Civil Service works to educate govt workers of their rights, obligations

The Civil Service Commission, in its commitment to provide representation and assistance to the government’s civil service employees, has initiated an information program to ensure that employees are aware of their rights and obligations as government employees. To provide both employees and management with information regarding their rights and obligations, the Civil Service Commission will be issuing a series of bulletins covering a range of topics related to the Civil Service personnel regulations and other employment issues.

To date, the commission has issued three bulletins to the government’s civil service employees and their managers:

– CSC Bulletin 14-01: Political Coercion Will Not Be Tolerated. Re: prohibition of the use of official authority or influence to coerce government employees for political purposes

– CSC Bulletin 14-02: Public Service System Rules & Regulations (PSSR&R). Re: content and importance of the Civil Service personnel regulations

– CSC Bulletin 14-03: Performance Evaluations (NMIAC §10-20.2 Part 700). Re: the importance of the annual performance evaluation as a key component of the government’s personnel management system

Bulletins will continue to be issued on a periodic basis on topics determined by the commission to be of value to government employees.

According to Herman “HR” Deleon Guerrero, chairman of the Civil Service Commission: “The commission feels strongly that government employees must be knowledgeable of their civil service rights that are provided by the regulations and also what is expected of them as representatives of the CNMI government. The commission sees part of their role as providing employees with guidance and access to this information. We also see a need to provide this information to government managers to help them better perform their responsibilities to their employees and their department or activity.”

Deleon Guerrero encourages all government employees, both Civil Service and Excepted Service, to be aware of their rights and obligations. The commission will continue to work to provide clarification and guidance. The chairman also emphasized that the commission and the Office of Personnel Management will work to ensure that they represent and serve the Commonwealth government and its employees.

Employees who have not read these bulletins can obtain copies from their administrative offices or from the Office of Personnel Management. (CSC)