Overview:
The WiTS Employee Relations (ER) Case workflow is used by the Workforce Relations Division (WRD) in the Office of Human Resources (OHR) to document the work of one specific situation for one employee involving performance, conduct, medical, or any other issue that affects productivity, work-place relationships, and a healthy morale.
Entering and reviewing the data: Tabs
WiTS workflows are comprised of ‘Tabs’, which are completed in consecutive order by one or more persons. Below is a list of what information is captured in each tab of this workflow.
Action Details Tab
- WiTS#
- Date Entered
- Action Type
- Date Recv’d in HR
- Is this ER Case related to a Civil Case
- Related Civil Case Number
- Civil Party Information to Include
- Related Civil Program Specialist
- IC Contact Last Name, First Name, Email Address
- Administrative Code, Institute/Center, Organization Initials
- ER Branch Chief
- ER Team
- ER Specialist/Assigned ER Specialist (when case is closed)
- ER Team Leader
- Verify/select valid ER Specialist if returning to active status (when case is closed)
- Last Saved/Updated By
- Action Status Code
- Comments
- Action Status/Description
- Is this a Sensitive Case?
Employee Tab
- Last Name, First Name, & MI
- Employee ID
- Position Title, Pay Plan, Series, Grade, Step, FLSA Status, & Bargaining Unit
- Probation End Date
- SES Probation End Date
- Supervisory Status
- Supervisory Probation End Date
- Last Official Performance Rating
- Date of Last Official Performance Rating
- Last Preliminary Performance Rating
- Date of Last Preliminary Performance Rating
- Next WGI Eligibility Date
- Prior Discipline
- Appointment NTE Date
Case Tab
- Type of Case
- Issue
- Number of Related Consultations
- Date Supervisor Contacted
- Follow Up Date
- Comments
Outcome Tab
- Type of Case
- Deciding Official’s Last Name, First Name, Email address
- Proposing Official’s Last Name, First Name, Email address
- Proposed Action-
These additional fields are tracked if the Proposed Action is:
Demotion
- Proposed Issuance Date
- Reply Period End Date
- Decision Issuance Date
- Final Action-
These additional fields are tracked if the Final Action is:
MOU
- Is MOU in lieu of Removal?
- Is MOU prior to issuance of proposed action?
- Is MOU after notice of proposed action?
ODAP
- ODAP Start Date
- ODAP End Date
- ODAP Period Business Days
Oral Counseling
- Date of Oral Counseling
Removal
- Effective Date of Removal
Reprimand
- Date to Purge Letter from eOPF
- Date Reprimand Issued
Resignation
- Effective Date of Resignation
- Is Resignation in lieu of Termination?
Special Leave Procedures
- SLP/Leave Restriction Start Date
- SLP/Leave Restriction End Date
Suspension- 14 days or less
- 1st -6th Suspension Effective Date
- 1st -6th Suspension End Date
Suspension- More than 14 days
- 1st -6th Suspension Effective Date
- 1st -6th Suspension End Date
Termination During Probationary Period
- Effective Date of Termination
WGI Denial
- Date of WGI Denial
Written Counseling
- Date of Employee’s Acknowledgment of Receipt
Appeal Tab
- Type of Case
- Did Employee Appeal
- Appellate Body
- Date of Appeal Decision
- Third Party Appeal Decision
- Appeal Comments
Case Closure Tab
- Date Sent for Processing
- Date Case Closed
- Follow-up Date
- Follow-up Notification Details
Note: Once an ER Case action is closed in WiTS, it is sent to a Closed status for 1 year before it is automatically Archived. While an ER Case action is in a closed status, it can be re-activated by an ER specialist. Once an ER Case is Archived, it cannot be re-activated.
Moving through the workflow: Routing Participants
ER Specialist (Initiates Action) then
ER Team Lead (Optional Review) then
ER Branch Chief (Optional Review) then
ERA/ERS/ER Team Lead or Branch Chief (Closes Action)
Routing Options
The routing menu is used to move actions through the process and/or to send emails. The options and email recipients may change based on who has the action in their worklist.
When the case is in the ‘Initiate’ step:
- Close Case (Final Action Taken)
- Close Case (No Final Action Taken)
- Close Case (No Appeal Decision)
- Send to ER Team Leader
- Send to ER Assistant
- Send to ER Branch Chief
- Cancel Action
When the case is in the ‘1st Level Review’ step:
- Send to ER Specialist
- Send to ER Assistant
- Send to ER Branch Chief
- Close Case (Final Action Taken)
- Close Case (No Final Action Taken)
- Close Case (No Appeal Decision)
- Cancel Action
When the case is in the ‘Final Review’ step:
- Send ER Specialist
- Send to ER Assistant
- Send to ER Team Leader
- Close Case (Final Action Taken)
- Close Case (No Final Action Taken)
- Close Case (No Appeal Decision)
- Cancel Action
When the case is in the ‘Processing’ step:
- Send ER Specialist
- Send to ER Team Leader
- Close Case (Final Action Taken)
- Close Case (No Final Action Taken)
- Cancel Action
For CLOSED ER Actions, the routing options are:
- Archive Case
- Return Case to Active
- Cancel Action
Communicating status and reminders: Email
Based on established SLA's and/or business rules, email notifications and reminders are automatically sent from WiTS throughout the completion of the workflow.
Subject: Reminder: Appeal Timelines for ER Case WiTS #12345 –
-Sent to the HR Specialist when 15, 25, 40 days have passed after the ‘Date Case Closed’ on the ER Case form, 30 days after for the MSPB and Admin Grievance, and 45 days for EEO.
Subject: Reminder: WiTS ER Action(s) About to Auto-Archive -
-Sent to the HR Specialist 5 days before the action is set to archive.
Subject: Follow-up Reminder for ER Case WiTS #12345 –
-Sent to the HR Specialist on the follow-up day.
Subject: Reminder: Follow Up with Supervisor on [supervisor follow up date] for ER Case WiTS #12345–
-Sent to the HR Specialist 5 days prior to the Supervisory follow-up field.
Subject: Reminder: Document in eOPF needs to be purged on [purge date]–
-Sent to the HR Specialist 14 days prior to the Date to Purge Letter from eOPF.
Subject: Reminder: Follow Up 14 days--WGI denied on [Date WGI Denied]–
-Sent to the HR Specialist 90 and 336 days after the date the WGI was denied.
Subject: ER/Civil Review Required (Senior Level Pay Action Placed on HOLD) -
-Sent to the ER Specialist, Branch Chief, HR Specialist, or other department representative when there is a ER Case or ER Consultation for an Employee that is active or closed, a Civil Case or Consultation is active or was completed less than a year ago, and no previous email has been sent.