personnel actions.

Note. PeopleSoft delivers a database providing a sample setup of PAR data. All discussions, overviews, and examples in this book are based on the sample setup. Your agency may choose a similar setup or vary the processes to reflect its own system and operational procedures.

Understanding PARs

This section discusses:

• PARs.

• Sample setup of pages used by employees and supervisors.

• Personnel actions and employee status.

• The importance of effective dates.

• Multiple actions with the same effective date.

Personnel Action Requests

An employee's history with an agency usually involves many job changes, such as promotions, leaves of absence, layoffs, retirement, pay rate changes, awards, and so on. To maintain both current records and a complete history of employee job data, your employees, supervisors, and human resources officials will regularly submit PARs for these changes in PeopleSoft Enterprise Human Resources. (Before requesting personnel actions, verify that you've selected the Multiple Jobs Allowed check box on the Installation Table - Product Specific page.)

Note. The information you need to maintain your employees' career histories is the same type of information you enter to hire employees. Use the same pages for both.

Requests for updates that you want to make to employee job data begin in the Workforce Administration, Job Information menu. Depending on whether you are an employee requesting a change for yourself, a supervisor requesting a change on behalf of someone in your department, or a human resources official, you must choose Employee Request USF, Supervisor Request USF, or HR Request USF, where the system prompts you for an employee ID. Go to the Data Control page to begin the request for a new action, and then go to other pages to enter additional information for the personnel action that you're requesting.

The differences between employee, supervisor, and human resources requests are the types of requests available and the workflow routing of the requests after being submitted. Human resources officials may request any of the actions.

See Also

Setting Up Implementation Defaults

(USF) Adding an Employment Instance

Sample Setup of Pages Used by Employees and Supervisors

The following table lists a sample setup of the pages employees and supervisors can use to enter requests and where those requests can be routed.

Personnel Actions and Employee Status

When you request a personnel action to make changes to employee job data, the employee status often changes. For example, when you select Retirement, the employee status changes from Active to Retired. Similarly, if you terminate an employee due to death, the employee status changes from Active to Deceased. The employee status is based on either the personnel action, or in a few cases, the reason for the action, such as death. The system sets employee status as follows.

When an employee status is set to Active, Leave with Pay, Retired with Pay, or Terminated with Pay, the system triggers payroll processing in PeopleSoft Enterprise Payroll and PeopleSoft Enterprise Payroll Interface.

If your agency uses PeopleSoft Enterprise Payroll for North America, payroll paysheets aren't generated for employees whose status is Retired or Terminated. You may need to pay employees for a partial pay period or for a time after they leave the agency, however, so use either the personnel action Retired with Pay or Terminated with Pay to ensure that this occurs.

A change in employee status can affect PeopleSoft Enterprise Human Resources Manage Base Benefits, PeopleSoft Enterprise Benefit Administration, and PeopleSoft Enterprise Payroll processing. Specifically for benefits, you may need to suspend coverage during a leave of absence or a suspension. In addition, a promotion or a job reclassification might affect an employee's benefit coverage.

Changes in an employee's status can also impact pension administration.

Importance of Effective Dates

You usually update employee job data in PeopleSoft Enterprise Human Resources for U.S. Federal Government by adding effective-dated data rows to the employee records. When you insert a new row on the Data Control page, the system copies the contents of the previous row into the new row so that you don't have to retype the information that stays the same. (So before you insert a new row, ensure that you're on the data row that you want to copy.) The only new information you see is the effective date, which defaults to the system date, usually today's date, which you can change.

If you want to work on the Employment Data 1 or 2 pages, for example, first insert a new data row on the Data Control page, and then access the appropriate Employment page to enter changes.

Effective dates enable you to maintain a complete chronological history of all your data and tables, whether you changed them two years ago or want them to go into effect in two months. With all this information at your fingertips, you can roll back your system to a particular time to analyze position data or employee records. Or you can roll forward and set up tables and data before they take effect.

The system also uses effective dates to compare pages and tables to ensure that the prompt tables list only the data that is valid as of the effective date of the page where you are working. For example, let's say you create a new department code with an effective date of May 1, 1997. If, on the Job Data pages, you enter a new data row for an employee or update an existing row that has an effective date before May 1, 1997, then when you select a department, you won't see the new code as a valid choice because it isn't in effect yet.

See Also

(USF) Setting Up Human Resources Management Tables

(USF) Setting Up the Work-in-Progress Management System

Multiple Actions with the Same Effective Date

On occasion, you may need to enter more than one personnel action that takes effect on the same day. Entering two actions with the same effective date is particularly common when you need to track annual pay adjustments and career promotions that take effect on the same day. Use effective sequence numbers to combine multiple actions and specify which one to process first. On the Data Control page, enter an actual effective date and assign the action, and the system automatically assigns a transaction number/sequence for each personnel action: The first on that date as 1/1 and the second as 2/1.

For example, an employee received a pay rate change and a promotion on the same day. As a result of this pay rate change, that employee's salary was raised by about 2.5 percent. A promotion from a GS-07 position to a GS-09 position produced an additional 7.9 percent increase in salary.

Note. The sequence number for a request is always 1 unless you are canceling or correcting a request that has already been completed and processed. In this case, the system would assign a sequence number of 2 for that action.

To enter multiple personnel actions with the same effective date:

1. Open the Data Control page for the employee whose data you're requesting to update.

2. For the first personnel action, insert a new data row.

3. Enter a new actual effective date.

   Because it is the first action processed for this actual effective date, the Transaction Nbr / Seq field is 1/1.

4. Enter any other information required to implement the action, either here or in other pages in the component.

5. Change the PAR Status on the Data Control page to Requested so that you can continue on to enter the next action.

6. To enter the second action, such as Promotion, insert another data row.

7. Enter the same actual effective date as the first action.

   The system enters a Transaction Nbr / Seq of 2/1.

8. Continue the same steps required for the first action, entering a new action each time.

Note. If two name changes are submitted for the same person on the same day and a Personnelist logs on and navigates to Worklists, two entries are displayed (one for each name change request), but both link to the most recent request on the PAR pages. If the Personnelist approves and processes the second one but leaves the first one in REQ status, a warning message is displayed that indicates that the Reviewed check box should be selected before processing the request. This warning message alerts the Personnelist to review the possible impact of processing one request before others that are scheduled to take effect on the same day or in the future.

Employee Data Security Considerations

When you reassign employees from one department to another using a data row containing an effective-date sequence number, the system currently allows users with security access to the old or new department to have access to all the employee data. PeopleSoft delivers the system this way because implementing security in system views specific to the function Max (effseq) on PS_JOB would adversely affect online response time.

For example, when you reassign an employee from department one to department two and give the employee a promotion on the same day, because an effective-date sequence number is in the reassignment data row, users with access to either department one or two have access to the employee data.

If you want to modify the system to prevent this, change the security views for the PeopleSoft applications you use. Bear in mind, however, that making the change affects system performance.

See Also

Setting Up and Administering HRMS Security

Performing Common Personnel Actions

This section discusses how to:

• Grant performance awards.

• Enter promotional information.

• Request departmental reassignments.

• Request a leave of absence.

• Enter terminations and retirement requests.

• Request a supplemental or correction individual retirement record.

• Request terminations due to death.

• Request to rehire an employee.

Pages Used to Perform Common Personnel Actions

Granting Performance Awards

Recognizing and rewarding employee performance is a critical component of attracting and keeping top talent. PeopleSoft Enterprise Human Resources handles the complexity of this human resource area by making it easy to establish, record, track, and grant employee awards and bonuses.

Begin the process to grant an award by submitting a request to issue a bonus or award. The data is automatically sent through the approval process, tracked, approved, recorded, and issued to the employee.

To issue an award:

1. Set up the Award Actions page (Set Up HRMS, Product Related, Workforce Administration, Workforce Data USF, Award Actions, Award Actions) to define monetary and nonmonetary award types.

2. Request an award or bonus for your employee on the Supervisor Request - Data Control page (Workforce Administration, Job Information, Supervisor Request USF, Data Control).

   Submit your request the same as you would for other personnel actions.

3. Define the award setup using the Award Data page (click the Award Data link on the Supervisor Request - Data Control page).

Access the Award Data page (select Workforce Administration, Job Information, HR Processing USF, Data Control, enter BON in the Action field and select a value in the Reason field, then click the Award Data link.)

Award Data

Informational Data

Payroll Data

Note. When you save this page, payroll data is written to the Additional Pay table for Payroll for North America customers only.

Entering Promotional Information

When an employee changes pay grades or moves to a new job, salary changes are typically part of that personnel action.

To enter promotional information:

1. Insert a new data row on the Supervisor Request - Data Control page (Workforce Administration, Job Information, Supervisor Request USF, Data Control), and complete all fields.

2. When you are ready to submit the request, ensure that the PAR Status is REQ.

   The workflow system then picks up this information and routes it through the process. After that, you can still change, withdraw, or deny the information up until the point that the action has been finalized and has a status of Processed. To correct or cancel the request after it has been completed and has a status of HR Processed, go to the Cancellation or Correction pages.

   The information you change on the Supervisor Request - Data Control page and other pages varies according to the data for the former job and the new job. You usually select a new job code or a new position number by moving to the Supervisor Request - Job Data page. But all of the other entries on this page could also conceivably change in the event of a promotion.

   Again, the information you change on the Supervisor Request - Job Data page may vary, but you usually select a new pay plan, table, grade, or step and enter (or generate) a new base pay.

3. Once you've completed all the changes caused by the promotion, if necessary, access other pages to enter relevant information.

   For example, access the Personal Data page to enter new business phone numbers. Or access the Position Data page to change the pay group or employee type, or to enter other relevant position details.

4. Change the position as necessary on the Supervisor Request - Job page (Workforce Administration, Job Information, Supervisor Request USF, Job Data).

5. Select a pay rate determinant on the Supervisor Request - Compensation Data page (Workforce Administration, Job Information, Supervisor Request USF, Compensation Data).

6. Set the options in the Within-Grade Increase Data group box on the Supervisor Request - Employment Data 1 page (Workforce Administration, Job Information, Supervisor Request USF, Employment Data 1) as follows:

Requesting Departmental Reassignments

The description given here is for reassigning employees among departments. Agency-to-agency transfers are processed as hires and terminations.

To enter a reassignment request when a person is assigned to a new department without changing job codes:

1. Access the Supervisor Request USF - Data Control page (Workforce Administration, Job Information, Supervisor Request USF, Data Control) to enter reassignment requests.

   Reassignments usually imply that there is no change in pay grade or compensation.

2. If this action is to occur on the same day as another action, insert that action's values in theTransaction Nbr and Sequencefields.

3. Enter the action of Reassignment/Conversion.

4. Enter the reason code, such as Employee Request or Manager Request.

5. Complete all other necessary changes, such as NOA Code and Authority (1) and (2).

6. Access the Supervisor Request USF - Job Data page (Workforce Administration, Job Information, Supervisor Request USF, Job Data) to enter additional changes for the employee being reassigned.

   Change the position number, job code, agency, and any other details that will change with the employee reassignment. When you select a new department for the employee, the system automatically enters a new location and tax location if you've associated a location with the department in the Department table.

7. Access other pages in the Supervisor Request USF component to enter any other employment or job information applicable to the reassignment.

   For example, you may need to go to the Supervisor Request USF - Personal Data page to enter a new phone number. On the Personal Data page, click the Personal Phone Numbers button, and on the Personal Phone Numbers page, enter a new business phone number. On Employment 2, change the supervisor ID to the manager of the new department. Access other pages, such as the Position Data page to change the pay group, employee type, or other relevant position details.

Security Considerations

PeopleSoft Enterprise Human Resources enables users to assign employees into departments that they can't access for updates. If you want to prevent users from reassigning an employee into a department for which they don't have access, PeopleSoft Enterprise Human Resources contains a view (DEPT_TBL_ACCESS) that displays only those department IDs that users can access based on their user security profiles.

If you choose to use this view, you must create a class of users who have access to all departments so that they can perform reassignments.

See Also

Increasing the Workforce

Setting Up and Administering HRMS Security

Requesting Leave of Absence

At some point in their careers, many employees take leaves of absence. For example, when an employee has a baby, the new parent may request a maternity or paternity leave.

To enter a leave of absence:

1. Access the Supervisor Request USF - Data Control page (Workforce Administration, Job Information, Supervisor Request USF, Data Control) to submit a request for the employee who is temporarily leaving the agency.

2. Access the Non Pay Data page (Workforce Administration, Job Information, Supervisor Request USF, Employment Data 2, and click the Non Pay Data link) to enter leave of absence data for an employee.

   In the Last Date Worked field, enter the last date the employee worked. When you process the PAR to return the employee to pay status, you must update the other fields (SCD Hours, Probation Hours, and Career Tenure Hours), as appropriate.

3. When an employee returned from leave, return to the Supervisor Request USF - Data Control page to change that employee's status to active.

   1. In the Action field, select RFL (return from leave without pay).

   2. In the Reason Code field, select RFL (return from leave).

   3. In the PAR Status field, select Requested or leave it as Initiated in case the return date changes for any reason.

   4. Access any other pages to make needed changes.

See Also

Enterprise PeopleTools PeopleBook: PeopleSoft Process Scheduler

Entering Terminations and Retirement Requests

When employees leave the agency permanently, you render their records and their statuses inactive by registering them as Terminated or Retired. The processes for entering terminations and retirements are almost identical; the primary difference is the action you select on the Data Control page.

To enter termination and retirement requests:

1. Request a termination for an employee who has left the agency using the Supervisor Request USF - Data Control page Workforce Administration, Job Information, Supervisor Request USF, Data Control).

   The Actual Effective Date field defaults to the system date, usually today's date, which you can change.

   Normally, the system uses the effective date to represent the beginning of an action; however, when an employee terminates or retires, the system treats the effective date you enter as the close of business of the day of the termination.

   For example, if an employee's last day of employment is September 1, the effective date is September 1 because the termination is effective at the close of business that day.

2. In the Action field, select one of the following: Termination, Terminated with Pay, Terminated with Benefits, or Retirement, and then select a reason code for the departure, if applicable.

   Depending on the action you selected, the system changes the employee status from Active to Terminated, Terminated with Benefits or Pay, or Retired.

3. If the employee is suitable for rehire, save this page.

   When you request a termination or retirement, the system generates an individual retirement record (IRR) control record for this employee.

Note. The IRR process is used by agencies using PeopleSoft Enterprise Payroll. Payroll detail earnings and deductions for the fiscal history are used in the IRR process.

See Also

Understanding the IRR Process

Requesting a Supplemental or Correction Individual Retirement Record

After you process an employee's IRR, you may find that you need to supplement or make corrections to that IRR. This requires that you create another PAR using the Workforce Administration, Job Information, Supplement to IRR or Correct IRR Supplement menu.

When you create the new PAR, the system creates an IRR control record with an IRR type of C (correction) or S (supplemental).

See Also

Generating Supplemental or Correction IRRs

Requesting Terminations Due to Death

To request termination due to death:

1. Open the Supervisor Request USF - Data Control page (Workforce Administration, Job Information, Supervisor Request USF, Data Control) for the deceased employee.

2. In the Action field, indicate that the employee is Terminated.

3. In the Reason Code field, select Death as the reason for termination.

   The system automatically changes the Employee Status field from Active to Deceased.

Requesting to Rehire an Employee

When you request to hire an employee who worked for your agency in the past, enter a Rehire action. Information on a rehired employee is already in PeopleSoft Enterprise Human Resources unless the employee data was deleted or archived. If employee records aren't in the system, follow the new hire process described in "Hiring Your Workforce."

You can rehire only employees whose employee status is Terminated, Terminated with Pay, Terminated with Benefits, Retired, or Retired with Pay. If you rehire an employee whose records already exist in the system, you may want to ensure that the personal, employment, and job data for that person is current.

If you want to rehire an employee whose previous job was in a department (organizational entity) for which you don't have security access, give at least one user performing rehires security access to all departments.

To request to rehire an employee into the system:

1. Open the Supervisor Request USF - Data Control page (Workforce Administration, Job Information, Supervisor Request USF, Data Control) for the employee and request a rehire.

2. Access the other employee data pages to enter additional information.