DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR CASUSAL PAYMENT CENTER

1
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR CASUAL PAYMENT CENTER
SAMETIME MEETINGS NATIONAL PARK SERVICE KRISTY
VALENTINE SANDRA BRASETH CHRISTINE
PETERS MICHELLE ANDERSON
2
HISTORY

• Redesign of the EFF/Vendor Pay System New
  system developed and online January 1, 2005
• January 1, 2005 BLM, BIA, FWS entered into an
  MOU and the Casual Payment Center (CPC) began
  processing payments nationally for all casuals
  within the three agencies
• January 1, 2008 CPC became the DOI Casual
  Payment Center (with addition of NPS)
• Benefits

3
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE

• Consists of National Points of Contact from
• BIA -- Bureau of Indian Affairs
• BLM -- Bureau of Land Management
• FWS -- Fish and Wildlife Service
• NPS -- National Park Service

4
MISSION STATEMENT
The principal mission of the DOI Casual Payment
Center (CPC) is the delivery of excellent
customer service in the cost effective and prompt
processing of payment of casual hires for the
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Bureau of Land
Management (BLM), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
and the National Park Service (NPS) Left to right
front row Nancy, Jen, Chris Left to right back
row Juana (Government Lead), Autumn, Brandon,
Amber, Tina, Julie, Clarissa
5
DOI CASUAL PAYMENT CENTER MANAGEMENT STAFF
6
ISSUES
OF-288s that come to the payment center without
required information needed to process payment
becomes what we call an Issue.
Payment is held until the Issue is resolved.

• Examples of high volume issues
• Direct Deposit (missing SSN)
• Cost code structure
• Position Codes Rates
• Social Security Number
• Address
• (Errors in address affect final destination of
  payment)

7
OF-288 Address

• Physical vs Check Mail Address
• Treasury Checks
• Casual must be registered as owner/resident of
  the mailing address or PO Box
• Friend, Mother/Father, Grandmother/father, etc.
• Physical address must have mail delivery
• Emergency Contact Person notification address

8
OF-288 Form Top Portion
Example NPS
Sample OF-288 for BIA
Sample OF-288 for BIA
Sample OF-288 for BIA
Social Security Number Ensure this is entered
correctly in Block 1 and legible. (Must match I-9
and W-4 forms)
Hired At Ensure this is entered in Block 2 with
Unit Identifier (example is BIA)
Type of Employment Ensure this is marked in
Block 3 as Casual and not any of the other
choices
Social Security Number Ensure this is entered
correctly in Block 1 and legible. (Must match I-9
and W-4 forms)
Hired At Ensure this is entered in Block 2 with
Unit Identifier (example is BIA)
Type of Employment Ensure this is marked in
Block 3 as Casual and not any of the other
choices
Social Security Number Ensure this is entered
correctly in Block 1 and legible. (Must match I-9
and W-4 forms)
Hired At Ensure this is entered in Block 2 with
Unit Identifier (example is BIA)
Type of Employment Ensure this is marked in
Block 3 as Casual and not any of the other
choices
Casual Information Ensure name, mailing address,
city, state, and zip are legible. Blocks 4,6,8, 9
10 (Does not change the casuals permanent
record profile at the CPC).
123-45-6789
MT-FBA
X
Casual Information Ensure name, mailing address,
city, state, and zip are legible. Blocks 4,6,8, 9
10 (Does not change the casuals permanent
record profile at the CPC).

• Position Title Rate
• Ensure to list AD Position Code, AD Class and AD
  Rate per AD Pay Plan in Blocks 4,5 6.
• Column C example for THSP positions (See Block 11)

123-45-6789
MT-FBA
X
Fort Belknap
Joe James Firefighter
Casual Information Ensure name, mailing address,
city, state, and zip are legible. Blocks 4,6,8, 9
10 (Does not change the casuals permanent
record profile at the CPC).

• Position Title Rate
• Ensure to list AD Position Code, AD Class and AD
  Rate per AD Pay Plan in Blocks 4,5 6.
• Column C example for THSP positions (See Block 11)

123-45-6789
MT-FBA
X
Fort Belknap
Joe James Firefighter
123 Somewhere St
406-123-4569

• Position Title Rate
• Ensure to list AD Position Code, AD Class and AD
  Rate per AD Pay Plan in Blocks 4,5 6.
• Column C example for THSP positions (See Block 11)

Fort Belknap
Joe James Firefighter
123 Somewhere St
406-123-4569
Somewhere There
12345
ID
406-123-4570
123 Somewhere St
406-123-4569
Somewhere There
12345
ID
406-123-4570
123 Somewhere St, Somewhere There, ID 12345
Thelma Jane Firefighter
406-456-7896
Somewhere There
12345
ID
406-123-4570
123 Somewhere St, Somewhere There, ID 12345
Thelma Jane Firefighter
406-456-7896
123 Somewhere St, Somewhere There, ID 12345
Skate
Lead Instructor S-300
Eureka Palm
Thelma Jane Firefighter
406-456-7896
Skate
Lead Instructor S-300
Eureka Palm
Skate
Lead Instructor S-300
Incident Name and Fire Code Ensure Fire name,
Block 1 and fire code Block 3 match (per Fire
Code System) Example Column A
Eureka Palm
CN3R
FFT2
THSP
AZY2
THSP Exception
Incident Name and Fire Code Ensure Fire name,
Block 1 and fire code Block 3 match (per Fire
Code System) Example Column A
AD-A
13.24
AD-H
24.00
AD-K
28.74
CN3R
FFT2
THSP
AZY2
THSP Exception
Incident Name and Fire Code Ensure Fire name,
Block 1 and fire code Block 3 match (per Fire
Code System) Example Column A
AD-A
13.24
AD-H
24.00
AD-K
28.74
CN3R
FFT2
THSP
AZY2
THSP Exception
A15433 07 92310 C7FG
41570 9141 CH8X
AD-A
13.24
AD-H
24.00
AD-K
28.74
A15433 07 92310 C7FG
41570 9141 CH8X
2007
2007
2007
A15433 07 92310 C7FG
41570 9141 CH8X
2007
2007
2007
06
04
1000
1200
2
2007
2007
2007
06
04
1000
1200
2
Home/Hiring Unit Cost Accounting Code Ensure
organization, appropriate sub-activity and
project numbers are accurate and Complete
06
05
1200
2400
12
06
04
1000
1200
2
06
6
Home/Hiring Unit Cost Accounting Code Ensure
organization, appropriate sub-activity and
project numbers are accurate and Complete
06
05
1200
2400
12
06
0001
0700

• Time Posting Columns
• Post hours in
• military time
• Post time in 15
• minute increments
  with a 2 hour
• minimum
• If shift passes through midnight from one day to
  the next, be sure to show ending time at 2400 and
  starting time on next day at 0001.
• Example column A

06
6
Home/Hiring Unit Cost Accounting Code Ensure
organization, appropriate sub-activity and
project numbers are accurate and Complete
06
05
1200
2400
12
06
0001
0700

• Time Posting Columns
• Post hours in
• military time
• Post time in 15
• minute increments
  with a 2 hour
• minimum
• If shift passes through midnight from one day to
  the next, be sure to show ending time at 2400 and
  starting time on next day at 0001.
• Example column A

06
6
06
0001
0700

• Time Posting Columns
• Post hours in
• military time
• Post time in 15
• minute increments
  with a 2 hour
• minimum
• If shift passes through midnight from one day to
  the next, be sure to show ending time at 2400 and
  starting time on next day at 0001.
• Example column A

20
20
260.00
20
260.00
Use this section for clarification of positions
etc. Ex. Column C camp crew member
Column BTHSP Lead Instructor S-300 and below
Column C THSP Exception Position 5 AD-K

260.00
Use this section for clarification of positions
etc. Ex. Column C camp crew member
Column BTHSP Lead Instructor S-300 and below
Column C THSP Exception Position 5 AD-K

This section for use by the Casual Payment
Center.
Use this section for clarification of positions
etc. Ex. Column C camp crew member
Column BTHSP Lead Instructor S-300 and below
Column C THSP Exception Position 5 AD-K

This section for use by the Casual Payment
Center.
Boots
This section for use by the Casual Payment
Center.
06/04/07
350
Boots
06/04/07
350
350
Boots
06/04/07
350
350
Either signed or unavailable for signature
350
Either signed or unavailable for signature
Either signed or unavailable for signature
Signature Ensure the original Time Officer
signature is complete in Block 17 and date Block
18
Commissary Corresponds to date of transaction
Signature Ensure the original Time Officer
signature is complete in Block 17 and date Block
18
Commissary Corresponds to date of transaction
Signature Ensure the original Time Officer
signature is complete in Block 17 and date Block
18
Commissary Corresponds to date of transaction
IMPORTANT ENSURE ALL FIELDS ARE CORRECT AND
LEGIBLE TO AVOID DELAY OF PAYMENT
IMPORTANT ENSURE ALL FIELDS ARE CORRECT AND
LEGIBLE TO AVOID DELAY OF PAYMENT
IMPORTANT ENSURE ALL FIELDS ARE CORRECT AND
LEGIBLE TO AVOID DELAY OF PAYMENT
9
Critical fields to review prior to submission To
the Casual Payment Center (Fire Column Header
Portion of OF-288 Form)
Block 1. Incident name Block 5. AD Class Block
3. Fire Code Block 6. AD Rate Block 4. Position
Code Block 7. Home/Hiring Unit Accounting Code
10
Activity Pay
Code
EXAMPLE ACCOUNTING STRINGS AS SEEN ON OF-288
Examples are approved codes submitted to the
payment center
11
Fire Code Common Mistakes
Ensure the fire code is a legible, legal fire
code and is in the Federal Finance System.

• Most common mistakes
• 0 for the letter O
• 1 for the letter L
• 2 for the letter Z
• 6 for the letter G
• 5 for the letter S
• 7 for the number 1
• 8 for the letter B

12
For time past midnight. i.e., 2430. enter up to
2400 for the current day and enter 0030 on the
next day (see example below) Enter time in
military hours (1850 is incorrect, 1830 correct
for ½ hour) Ensure time is entered with minimum 2
hours, (as specified in the AD Pay Plan) (note
Guarantee is written in) (Top bottom portion
of OF-288 form)
13
Forms to be Completed

• I-9
• W-4
• Incident Behavior
• Single Resource Casual Hire Information
• OF-288
• Batch Memo
• Direct Deposit
• W-5
• State tax forms
• http//www.nwcg.gov/teams/ibpwt/forms/index.htm

14
Casuals File

• Forms that will be retained in the Casuals file
  at the CPC
• Federal and State Tax forms (W-4, State Tax and
  Tribal Exemption forms, any documentation
  pertaining to a OF-288), Direct Deposit, Address
  Change forms, etc.
• Forms not required for payment at the CPC will
  be returned to the home unit if the form is
  original. Copies will be shredded.

15
Approving Official ListandBatch Memo

• You must be on the Approving Official list for
  the pay center to process your submittals.
• Contact Christine Peters to have your contact
  information added or to add others.
• A Batch Memo must be submitted each time you
  submit a group of documents.

16
Bottom Portion of OF-288 Form
Enter date, item and amount for each commissary
item Indicate if casual unavailable for
signature Ensure block 17 has original Time
Officer Signature. OF-288 will not be processed
without original signature. Use box 11, Remarks,
for clarification on the OF-288. See following
frames for examples of THSP Position Codes.
17
Position Titles

• THSP Camp Crew Squad Boss AD-C
• THSP Lead Instructor (S300 and Below) AD-I
• THSP Instructor (S300 and Below) AD-H
• THSP Lead Instructor (S400 and Above) AD-K
• THSP Instructor (S400 and Above) AD-J
• Course code should be included to validate the
  instructor level

18
EXCEPTION POSITIONS

• THSP Exception Position 4 AD-I
• THSP Exception Position 4 Trainee AD-H
• Exception positions were created for those
  positions NOT LISTED in the Incident Positions
  Matrix
• A brief description of duties must be provided as
  documentation to support the Exception level

19
CPC Policies

• How can the agencies get a copy of the
• CPC policies?
• NPOC (Christine Peters)
• NWCG Website
• http//www.nwcg.gov/teams/ibpwt/documents/personne
  l/casual.html

20
Process Time

• Payment Center Goal
• CPC Process
• 3 5 business days from date of receipt
• CPC Payroll File Transmission
• 1300-1330 MST daily -- To Treasury for payment
• Unable to access FPPS during this time

21
Hours of Operation

• Off season hours 0730 MST 1600 MST
• Pre-season 0730 MST 1800 MST
• Peak season hours
• Monday Friday 0700 MST 2030 MST
• Saturday (As needed) 0730 MST 1600 MST
• Sunday and/or holidays As needed

22
Expectations

• Provide excellent customer service
• Meet or exceed the processing guidelines
• Phone call away

23
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIORCASUAL PAYMENT CENTER

• 1249 S Vinnell Way, Suite 108
• Boise, ID 83709
• Phone [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• Email casual_pay_at_blm.gov

Toll Free Number [phone]
24
2008 AD Pay Plan

• The AD Pay Plan applies wherever and whenever
• it becomes necessary to hire persons
• to cope with a sudden and unexpected emergency
  caused by a fire, or extreme fire potential,
  flood, storm, or any other emergency that
  threatens damage to federally protected property
  unless brought under immediate control
• to provide emergency assistance to states under
  formalized agreements

25
2008 AD Pay Plan (cont.)

• to meet mission assignments issued by the Federal
  Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or
• to supplement regular personnel assigned to
  prescribed fire projects (this authority does not
  include mechanical or chemical hazardous fuels
  reduction projects).

26
2008 AD Pay Plan (cont.)

• The AD Pay Plan is complete within itself
  therefore, for any hiring under this plan, the
  provisions herein take precedence over any other
  policies or regulations that may be prescribed
  elsewhere. The AD Pay Plan may not be used to
  circumvent other hiring authorities nor used to
  fill vacant government positions. All offices
  hiring under this authority are reminded to
  adhere to the provisions of this Pay Plan. NPS
  units are responsible for designating the
  appropriate official for hiring purposes.

27
Criteria For Using the Authority

• The following criteria represent additional
  guidance for consideration when preparing to hire
  under the AD authority
• The period of hire is short term in nature.
• Specialized skills are required to meet the
  nature of the emergency that is not traditionally
  available within park staff.
• Extraordinary circumstances exist at the time of
  the emergency that results in the unavailability
  of park personnel to provide a timely response.

28
Criteria For Using the Authority (cont.)

• Seasonal employees who are not in pay status may
  be hired as casuals whenever it becomes necessary
  to hire individuals as outlined in the AD Pay
  Plan. However, hiring a casual can never be used
  to extend a time-limited appointment (e.g., a
  1039 appointment).
• Units may hire only those individuals within
  their local area of responsibility who are
  qualified for the position and certified to
  assist in fire suppression operations and/or
  other emergencies that threaten damage to
  federally protected property.

29
Criteria For Using the Authority (cont.)

• Employees hired as casuals under the DOI AD Pay
  Plan using the position matrix are only assigned
  to duties that are commensurate with their
  competencies qualifications and are performing
  the work specifically for that job code, i.e., if
  hired as a FFT2, then a casual employee should be
  fighting fire, not driving an ambulance or being
  assigned to an MVA.
• Those hired outside the AD Pay Plan authority
  will not be paid through the Casual Payment
  Center and timesheets will be returned to the
  hiring unit. If the AD Pay Plan hiring authority
  was not the proper mechanism for hire, other
  means, such as de facto employment, will need
  to be explored through the hiring units Human
  Resources Office.

30
Misc.

• Minimum Compensable Time Allowance
• The minimum compensable time allowance for each
  work period is two hours. The two-hour rule
  applies to local hires only. A casual, working
  away from their point of hire, is guaranteed
  eight hours.
• Search Rescue Incidents (SARs)
• In 2005, NWCG classified six search and rescue
  (SAR) positions identified by WASO which are
  included in the AD Pay Plan position matrix.
  Casuals hired to assist with a SAR will either
  need to be qualified to work in one of the six
  SAR positions identified on the matrix, or be
  hired in an Exception Position, see below.
  Provide position title on OF-288, block 23.

31
Training

• Hiring Casuals to Attend Emergency Incident
  Training
• Units may hire casuals to attend training in
  preparation for emergency incidents (e.g.,
  Incident Command System (ICS) courses and
  refresher training). Compensation will be made
  for any courses required by the hiring unit.
  Training hours, including travel to and from,
  should not to exceed a total of 80 hours per
  calendar year, regardless of hiring agency. This
  authority cannot be used to circumvent other
  hiring authorities such as temporary 1039
  appointments or career seasonal appointments for
  training purposes. It is the hiring units
  responsibility to monitor training hours.
• Allowable operational costs are limited to
• casual wages for attending emergency incident
  training
• training materials, transportation of casual
  employees and per diem.
• NPS units will use their region-specific org code
  in association with the AZA1 code to pay for a
  casuals training (i.e., XXXX-AZA1-E11).

32
Instructing

• Units may hire casuals to instruct emergency
  incident training only when all other methods of
  hiring and contracting instructors have been
  exhausted.
• Length of employment is not to exceed a total of
  120 hours including travel per calendar year,
  regardless of hiring agency. It is the hiring
  units responsibility to monitor instructor hours
  to ensure this limitation is not exceeded.
• Salary, travel and per diem may be charged to the
  AZA1 code when a casual is hired to conduct
  emergency incident training.

33
Emergency Stabilization

• The "emergency" phase occurs during the
  incident, and for a period of time directly after
  the incident. During this time, it would be
  appropriate to hire casual personnel until
  regular government employees are able to handle
  the situation and/or other employment methods can
  be initiated.
• If there is a break in activities (e.g., the fire
  is contained in August and additional
  stabilization is needed in December), units may
  not utilize the AD Pay Plan. Efforts should be
  made to contract or detail regular government
  employees to accomplish the work.
• Casuals may be hired using the Pay Plan, not to
  exceed 90 calendar days, directly following a
  natural emergency.

34
Hiring for Support

• Units may hire casuals to provide support to an
  ongoing incident including dispatch,
  warehouse/cache workers, payment team members,
  and administrative support.
• Directly following an incident, the local unit
  may hire casuals to provide support for
  post-incident administration not to exceed 90
  calendar days.

35
Prescribed Fire Projects

• Provide temporary support due to the
  unpredictable nature of prescribed fire
  activities.
• This does not include Mechanical or Chemical
  Hazardous Fuels Reduction Projects.
• The hire may not begin until 24 hours before
  planned ignition and must be completed 24 hours
  after the perimeter is secured.
• Work on prescribed fires is limited to 300 hours
  per calendar year per person, regardless of
  agency. It is the hiring units responsibility
  to monitor prescribed fire hours.
• This authority may not be used to circumvent
  normal hiring and contracting procedures.

36

• QUESTIONS???