Frequently Asked Question and Answers on the Performance and Staff
Development Plan
This list of Frequently Asked Questions refers to Policy
619 in the Human Resources Policy Manual.
An employee
might ask:
1. What is the best method to meeting the expectations of my supervisor
and receiving a good job performance evaluation?
Meeting your performance expectations should
not be a mystery. Establishing
a line of communication with your supervisor will enable you to gain a
better understanding of your duties, performance expectations, and goals for
your position. Once you have
knowledge of what is expected of you, you can set personal goals to fulfill
your assignments. You should
also communicate with your supervisor on a regular basis regarding your
progress at meeting the established goals and expectations. Always keep your supervisor informed of any problems or
challenges you are experiencing in meeting the goals and expectations.
2. My supervisor has asked me to sign my performance evaluation, but I
don’t agree with some statements within this document. What should I do?
The staff member's signature signifies that the
Performance Plan has been reviewed with the staff member and does not
necessarily indicate the staff member's agreement with the assessment of
performance. Additionally, you
may submit comments on any aspect of your performance appraisal and planning
process by utilizing the “Performance and Staff Development Program
Comment Sheet”. The completed
Comment Sheet should be returned to your manager/supervisor. The Comment
Sheet should then be forwarded to Human Resources/Staff and Labor Relations
and will become a part of your official personnel file. A blank Comment
Sheet may be retrieved from the Division of Human Resources website at http://www.hr.upenn.edu/StaffRelations/Performance/CommentSheet.aspx.
3. When are requests for an administrative review of a staff member’s
performance plan appropriate and what steps should I take to initiate an
administrative review?
A staff member may ask for an administrative
review of their Performance Plan when the staff member’s overall
performance is described as "Unacceptable."
At all
stages of administrative review, the staff member has the responsibility to
show that the Performance Plan is inaccurate or that the Performance and
Staff Development Policy was not followed.
Step I
After a staff member has signed and returned
his/her Performance Plan, with or without comment, s/he may elect to meet
with the immediate supervisor to discuss why his/her overall performance is
described as "Unacceptable."
The staff member must contact his/her immediate
supervisor to schedule a meeting within 10 workdays of receipt of the
Performance Plan.
The staff member must provide the immediate
supervisor, in writing, the specific reason(s) for requesting the
administrative review at least 2 work days prior to the scheduled meeting.
The supervisor should provide the staff member
with a written response addressing the issues raised within 10 workdays
after the meeting.
Step II
If the staff member is not satisfied with
his/her immediate supervisor's response or a response is not provided, the
staff member may elect to meet with the second level supervisor. The staff
member must provide, in writing, the specific concerns to be addressed by
the second level supervisor within 10 workdays of receipt of the first level
supervisor's response.
The second level supervisor should provide the
staff member with a written response within 10 workdays after the meeting.
This response normally concludes the
administrative review.
At any time during the administrative review, a
staff member who believes that procedures used in the performance process
were inconsistent with the policy may request that Human Resources review
the procedure. The review will be limited to issues related to a
determination of whether the policy on performance and staff development was
followed. On the basis of the findings, Human Resources may request
appropriate corrective action.
4. I do not feel comfortable meeting alone with my supervisor to discuss
my negative Performance Plan. Can
I have someone attend this meeting with me?
Only the staff member will be permitted to
attend meetings with supervisors regarding Performance Plans. However, with the agreement of both
the supervisor and the staff member, a representative of Human Resources may
assist in facilitating the meeting(s) between a staff member and supervisor.
A supervisor might ask:
1. I find the Performance and Staff Development Plan forms to be very
cumbersome. May I submit this
information in another format?
Yes, in lieu of completing
the Performance and Staff Development Plan, you may use of the alternate
formats provided on the HR website. These
alternate formats include the Short Form and the templates for a Performance
and Staff Development letter or Memorandum. See the Guidelines Booklet online that discusses alternate formats at
http://www.hr.upenn.edu/StaffRelations/Performance/GuideLines.aspx.
You can
also download the forms by accessing the Human Resources home page at http://www.hr.upenn.edu.
Select the “Staff Relations”
option, and then choose “Performance and Staff Development Program.”
The forms are available in Microsoft
Word for Windows format. If you
have questions about downloading the forms, call Staff and Labor Relations
at (215) 898-6093.
University employees covered by collective
bargaining agreements should refer to the appropriate article in their
contract.