Policy Alerts RECOGNITION AND AWARDS The most significant changes to VA Directive and Handbook 5017, Employee Recognition and Awards, include: * Expands eligibility for Superior Performance Awards to 38 employees. * Clarifies that Quality Step Increases may only be granted within the grade level that it was earned. * Increases non-tangible award values in Part III, Appendix A. * Updates and replaces the delegation authorities to approve incentive awards for each of the Administrations. ENTRANCE AND EXIT SURVEYS VA Directive 5004 is being reissued in its entirety to set forth the policies and responsibilities for implementing the entrance and exit survey processes. The purpose of these surveys is to provide new employees the opportunity to communicate their reasons for choosing employment with VA and voluntarily separating employees the opportunity to communicate their reasons for leaving. The information will assist VA in identifying methods to improve recruitment and marketing efforts as well as employee retention. SPECIAL RETIREMENT PROVISIONS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS POLICY VA has issued a policy regarding procedures for requesting an exemption for Law Enforcement Officers (LEO) and Firefighters (FF) from the mandatory separation age. This policy outlines procedures for requesting an exemption for LEO and FF to the mandatory retirement separation age of 57. There are different procedures for making an exemption based on the two separate retirement systems, Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS)/Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS), under which LEO and FF can retire based on mandatory separation due to age. Sample memorandums and letters were created to make processing mandatory retirement/separations for LEO and FF and for requesting an exemption of the mandatory separation an easier transition for Human Resources offices. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST QUALIFICATION STANDARD
Policy Alerts RECOGNITION AND AWARDS The most significant changes to VA Directive and Handbook 5017, Employee Recognition and Awards, include: * Expands eligibility for Superior Performance Awards to 38 employees. * Clarifies that Quality Step Increases may only be granted within the grade level that it was earned. * Increases non-tangible award values in Part III, Appendix A. * Updates and replaces the delegation authorities to approve incentive awards for each of the Administrations. ENTRANCE AND EXIT SURVEYS VA Directive 5004 is being reissued in its entirety to set forth the policies and responsibilities for implementing the entrance and exit survey processes. The purpose of these surveys is to provide new employees the opportunity to communicate their reasons for choosing employment with VA and voluntarily separating employees the opportunity to communicate their reasons for leaving. The information will assist VA in identifying methods to improve recruitment and marketing efforts as well as employee retention. SPECIAL RETIREMENT PROVISIONS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS POLICY VA has issued a policy regarding procedures for requesting an exemption for Law Enforcement Officers (LEO) and Firefighters (FF) from the mandatory separation age. This policy outlines procedures for requesting an exemption for LEO and FF to the mandatory retirement separation age of 57. There are different procedures for making an exemption based on the two separate retirement systems, Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS)/Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS), under which LEO and FF can retire based on mandatory separation due to age. Sample memorandums and letters were created to make processing mandatory retirement/separations for LEO and FF and for requesting an exemption of the mandatory separation an easier transition for Human Resources offices. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST QUALIFICATION STANDARD
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