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1.1 What is the purpose of this chapter? This chapter provides
policy and guidance for implementing the Student Educational Employment
Program within the Service.
1.2
To whom does this chapter apply? This chapter applies to all Student
Educational Employment Program participants and their managers and supervisors.
1.3
What are the authorities for the Student Educational Employment Program?
A.
Executive Order 12015.
B. 5 CFR 213.3202.
C. DOI Personnel
Bulletin No. 02-05 (338), November 6, 2001.
1.4 Who is responsible for administering
the Student Educational Employment Program?
A. The Director has
responsibility for Servicewide direction of the Student Educational
Employment Program.
B. The Assistant Director-Budget, Planning,
and Human Resources has overall responsibility for effective
administration of the program and for ensuring compliance with all applicable
laws, regulations, and policies.
C. Regional Directors;
Chief, Law Enforcement; and Assistant Directors are responsible
for planning, coordinating, implementing, and monitoring program activities
within their areas of responsibility.
D. The Chief, Division of Human Resources
is responsible for overseeing and coordinating the program within the
Service.
E. The Director, National Conservation
Training Center has responsibility for policy and procedures
regarding Individual Development Plans.
F. The Regional Human Resources Officers
and Chiefs, Branches of Diversity and Civil Rights are
responsible for carrying out the policies and procedures of the program in
accordance with agency directives and regulatory guidance within their
respective Region.
G. Managers and
Supervisors are responsible for identifying target
positions for student conversions; notifying their servicing human resources
office of changes in students' employment status; obtaining copies of
students' transcripts to verify that students continue to meet eligibility
criteria at the end of each quarter/semester; ensuring that SCEP students
meet educational goals and that work experiences are related to the students'
major fields of study; developing Individual Development Plans for program
participants; assigning mentors and orienting students to the Service; and
monitoring students' performance and conduct.
1.5 What are the
definitions for terms used in this chapter?
A. Accredited. An accredited
institution or program is a secondary or post-secondary institution or
program that is legally authorized to offer academic programs that lead to a
diploma, certificate, or degree and is formally recognized by an accrediting
agency listed as nationally recognized by the Secretary of Education.
B. Break in program. A break in program
is a period of time when a program participant is working but is unable to go
to school or is neither attending classes nor working at the Service. The
Service may use its discretion to either approve or deny a break in program.
C.
Student. A student, for purposes of the Service's Student
Employment Program, is an individual who has:
(1) Been accepted for
enrollment or who is enrolled as a degree (diploma, certificate, etc.)
seeking student in an accredited high school, technical, or vocational
school, 2-year or 4-year college or university, or graduate or professional
school.
(2) Is taking at least
a half-time academic/vocational/ or technical course load. (The definition of
half-time is the definition provided by the school in which the student is
enrolled.) Students need not be in actual physical attendance so long as all
other requirements are met. An individual who needs to complete less than the
equivalent of half an academic/vocational or technical course load in the
class enrollment period immediately prior to graduating is still considered a
student for purposes of the Student Educational Employment Program.
D. Student Educational
Employment Program. The Student Educational Employment Program
is an employment program that provides students with an opportunity to earn
money and continue their education through training with people who manage
the day-to-day business of the Federal Government by combining academic study
with on-the-job experience. The Student Educational Employment Program has
two components:
(1) Student Temporary
Employment Program (STEP). Students in the Student Temporary
Employment Program may work full-time or part-time schedules at any time
during the year. There are no limitations on the number of hours they may
work per week, but their work schedules should not interfere with their
academic schedules. Students in this Program are appointed to positions not
to exceed 1 year; however, appointments may be extended in 1-year increments
as long as the individual meets the definition of a student. The nature of a
student's duties does not have to be related to the student's academic/career
goals. Students are not eligible for noncompetitive conversion to term,
career, or career-conditional appointments, but they may be converted to the
Student Career Experience Program. Students in the STEP program are not
required to have a written agreement among themselves, the Service, and their
educational institutions.
(2)
Student Career Experience Program (SCEP). The Student Career
Experience Program is a formally structured program that, before a student is
employed, requires a written agreement that must be developed and signed by
the student and by representatives of the Service and of the student's
school, describing the nature of work assignments (which must be related to
the student's academic/career goals); schedule of work assignments and class
attendance; evaluation procedures; and requirements for continuation and
successful completion of the program. There are no limitations on the number
of hours students may work per week, but their work schedules should not
interfere with their academic schedules. Appointments are subject to all of
the conditions and requirements governing term, career, or career-conditional
employment, including an investigation to establish an appointee's
qualifications and suitability. Appointments of participants who have met all
the requirements of the program may be noncompetitively converted to term,
career, or career-conditional appointments at any time after satisfactory
completion of the requirements for his/her diploma, certificate, or degree.
1.6 Are there any
other considerations and eligibility requirements that apply to participants
in the Student Educational Employment Program? Other
considerations and eligibility requirements that apply to participants in the
Student Educational Employment Program are:
A. Student. The participant
must meet the definition of a "student" as described in paragraph 1.5C above.
Students enrolling in GED courses and pursuing a GED diploma are included in
the definition of a student. Due to the general nature of the coursework, the
student might not be eligible for the Student Career Experience Program but
would be eligible for the Student Temporary Employment Program.
B. Citizenship. The Service may
appoint a noncitizen provided that the student is lawfully admitted to the
United States as a permanent resident or otherwise authorized to be employed
and provided that the Service is authorized to pay aliens under the annual
appropriations act ban and any Department- or Service-specific enabling and
appropriation statutes.
C. Age. The student must
be at least 16 years of age.
D.
Financial need/minimum academic requirements. Federal agencies
are authorized to impose criteria for financial need or minimum academic
requirements. However, the Service's policy is not to establish any criteria
that could reduce the pool of potential participants in the Student
Educational Employment Program.
E.
Relatives.
Students may work with a relative when there is no direct reporting
relationship and the relative is not in a position to influence or control
the student's appointment, employment, promotion, or advancement within the
Service. Therefore sons or daughters of Service employees may participate in
the Student Educational Employment Program, subject to the requirement in the
preceding sentence.
1.7 What type of
appointment do students in the Student Educational Employment Program
receive? All students in the Student Educational
Employment Program (whether STEP or SCEP) receive Schedule B, excepted
service, appointments. Students are appointed to positions not to exceed 1
year. Appointments may be extended in 1-year increments as long as the
individual meets the definition of a student as described in paragraph 1.5C above.
1.8 How are Student
Educational Employment Program jobs classified? Classification of
Student Educational Employment Program jobs within the Service is based on
the occupational series for which students are hired. Grade levels are set
according to the criteria in the appropriate General Schedule (GS) or Wage
Grade (WG) classification standard. Refer also to DOI Personnel Bulletin No. 02-05
(338). SCEP students appointed to General Schedule (GS) positions are
classified as student trainees in the X99 series for the appropriate
occupational group.
1.9
Do students in the Student Educational Employment Program count against FTE
ceilings?
Students in the Student Educational Employment Program do count against FTE
ceilings. See OMB Circular No. A-11, Section 32.3(b).
1.10 Are students in
the Student Educational Employment Program eligible for promotions? Students in the
Student Educational Employment Program are eligible for promotions.
Promotions should be documented as a conversion to another excepted
appointment, citing the same authority for the original appointment and
maintaining the original not-to-exceed (NTE) date.
1.11
Do students in the Student Educational Employment Program earn annual and
sick leave?
Students in the Student Educational Employment Program earn both annual and
sick leave.
1.12
Do students in the Student Educational Employment Program have retirement
coverage?
Students in the Student Temporary Employment Program are generally ineligible
for retirement coverage. Refer to 5 CFR 831.201 and 842.105 for specific information. Students
in the Student Career Experience Program, with no prior service or with less
than 5 years of prior civilian service, are generally covered by the Federal
Employees Retirement System (FERS). Refer to 5 CFR 842.
1.13 Are students in
the Student Educational Employment Program eligible for life insurance and
health benefits coverage? For regulations regarding life
insurance and health benefits coverage, refer to 5 CFR 870.202, 890.102, and 890.502.
1.14 Can the Service
pay for training expenses for students in the Student Educational Employment
Program? The Service can pay for all or part of training
expenses directly related to students' official duties.
1.15 Can the Service
provide travel and transportation? For SCEP students,
the Service can pay for expenses directly related to training, such as travel
and transportation between duty station and school. The Service should also
pay for lodging expenses for SCEP students, as a necessary training expense.
1.16 What are the
Service's training requirements for SCEP students? The Service
requires an Individual Development Plan (IDP) for each student within 30 days
of the date the student enters into the position. The IDP should take into
account the student's career interests as well as the program needs. In
addition, each student should have a mentor assigned to him or her, who will serve
as the student's on-the-job trainer and coach, and should receive a Service
orientation session.
1.17 How many times
can I appoint a student to the Student Temporary Employment Program or the
Student Career Experience Program? You may appoint a
student to either program as long as the student meets the eligibility
requirements for the appointment.
1.18 Can students'
appointments in the Student Educational Employment Program be converted to
term, career, or career-conditional appointments? Students in the
STEP component of the Students Educational Employment Program are not
eligible for noncompetitive conversion to term, career, or career-conditional
appointments. Their appointments may be converted to appointments in the
Student Career Experience Program. Students in the SCEP component who have
met all the requirements of the program may be noncompetitively converted to
term, career, or career-conditional appointments at any time within 120 days
after satisfactory completion of the requirements for their diplomas,
certificates, or degrees.
1.19 What are the
program requirements for noncompetitive conversion of students' appointments
in the SCEP component of the Student Educational Employment Program to term,
career, or career-conditional appointments? The program
requirements for noncompetitive conversion of students' appointments in the
SCEP component are:
A. U.S. citizenship.
B. Completion within
the preceding 120 days at an accredited school, course requirements
conferring a diploma, certificate, or degree.
C. Completion of at
least 640 hours of career-related work before completion of, or concurrently
with, the course requirements.
D. Satisfactory job
performance and recommendation by the Service employing office in which the
career-related work was performed.
E. Having met the
qualification standards for the targeted position to which the student will
be appointed.
F. Conversion must be
to an occupation related to the student's academic training and career
related work experience.
1.20 Can work
experience gained while under STEP be credited toward the 640-hour work
experience necessary for noncompetitive conversion to a term, career, or
career-conditional appointment? Work experience
gained while under STEP can be credited toward the 640-hour work experience
necessary for a SCEP noncompetitive conversion to a term, career, or
career-conditional appointment provided that the work experience is
career-related. The employing office should clearly document how the work is
career-related in
terms of duties, tasks, assignments, etc.
1.21 If a SCEP student's appointment is
noncompetitively converted to a term appointment, can the Service later
convert the student's appointment to a career or career-conditional
appointment? If a SCEP student's appointment is
noncompetitively converted to a term appointment, the Service can later
convert that appointment to a career or career-conditional appointment before
the term appointment expires.
1.22 Are students in the Student Educational
Employment Program eligible for promotion? Students in both
components of the Student Educational Employment Program are eligible for
promotion as follows:
A. STEP.
Promotions for students in the STEP should be documented as a conversion to
another excepted appointment at a higher grade level, citing the same
authority used for the original appointment and maintaining the original
not-to-exceed date. Even though the actual nature of the action is a
conversion to a new appointment, a GS employee is entitled to an increase in
pay of at least two steps upon placement in a higher-graded position without
a break in service. Noncompetitive conversions are excluded from
time-in-grade restrictions by 5 CFR 300.603(b)(2). Upon promotion, a WG
employee is entitled to an increase in pay of at least one step.
B. SCEP. Promotions for
students in the SCEP to the next higher level are permissible when the
student meets all of the qualification standards described in either the OPM Operating
Manual: Qualification Standards for General
Schedule Positions or in DOI Personnel Bulletin No. 02-05
(338).
1.23 Can work
experience in the STEP component of the Student Educational Employment
Program count toward the 640-hour work experience necessary for
noncompetitive conversion to a term, career, or career-conditional
appointment? Work experience that is related to the
student's academic program and career goals, gained while in the Student
Temporary Employment Program, may be credited toward the 640-hour work
experience requirement for noncompetitive conversion to a term, career, or
career-conditional appointment.
1.24
Must a Student Educational Employment Program participant take any OPM
qualification tests? OPM qualification tests are waived for Student
Educational Employment Program participants.
1.25
Are students eligible for within-grade increases? For STEP students,
eligibility for within-grade increases depends on the pay system of the
occupation. Temporary Wage Grade (WG) employees are eligible for within-grade
increases. Temporary General Schedule (GS) employees are not eligible for
within-grade increases.
1.26 Does veteran's
preference apply to the selection of students for the Student Educational
Employment Program? Veteran's preference applies to the
selection of students for the Student Educational Employment program.
1.27 Are there any reporting
requirements? Employing offices must submit reports on
Student Educational Employment Program accomplishments and activities to the
Chief, Division of Human Resources, for inclusion in the Quarterly Diversity
Accomplishment Report.
1.28 How is the
Student Educational Employment Program publicized? The Regions are
responsible for publicizing the Student Educational Employment Program;
however, all publications (i.e., brochures, handouts, pamphlets, etc.)
related to the Program must be submitted for approval to the Chief, Division
of Human Resources prior to publication.
1.29 Must positions in
the Student Educational Employment Program be advertised? The Student
Educational Employment Program offers a direct hire option; therefore,
vacancy announcements are not required.
1.30 What are the work
schedule requirements for students in the program? The work schedule
requirements for students in the program are:
A. STEP. Students in
the Student Temporary Employment Program may work full-time or part-time
schedules at any time during the year. There are no limitations on the number
of hours students may work per week, but their work schedules should not
interfere with their academic schedules. An intermittent schedule is only
appropriate when the nature of the work is so sporadic and unpredictable that
a regular tour of duty cannot be scheduled in advance. The intent of the
Student Temporary Employment Program is not to have students work in these
types of schedules. The Service has discretion to approve or deny a break in
program. Regions must balance the best interests of the student with the best
interests of the Service in making decisions about breaks in program.
B. SCEP. Students in the
Student Career Experience Program may work full-time or part-time schedules
at any time during the year. There are no limitations on the number of hours
students may work per week, but their work schedules should not interfere
with their academic schedules. The SCEP students' schedules of work
assignments and class attendance must be included in the written agreement
described in paragraph
1.5D(2). The Service has discretion to approve or deny a break in
program. Regions must balance the best interests of the student with the best
interests of the Service in making decisions about breaks in program.
1.31 Are students in
the program eligible for awards? Students are
eligible for awards under the Service's Awards and Recognition Program.
1.32 Are students in
the program covered by the Service's Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Policy
and Entitlements? 266
FW 1 applies to new employees, including student trainees, assigned to
their first duty station.
1.33 Can the Service
offer students tuition assistance? The Service may
offer SCEP students tuition assistance for courses in a field of study
directly related to their official duties.
1.34
Must SCEP students have written performance plans? SCEP students must
have written performance plans and must receive performance evaluations. For
work periods of less than 90 days, a progress report may be substituted for a
performance appraisal.
1.35 How long may an
appointment last after a student has completed the educational requirements
for his or her diploma, certificate, or degree? Appointments may
last as follows:
A. STEP. STEP student
appointments may be extended in 1-year increments as long as the individual
is a student as defined by paragraph 1.5C above. STEP
students who have completed their education requirements for a diploma,
certificate, or degree or are no longer students must be separated even if
the not-to-exceed date of their current appointment has not been reached.
B. SCEP. SCEP students who
have completed the education requirements for a diploma, certificate, or
degree may continue working under their appointment for up to 120 days beyond
completion of their education requirements.
C. Additional
education program. Both STEP and SCEP students may be given a
new appointment if they are enrolled or are accepted for enrollment in an
additional education program.
1.36 When must
employing offices inform SCEP students of the location of a position under a
noncompetitive conversion? The employing office must inform
SCEP students of the location of a position under a noncompetitive conversion
at least 90 days prior to the student's expected date of graduation.
1.37
Who is responsible for converting SCEP students to a career or
career-conditional appointment? The offices that initially
hire SCEP students are responsible for identifying the positions to which
SCEP students are to be converted.
1.38 Can SCEP students
be noncompetitively converted from a term appointment to a career or
career-conditional appointment? SCEP students who
have been noncompetitively converted to term appointments may also be
noncompetitively converted to career or career-conditional appointments prior
to expiration of their term appointments.
1.39 May SCEP students
select their duty stations upon conversion? Students may not
select their duty stations upon conversion; job offers are based on the
availability of positions and are limited to the duty stations of such
positions.
1.40 When does the
120-day conversion window begin? The 120-day
conversion window begins upon completion of the program requirements for the
diploma, certificate, or degree, rather than upon the date of graduation.
1.41 May a SCEP
student work any of the 640 hours of career-related work required by
conversion after completion of educational requirements? The student must
complete the required 640 hours before completion of, or concurrently with,
the educational requirements.
1.42 What happens to a
SCEP student if he or she has not been converted at the end of the 120-day
conversion window? If a SCEP student has not been converted to
a position in the competitive service prior to expiration of the 120-day
conversion window, he or she must be separated from the Service.
1.43 May a SCEP
student be considered for conversion to a permanent position in another
Service program? A SCEP student may be placed in another
Service program if both program managers agree.
1.44 Can the Service
hire (convert) a graduating SCEP student who worked, while on the student
appointment, for another agency? As long as the
SCEP student meets the qualification standard for the position as well as the
eligibility requirements for conversion, the Service can hire (convert) the
student within 120 days of the date the student completes the program
requirements for a diploma, certificate, or degree.
1.45
Does a SCEP student have to complete a 1-year probationary period? The student must
complete a 1-year probationary period once he or she has been appointed to a
permanent career or career-conditional position. However, SCEP work
experience is creditable toward the 1-year period provided that the work
experience is for the Service and is in the same line of work and contains or
is followed by no more than a single break in service that does not exceed 30
calendar days. "Same line of work" means that the positions are so
similar that they require the same qualifications and would be in the same
competitive level for reduction-in-force purposes. Leave without pay in
excess of 22 work days is not creditable and extends the probationary period
by an amount of time equal to the leave taken without pay.
1.46
For what reasons can a SCEP student be separated? The servicing
Human Resources Office as well as the Division of Diversity and Civil Rights
must be informed of any proposed action to separate a SCEP student on account
of performance or conduct. A SCEP appointment may be terminated for any of
the following reasons:
A. Resignation.
B. Change in
curriculum that would result in the student's inability to meet the
qualification requirements for his or her position.
C. Suspension,
expulsion, or withdrawal from his or her educational institution.
D. Unsatisfactory
work performance or conduct.
E. Failure to maintain
academic standards.
F. Inability of the
program office to retain the student in the position; e.g., budget
constraints, reduction-in-force.
1.47 What procedural and appeal rights are
available to students in the Student Educational Employment Program who are
proposed to be separated on account of their performance or conduct?
Students in the program who are proposed to be separated on account of their
performance or conduct have only the following procedural or appeal rights:
A. Preference eligible.
Students who are preference eligible employees and who have completed 1 year
of current, continuous service in the same or similar position(s) are
entitled to the procedural rights required by 5 CFR 432 (Unacceptable
Performance) or 5 CFR 752 (Misconduct). In addition, they have the right to
appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board.
B. Nonpreference eligible.
Nonpreference eligible students who have completed 1 year of current,
continuous employment in the same or similar position(s) are entitled to the
procedural rights but not the appeal rights in 5 CFR 432.
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