LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- Civilians and some military personnel packed the Walters Community Support Center April 24, 2018, for a Civilian All Call covering hiring, NAFpay website, personnel evaluations, Government Retirement and Benefits platform and civilian decorations.
The 19th Force Support Squadron’s Civilian Personnel Flight hosted the event to discuss relevant topics and to provide education regarding personnel programs as they apply to Little Rock Air Force Base’s workforce.
Hiring Update
Lisa Alkire, Civilian Personnel Flight officer, opened the all call with a quick update on the hiring status at the base and the 45 approximate vacancies in the 19th Airlift Wing, not including the various tenant units.
“Air Force Personnel Center right now has updated their stats, we were about 80 days from the time we sent the request for personnel action down to having the body in the seat,” Alkire said. “Now, we’re at 180 days.”
This delay is an enterprise-wide challenge and the Air Force has increased limited direct-hiring authorities, to get individuals in more quickly in response, Alkire relayed.
“We do have an additional reassignment authority,” she said. “So if you know you have a vacancy in your section, and you know somebody from the Army who’s qualified and we can reassign, let your boss know, because we can do that non-competitively.”
Non-Appropriated Fund
Jennifer Hughes, Human Resources Assistant focused on the Non-Appropriated Fund employees.
Hughes said the https:nafpay.afsv.net website as one of the hottest topics they get questions about. She explained that after NAF employees logged in, this was the home page for getting into My Money, which houses options such as My LES, My W4 Elections, My W2, My Allotments and more.
“I want you to become familiar with this. You can look at your LES, you can do W4 elections, you can do that federal or state,” Hughes said. “You can get your W2, change allotments, and more.”
Additionally, she discussed how NAF employees should update their address and other personal information when it changes to make sure their W2s go to the right address if they leave NAF employment.
“Please log in every pay period, to ensure the accuracy of your paycheck,” Hughes said. “It’s ultimately the employee’s responsibility to make sure everything looks right, especially if you are working a variable schedule, and every week your schedule is different.”
DPMAP Update
Human Resources Specialist Jennifer Elswick stepped up next with an update on Appropriated Fund personnel appraisals under the new system, Department of Defense Performance Management Appraisal Program. One area of focus was the dates for certain steps in the current appraisal cycle with the last date being April 28, Higher Level Reviewer Approves.
“Right now we are finishing up the 2018 appraisals,” Elswick said. “Currently we only have about 30 percent of the base right now that has been to higher level reviewers.”
Supervisors and employees should be working together to complete the appraisals so employees have a chance at being recognized with performance-based awards.
Another important milestone in this process is that the 2019 appraisal cycle started April 1, 2018, and that everyone’s plan should be created and approved by May 28, 2018.
“Everybody should be getting with their supervisors and getting new elements created,” Elswick said.
It is recommended that employees also determine if they have the correct supervisor loaded into My Biz, as the supervisor needs to have 90 days to rate the employee. With many military supervisors changing out regularly, it’s very important that personnel make sure the current supervisor information is correct in the system by notifying the Civilian Personnel Flight.
Information on DPMAP is available on the LRAFB website, under http://www.littlerock.af.mil/Units/Civil-Service/New-Beginnings/.
Government Retirement and Benefits Platform
Peggy Mathews, Human Resources Assistant, spoke about Understanding the Government Retirement and Benefits Platform, which can be found through the Air Force portal, or at https://w45.afpc.randolph.af.mil/afpcsecurenet40/PKI/MainMenu1.aspx. This is an application employees can use to make changes and updates to their health insurance, life insurance, Thrift Savings Plan and other personal benefit information. It also replaces the Employee Benefits Information System.
“Here is where you’ll be able to view your estimated retirement date and other information, and you can also put in your retirement application itself,” Mathews said. “There is a webinar as well that talks about Federal Employees Retirement System retirement.”
Furthermore, there are updates to the time-in-service awards and employees should update civilian decorations in their records.
An explanation of the different types of civilian awards was provided. This subject received so much interest that more detail will be provided at the next Civilian All Call. Until then, more information about the types of awards and justifications is available at. http://www.littlerock.af.mil/Units/Civil-Service/Awards-Forms-and-Samples/.
The Civilian Personnel flight is looking for suggestions for the next all call. Send all suggestions to littlerockstaffing@us.af.mil.