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What is the Performance Appraisal Certification (PAC) Role

Updated

A Performance Appraisal Certification, sometimes referred to as: Higher-level review, Third-level review, Performance Award Certification 

A USA Performance feature that grants agencies the option to add a higher-level review to GS or equivalent employee performance plans. Currently this function is selected by Administrators during template development and is added to the Rating Phase of a plan. Some agencies may use this function as an administrative sign-off instead of an additional review.

Once a user has been assigned the Performance Appraisal Certifier role, the user will have the ability to certify or bypass plans in the rating phase. Plans can be individually certified or bypassed. Plans can also be batch certified or bypassed from the Performance Appraisal Certification page. Certifying plans will apply a signature in Part 5. Rating Signatures of the plans. Signatures will not be included on plans that are bypassed. 

There are four possible configurations.

Performance Appraisal Certification Configurations

Description
No additional review is required The Performance Appraisal Certification will not be included in the template settings if this option is selected.
After the Rating Official signs in the Rating Phase

The Performance Appraisal Certification will take place after the Rating Official signs. The signature workflow is as follows:

  1. Rating Official rates and signs the plan.
  2. Performance Appraisal Certifier certifies or bypasses.
  3. Reviewing Official signs the plan.
  4. Rating Official releases the plan to the Employee.
  5. Employee signs the plan.
After the Reviewing Official signs in the Rating Phase

The Performance Appraisal Certification will take place after the Reviewing Official signs. The signature workflow is as follows:

  1. Rating Official rates and signs the plan.
  2. Reviewing Official signs the plan.
  3. Performance Appraisal Certifier certifies or bypasses.
  4. Rating Official releases the plan to the Employee.
  5. Employee signs the plan.
After the Employee signs in the Rating Phase (if reviewing official’s signature required)

The Performance Appraisal Certification will take place after the Employee signs. The signature workflow is as follows:

  1. Rating Official rates and signs the plan.
  2. Reviewing Official signs the plan.
  3. Rating Official releases the plan to the Employee.
  4. Employee signs the plan.
  5. Performance Appraisal Certifier certifies or bypasses.
After the Employee signs in the Rating Phase (No reviewing official’s signature required)
  1. Rating Official rates and signs the plan.
  2. Has the option to release to the employee either while signing or at a later point.
  3. Reviewing Official signs the plan (optional).
  4. Rating Official releases the plan to the Employee.
  5. Unless already released in Step 1.
  6. Employee signs the plan.
  7. Performance Appraisal Certifier certifies or bypasses.

 

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