Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory : Employee Resources

Employee Resources

General Employee Information:
• Benefits • Directories • Emergency • Gov-Fuel • Government Property • Health & Safety • Manuscripts / Projects • Pay & Leave • Policies • Purchasing • Training • Travel / Relocation • SharePoint • Visitors (Citizen/Non-Citizen)

Miscellaneous Information:
• Calendars • FAQ's • Images • Libraries • Mailing & Shipping

Standard Operating Procedures for administrative procedures can be found at P:\Admin\SOPs

General Employee Information:

Benefits: Insurance and Retirement Programs

Employee Personal Page (EPP)
Employee Handbook - everything you need to know about your federal pay and benefits
Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI)
FEGLI Calculator - Calculate the premiums for the various combinations of coverage and more!
FEGLI Forms
Federal Employees Health (FEHB) Benefit Program
Insurance Plan Search - You can create a comparison by zip code, plan name or plan code.
Insurance Form SF 2809 Employees can enroll, change, or cancel their enrollment. (18 pgs, PDF) (Also see REE-FORMS)
Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
Retirement and Insurance Forms
Retirement Calculator (OPM's Federal Ballpark E$timate)
Retirement Information and Services
Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)

Self-Service Fact Sheet (PDF; 29KB)

WAEPA - a non-government web site detailing a life insurance option for government employees and their families.

Employee Information

New Employee Orientation (online-AFM/Human Resources)
New Employee Orientation Program Guide (REE ARS/AFM)
NPARL Employee Handbook

Introduction
Safety

REE Safety

EEO/Civil Rights

REE Ethics Topical Index
Harrassment Pamphlet (PDF; 4.3MB)
Programs Brochure (PDF; 39 KB)
Reasonable Accommodation (PDF; 702 KB)
Workplace Violence (PDF; 879 KB)

Ethics (PDF; 4.3MB)

Links to Topics

Training (PDF; 10 MB)

e-AUTH Account Registration Aid

Information Technology (PDF; 11 MB)

P&P 253.4 - Use of Information Technology

Government Owned Vehicles (PDF; 144 KB)
Travel (PDF; 1 MB)
Pay & Leave (PDF; 9.6MB)

P&P 402.1 - Flexible Work Schedule
P&P 402.3 - Premium Pay
P&P 402.6 - Common Types of Leave

Employees Invest in ARS

Your Two Cents - Share your ideas, best practices and innovations for your work, your office & your organization. Put your two cents out there for Agency leaders (and all of ARS if you choose!) and tune back in for discussion and appropriate actions in the coming months.
Voices - the NPA Diversity Task Force compiled a publication (PDF) called “VOICES”, as a way of communicating with Area employees about the many facets of diversity.

Directories
- Directories and other contact information throughout ARS can be found here. (NPACOP website)
- NPARL Office Extensions (PDF; 13KB)
Emergency
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- NPARL Office Dismissal or Closure Procedures (PDF; 56 KB)
Health and Safety
- ARS Emergency Readiness
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Reporting Employee Health-related Absences (PDF; 35 KB)
- Federal Occupational Health
- NPARL Safety Information
- Requests for repairs or maintenance (PDF; 240 KB)
- USDA Employee Wellness

Manuscript Information

Research Manuscripts

Helpful Hints for submitting NPARL author (PDF; 42 KB)
Policy Memorandum-08-001 - Manuscripts/Publications to Websites
Policy Memorandum-05-001 - Foreign Correspondence / Reprint Requests from Restricted Countries
ARIS Manuscript Entry Form ARS-115 (PDF; 180 KB)
Non-ARS Author Permission Form (PDF; 189 KB)
ARS Peer Review Form ARS-533 (PDF; 26 KB; also see REE-FORMS)

Other Scientist Info:

Office of Scientific Quality Review - OSQR
Research Position Evaluation System - RPES
Preparing Your RPES Case (116 pg PDF; 706 KB

Projects and Funding Information

Northern Plains Area Grants & Agreements
Agreements Information Management System (AIMS) User's Guide
Grants & Agreements Decision Tree
AFM Extramural Agreements Process
National Programs

Project Forms

Agreements SOP (PDF; 145KB)
Letter of Intent
   (Fillable PDF-2009; 142 KB, or Instructions; MS Word; 76 KB)
Projects (non-funded and/or greater than or equal to $25,000
   (Incoming Agreements ARIS-AIMS Template-2010; 62 KB)
   (SCA process; PDF; 30 KB)
   (416-417/NFCA Fillable Template PDF-2010; 91 KB)
ARIS Templates are also available in Chapter 16 of the manual
- click here for more information.

Pay and Leave

Time Sheet| EOP| EPP| Leave Transfer Program| Overtime Authorization| Comp Time

Where is my time sheet?
Employees can now access their timesheets online through NFC's WebTA at https://wtausda.nfc.usda.gov/usda/. Partial hours are recorded in 15 minute increments. See SOP(PDF; 20 KB) for more information in PDF format.

Your regular scheduled work hours must be accounted for each day. Time can be recorded using different transaction codes; either 01-regular hours worked, 61-annual leave (vacation), 62-sick leave, 62-62-family sick leave, 29- or 50-credit, 32 or 64-compensatory, 32-78/64-78-travel compensatory or other (66-federal holiday, 71-LWOP).
See the Administrative Officer if you need to change the number of hours you are scheduled to work.

Pay and Leave Resources - AFM

Salary Tables - OPM (locality used for the Locality Pay Area of Rest of U.S.)

Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF) Access - use MS Internet Explorer to access this self-service tool that enables you to electronically view and print your OPF documents, and to update your vital Emergency Data.
Web address: https://eopf.nbc.gov/landing/
Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF) - Frequently Asked Question (PDF)
Employee Personal Page (EPP) - to access your payroll information.
Leave Transfer Program
- This program is available for employees to apply as a recipient or donate annual leave, click here to link to the HR Forms page; scroll down to "R"; then click on the desired form number to download a a Word file (listed in bold below).
- - Recipient Personal Application (REE-3A; Word 71 KB)
  - Recipient Family Application (REE-3B; 84 KB)
  - Donor Application (REE-4; 41 KB)
- Outside of ARS - Leave Transfer Program Donor (OPM630-B, See REE-FORMS)
Preapproved Overtime/Comp Time Authorization
- Blanket Memo (PDF; 21 KB)
  (click here for an example; PDF; 18 KB)
- Case by Case Form (PDF; 44 KB)
Telework Program - what is it? Read about the program here.
- REE 45 Teelwork Form
What is Comp Travel time?
- How do I record extra time that I work?
  1. Credit time is accrued when you choose to work more than your scheduled hours with supervisor permission and the maximum balance.
  2. Comp time is when your supervisor requires you to work over your regular scheduled hours. (Click here for more information.)
- Basic Question and Answer Sheet - HQ email dated 2/1/2005 (PDF; 29 KB)
- Overview Chart of Comp Travel (PDF; 28 KB)
- Visual Chart of Comp Travel (PDF; 77 KB)
- Figuring Your Comp Travel Hours Worksheet (PDF; 297 KB)

Policies

Policies, Procedures and Manuals
Bulletins (Bulletins outline revised policy and procedures)
Frequently Asked Questions - Office of Personnel Management
NPA Policy Memorandums

Purchasing Information

Acquisition Tool Kit

Forms

Purchase Request AD-700 (See REE-FORMS)

Reimbursement Claim SF-1164 (See REE-FORMS)

Integrated Acquisition System (IAS)

USDA Use of Purchase Guide (DR 5013-6) and other related alternative payment methods.

NPA Purchase Information

NPARL Purchasing Procedures (PDF; 44 KB)

REE Purchase Card Program 213.3 Manual

Vendors (Please utilize this specified order)

Activity Inventory (On-Hand Stock/Cupboard Stock)

Excess Personal Property

UNICOR (Federal Prison Industries)

AbilityOne (JWOD, NIB, NISH included)

GSA Federal Acquisition Service
(GSA Advantage| GSA Global Supply| GSA Excess)

Mandatory Federal Supply Schedules (See the LAPC)

Intramalls

Optional Federal Supply Schedules (See the LAPC)

Commercial Sources

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Training
- Ag-Learn -USDA
- Ethics Training -USDA
- Employee Development P&P
- Employee Individual Development Plan/Training Website
- Government Online Learning Center (GoLearn) - OPM
- SF-182: How to fill out a Training Request (SOP) - (PDF; 205 KB)
  - Aglearn offers an SF-182 Online Interactive Course for users on how to complete and submit an SF-182 external training request through AgLearn. In addition, this course also provides instructions for supervisors and managers on how to approve and verify training events for submitted requests.
- Training Resources - AFM
- USDA e-Authentication
Travel

Travel Steps| Travel Card| Contributed or Foreign| Relocation

What do you need to do for travel? (Click highlighted text below for PDF)
For additional information please see also the GovTrip and Temporary Duty Travel Web Site

NPARL Travel Procedures (PDF; 54 KB)
- Travel Step 1, Authorization:
  - Travel Request (PDF; 63 KB)
    (Several weeks before travel begins)
    - Limited Open Travel Request is used for frequent travel for
      field work purposes.
    - Request Actual Subsistence
      (MS Word; 2 KB) (only when exceed allowed allowed per diem)
      Click here for an example (PDF; 23 KB).
- Travel Step 2, Reservations:
  - Travel SOP for NPARL employees (PDF; 110 KB)
  - Fedrooms
    (1-800-226-1741 or email hotels@fedrooms.com)
  - FEMA Certified Hotel Listing
- Travel Step 3, Other Information:
  - GSA Travel Resources
  - Per Diem Rates (Domestic)
  - Per Diem Rates (Foreign)
  - Personal Owned Vehicle (POV) Mileage Rates
  - GOV Alternative Fuel Locations
    - Roadside Service Program Alert
    - Alternative Fuels Alert
  - State Tax Exempt Forms Library - (Exempt Forms for California, Delaware, DC, Florida, Louisiana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia)
- Travel Step 4, Reimbursement:
  - Reimbursement Cover Sheet (PDF; 96 KB)
    (Complete within 5 days after returning home)
    - Figuring Comp Travel (mostly FSLA Exempt employees)
    - Reimbursement Claim SF-1164 (For expenses not related to travel)
Travel Card (For those traveling more than once a year, the first 3 forms must be completed, signed and returned to the front office. Click on highlighted text below for PDF's)
- Application- See administrative personnel
- Travel Card Acknowledgement (2 pages; PDF; 17 KB)
- Travel Card Training
- Travel Card Payment - (Access Online)
Foreign Travel
Submit the information form to your unit secretary to enter into FTIS. It can then be tracked for its authorization level.
- Information Needed for Secretary Office Foreign Travel Report (PDF; 17 KB)
  (Note: Head Quarters Authorization may take up to 3-4 weeks)
Contributed Funds
(Non-federal source, greater than $250 and must be authorized by Area Director. Submit the Invitation Letter, the Through-Letter Request and the original signed Official Duty Approval to your travel coordinator)
- Conflict of Interest
  (Employee completes pages 1-2 and signs page 2; Area office authorizes; PDF; 201 KB)
Relocation Reimbursement
- Travel Reimbursement Cover Sheet (PDF; 96 KB)
- Expense Record for Temporary Quarters AD-569
  (PDF; 177KB; or see REE-FORMS)
- Relocation Guide
- Travel Safety Information
What do I do if I am expecting a foreign visitor (non-citizen)?
For NPARL standard operating procedures, click here (PDF; 24 KB).
- Complete Non-Citizen Visitor Form and submit to the AO. More advance notice and more information is required for a non-citizen staying longer than 10 days.
- Non-citizens must sign in/out with each entry/exit and are escorted on ARS property only between the hours of 6:00 am and 6:00 pm, Mon-Fri.
- Notify the AO with any changes or if the visitor cancels the trip.

Miscellaneous Information

Calendars

NPA Calendar
NPA OA Calendar
AgNIC


Frequently Asked Questions for New Employees

What are the office hours?
Core office hours are 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM, although employees are allowed a flexible schedule with supervisor permission.

How many people are employed here?
There are 47 permanent full time employees. During the summer season, employment can increase up to 70-75 people.

How often do I get paid?
Paychecks are issued bi-weekly and you will receive your first pay check 3 weeks after you begin duty.

How do I access SharePoint? (use MS Internet Explorer only)
Go to https://arsnet.usda.gov/ and sign on using your email ID and password.

Can I use government owned property for personal use?
Read USDA Office of Ethics Rules for more information.

Can I use work computers or other government property for personal use?
Please read P&P 253.4 and/or USDA's Office of Ethics Newsletter, page 5.

What do I do if I need to remove government owned items off location?
A Property Pass (Form AD-873) must be on file. Please check with the property management officer or administrative officer for further questions .

How do I get repair or maintenance done in my office or lab?
Fill out a work order (PDF; 240 KB) and turn in to the maintenance department.

How do I get keys to perform my duties in other buildings?
See standard procedures for key dissemination (PDF; 103 KB).

What to do if I am expecting a visitor (U.S. citizen)?
All visitors must sign in at the front desk and receive a visitors badge.

Where can I look for a permanent federal job?

ARS Career Page

NPA Career Page

NPARL Career Page

Scientist Postings

USA Jobs

USDA Job Search

Images

NPARL Photo Gallery
NPARL Station Gallery

ARS Image Gallery


Libraries

Digitop
National Agricultural Library

Mailing and Shipping

What is the best way to send a shipment?
Postage meter is accessed by the front office only. See Nikki or Jill for more information.

Carrier
Contracted Carrier-3/1/2011
UPS Ground USPS Fed Ex

Concern
overnight, 2-day, or ground in 5-7 business days
(all HAZMAT labels must be removed or items declared)
No time constraints 1-4 days or ground

How soon do they need to receive it?

Do you need to track it? Yes Yes Yes

Do you need notification of delivery? Yes
online/email Yes
online/postcard Yes
online/email

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