Article 18: Details

Section 1

A detail is defined as the temporary assignment of an employee to a different position or to a different set of job duties for a specified period with the employee returning to their regular duties at the end of the detail.  The provisions of this Article apply only to details to bargaining unit positions, except for the provisions of Section 2(C), and Section 4, which applies to all details within the Agency.  Details will be made in accordance with applicable laws, rules, regulations, and this Article.

Section 2

A. The Employer has the right to detail employees based upon staffing, mission, and workload requirements. The Employer agrees to reasonably consider assertions by an employee that the detail will cause or is causing undue personal hardship.

B. Consistent with Section 1 and Section 2(A) of this Article, the Employer will follow the following procedures prior to effecting the detail of any employee:

1) The Employer will specify the qualifications required for the detail and will provide them to the union if requested;

2) The Employer will identify the pool of employees qualified for the detail;

3) The Employer will solicit volunteers within the pool of qualified employees;

4) The Employer will compare the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the duties of the position to be filled;

5) If there are more volunteers than needed, then the Employer may select the most qualified volunteer consistent with Subsection B (4) above.  If volunteers are equally qualified, the employee(s) with the most seniority will be detailed; and

6) If there are not enough volunteers, the least senior employee(s) will be detailed, unless there is another employee with superior qualifications whose detail would better serve the staffing, workload or mission requirements of the Employer.

C. An employee will not be involuntarily detailed to a non-bargaining unit position within the Agency, unless necessary to meet the Employer's workload, staffing or mission requirements. In the event that an employee is involuntarily detailed to such a position, the Employer will promptly notify the Union of the detail and the reasons therefore.

Section 3

Absent extraordinary circumstances, an employee will receive at least fourteen (14) calendar days advance notice of selection for an involuntary detail to a different official duty station.  In all other cases, the employee will receive reasonable advance notice.

Section 4

A. An employee who is qualified for, and detailed to, a higher graded bargaining unit position for a period of more than thirty (30) consecutive calendar days will be temporarily promoted to the higher graded position effective with the beginning of the first (1st) full pay period after the detail begins and documented by a Standard Form 50, Notification of Personnel Action. The employee will be paid at the higher grade for the duration of the temporary promotion, the term of which will be no more than one hundred twenty (120) calendar days.

B. Details for more than one hundred twenty (120) days to higher graded positions or positions with higher promotion potential must be competed in accordance with Article 16 (Merit Promotion Procedures) of this Agreement.

C. Although there is no entitlement to an award, the Employer will consider giving an award to an employee detailed to a higher-graded position or assigned higher-graded duties but ineligible for a promotion.

Section 5

Details of more than thirty (30) calendar days, and all temporary promotions, will be documented in the employee’s Official Personnel Folder (OPF) in accordance with OPM regulations.

Section 6

Employees detailed outside their permanent Official Duty Station are entitled to reimbursement of travel expenses in accordance with law, rules, and regulations.