New Employee Orientation

1. New Employee Orientation • The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) CBP Chapter 128 …to ensure that every federal employee is treated with dignity and respect!

2. Why Are We Here? • In federal law, there are two kinds of employees • Non-Bargaining Unit • Supervisors of people • Perform work in which they represent the employer • Perform work in which they have continuing access to private information • Perform work in which they have regular access to classified information • Bargaining Unit - BU • Everyone else

3. NTEU is… • Widely known as a smart, tough organization, well-respected for its knowledge of federal employee issues. And for its determination to work with federal agencies, with Congress, and in the courts to protect, promote and expand the rights of those it represents. • Operating since 1938 and driven by the principle that every federal employee should be treated with dignity and respect. In that time, NTEU has grown to represent some 150,000 bargaining unit employees in 31 federal agencies and departments. • Represented by an experienced and professional staff in Washington, D.C., seven field offices across the nation and highly-trained, dedicated local leaders in the workplace.

4. The Voice of Federal Employees • On Capitol Hill • Leading the fight for fair pay, benefits and laws that improve the quality of work life for federal employees. Full-time lobbyists work with NTEU to educate elected officials on federal employee issues. • At the Bargaining Table • Known for innovative contracts in the federal sector, NTEU’s bargaining expertise is reflected in such gains as alternative work schedules, telework, transit and parking subsidies, performance awards and much more. • In the Courts • NTEU has a history of establishing legal principles and winning millions in back pay for federal workers not receiving proper compensation for overtime. NTEU pursued a case for 22 years, winning special rate employees more than $178 million in back pay and also won $533 million in back pay for delayed pay raises in another case.

5. The Voice of Federal Employees • In the Workplace • Experienced attorneys serve as the direct connection between NTEU chapters and the National Office, and represent members in grievance arbitrations, unfair labor practice hearings, and more. Highly-trained stewards work to resolve employee issues at the lowest possible level and negotiate over local changes to working conditions. • In the Media • Skilled communications specialists take the message of the importance of federal workers to the media and produce publications—both print and electronic—that keep members updated on a timely basis. At the local level, chapters keep members informed of issues via desk drops, e-mail, web sites, newsletters, meetings and more.

6. A History of Success - 1 • Saw a key goal realized with the issuance of an executive order establishing collaborative labor-management forums government-wide. • A provision in the health care reform bill raising to age 26 the dependent coverage age limit under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. • Aggressive and persistent action by NTEU helped push a major telework bill through Congress that should allow more federal employees to work from home. • The Federal Career Intern Program came to an end after a prolonged campaign by NTEU to halt agency use of the hiring mechanism that disregarded the competitive hiring process. • NTEU won by a 2-1 margin an election covering more than 20,000 employees at Customs and Border Protection. • Fought for the protection of employee whistleblower rights in federal courts.

7. A History of Success - 2 • Fought runaway contracting by supporting an administrative directive urging federal agencies to increase insourcing efforts, when possible. • Won the right for those covered under the Federal Employees Retirement System to count unused sick leave toward their retirement annuity calculations. • Continuing to expand and enforce employees' rights to telework, alternative work schedules, fair appraisals, overtime pay, fair scheduling and other contractual and legal rights through the grievance and arbitration process, and much more. • Consistently fights for fair and competitive annual pay raises for federal civilian employees.

8. A History of Success - 3 • Fought for passage of a bill that made permanent a child care tuition assistance program for federal employees. • Aggressively pushed for flexible spending accounts for federal employees and an initiative allowing the use of pre-tax income to pay health care premiums. • Secured an expansion of the ability to contribute to or modify contributions to the federal Thrift Savings Plan. • Fought successfully for a dental-vision plan for federal workers. • Won the right for federal employees to earn compensatory time for business travel outside normal work hours.

9. A History of Success - 4 • Won thousands of dollars in back pay for Customs and Border Protection Officers forced to work an unpaid sixth day of training. • Won a federal court ruling that employees have the right to review promotion files. • Fought for, and secured, reforms to the 1939 Hatch Act that expanded political and legislative action rights of federal employees. • Won a first-ever court victory against an agency’s illegal use of appropriated funds to give federal jobs to a contractor without giving employees the chance to compete.

10. A History of Success - 5 • Won and implemented the enhanced Law Enforcement Officer retirement benefits for Customs and Border Protection Officers. • Won a five-year battle to defeat administration efforts to create an anti-union, anti-employee labor relations system at the Department of Homeland Security by severely restricting collective bargaining rights. • Won $533 million in back pay for federal employees when an appeals court ruled against President Nixon’s 1972 pay raise deferral.

11. NTEU’s Watch List on Harmful Legislation • Federal Employee Retirement System • Elimination of FERS supplement • Increasing employee contribution • Elimination • Pay • Extend pay freeze through 2015 and beyond • Suspend or eliminate within grade increases • Reduce employee compensation by 30% • Workforce • Repeal the prohibition on contracting out federal jobs • Reduce the federal workforce by 5-20% • Health insurance • Eliminate Medicare and move current recipients to FEHBP • Eliminate FEHBP and replace with vouchers • Other • Fire employees who fall behind on their taxes • Mandatory 2-year probationary period • Furloughs of indeterminate number and duration • Reduce worker’s compensation

12. Joint Awards Committee (JAC 101) • Article 42, Section 4 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) • Only bargaining unit employees are eligible to receive an award through this program • Committees are 3 managers and 3 bargaining unit employees • the Committees track CBP organizational structure • the reviews are done by people who understand the work • Can be serious money • CBP Form 80 • Individual or team can be nominated • Anyone can nominate • Self, co-worker, supervisor, etc. • A winning nomination • Specific to the quarter • Clearly identify how action is outside of the normal duties of the position • Can consider grade level, routine for a GS-12 would be extraordinary for a GS-7

13. Chapter 128 – CBP Headquarters • Executive Board • President – John Hiller • Executive Vice President – Tiffany Sawers • Treasurer – Tara Sussan • Secretary – Tumica Miller • Field Representative (from NTEU HQ) • Chief Steward – Doug Chapman • Stewards (15) - Primary contact for most representation/information issues • Bargaining unit employees • Approximately 1500 • Dues-paying union members

14. Chapter 128 Efforts • Outreach • New Employee Orientation • Lunch-N-Learn informational employee meetings • Retirement • General benefits • Veterans issues • Excepted service • Legislative Forum • Meet senators, congressmen, and staff from Virginia, Maryland, and DC • Present issues that are of concern to NTEU memberships • Representation

15. Representation… • Internal affairs investigations • Person initiating investigation • Witness • Subject of investigation • Disciplinary actions • Letter of reprimand • Suspensions of 14 days or less • Adverse actions • Suspensions of more than 14 days, including removal • Reduction in grade or pay • Performance issues • When requested by employee • Grievances

16. eOPF (electronic Official Personnel File) • All employees should check their eOPF at least quarterly • It can reflect changes to your employment status that you would not otherwise be aware of • It contains important information: • the authority under which one is hired (competitive vice excepted service) • bargaining unit status (Field 37 of the SF50) • Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) status (Field 35 of SF50) • Changes to benefits, beneficiaries, etc. • Instructions for accessing your eOPF: http://cbpnet.cbp.dhs.gov/xp/cbpnet/hrm/for_employees/info_about_you/eop_folder/eopf_faq.xml

17. Veterans and Equal Employment Opportunity • Veterans: Application to make service credit payment • Standard Form 3108 • Through this form you should be able to credit military time to your federal retirement program. • Veterans points for competitive hiring (CBA, Article 41) • Reasonable accommodation (CBA, Article 47) • Employees who have disabilities may be eligible for RA, as long as the accommodation does not constitute an undue hardship to the employer. Employees who believe they may be eligible for RA should contact a civil rights officer and/or the Union. • RA may include, but not limited to: making facilities readily accessible and usable by disabled persons, job restructuring, part-time or modified work schedules, acquisition or modification of equipment or devices, appropriate adjustment or modification of examinations, the provision of readers and interpreters, and other similar actions.

18. Useful Links • NTEU Contract on the government web site: • http://cbpnet.cbp.dhs.gov/linkhandler/cbpnet/hrm/for_employees/labor_news/bargain_agree.ctt/bargain_agree.pdf • Electronic position descriptions: • https://apps.cbpnet.cbp.dhs.gov/sites/epd/Pages/PdsSeach.aspx • Telework brochures: • http://cbpnet.cbp.dhs.gov/linkhandler/cbpnet/hrm/for_employees/hr_guides_emplys/telework_advantage_emp.ctt/telework_advantage_emp.pdf • eOPF: http://cbpnet.cbp.dhs.gov/xp/cbpnet/hrm/for_employees/info_about_you/eop_folder/eopf_faq.xml • Joint Awards Committee FAQ: • http://cbpnet.cbp.dhs.gov/xp/cbpnet/hrm/tool_kit/awards/joint_awards/jac_faq.xml • JAC (and other) Award Nomination Form: http://cbpnet/linkhandler/cbpnet/toolbox/forms/cbp_forms/1_300/1_300_awards.ctt/1_300_awards.pdf • NTEU web site at: http://www.nteu.org/NTEU/

19. Joining the Union • Standard Form 1187 for payroll deduction • Dues vary with Grade and Step • From $12.36 to $20.96 per pay period • Remember to include your personal email address

20. CBP Chapter 128 Contacts

21. Questions …to ensure that every federal employee is treated with dignity and respect!