Statutory authority. Chapter 43 of title 5, United States Code, provides for the establishment of agency performance appraisal systems and requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to prescribe regulations governing such systems. The regulations in this subpart in combination with statute set forth the requirements for agency performance appraisal system(s) and program(s) for employees covered by subchapter I of chapter 43.

Savings provision. The performance appraisal system portion of an agency's Performance Management Plan approved by OPM as of September 22, 1995 shall constitute an approved performance appraisal system under the regulations in this subpart until such time changes to the system are approved. No provision of the regulations in this subpart shall be applied in such a way as to affect any administrative proceeding related to any action taken under regulations in this chapter pending on September 22, 1995.

Equivalent ratings of record. (1) If an agency has administratively adopted and applied the procedures of this subpart to evaluate the performance of its employees, the ratings of record resulting from that evaluation are considered ratings of record for reduction in force purposes.

Other performance evaluations given while an employee is not covered by the provisions of this subpart are considered ratings of record for reduction in force purposes when the performance evaluation—

Was issued as an officially designated evaluation under the employing agency's performance evaluation system,

Was derived from the appraisal of performance against expectations that are established and communicated in advance and are work related, and

Identified whether the employee performed acceptably.

When the performance evaluation does not include a summary level designator and pattern comparable to those established at § 430.208(d), the agency may identify a level and pattern based on information related to the appraisal process.