Some Babauta appointees will not be renewed or converted to permanent status

Some Babauta appointees who failed to meet eligibility criteria will not be converted to permanent status and must vacate their posts on the end-date of their appointment.

In a Friday memorandum, acting Personnel Director Mathilda A. Rosario said the Civil Service Commission has concurred with former Gov. Juan N. Babauta’s much criticized Directive 245, which ordered the conversion of limited-term appointees to permanent status.

“However, pursuant to the requirements for civil service employment, only those limited-term appointments who were competitively selected from a Listing of Eligibles, provided by [the Office of Personnel Management], are entitled to conversion to permanent status,” Rosario said.

“The employment of limited term appointees that are not entitled to conversion will end on the specified end-date of the appointment and will not be automatically reviewed,” she stressed.

Furthermore, Babauta’s directive does not authorize conversion of Excepted Service employees to permanent status.

Attached to the memorandum was a format letter to be used for notifying affected employees of the non-renewal of their limited term appointment.

Rosario suggested that concerned employees be informed 30-60 days in advance.

If there is a continued need for the position, it must be advertised and filled competitively following the publishing of an examination/vacancy announcement by OPM, she added.

“I will not approve temporary employment for these positions. Begin processing the necessary [requests] for vacancy announcement/recruitment at least 60-90 days in advance to insure that your employee needs are filled in a timely manner,” Rosario said.

She also urged department and activity heads to initiate requests for personnel action to process the conversion of eligible employees in accordance with Babauta’s directive.

“The conversions are necessary actions to bring government employment into compliance with civil service regulations,” she said.

On Jan. 31, 2002, Babauta issued Directive No. 215 which ordered that all new government hires be placed on limited term appointments “due to the uncertainty of continued funding.” The directive also prevented limited term appointees from being converted to civil service permanent status, or any new hires from being converted to civil service probationary status.

Limited-term appointees may only work for government for a period of less than one year. They are deprived of such basic civil service benefits as job security and seniority rights, although they may be re-appointed as a limited-term appointment to the same position.

On Nov. 25, 2005, Babauta issued Directive 245, lifting the austerity measure and ordering the conversion of limited term appointees to civil service permanent employees.

The then outgoing governor was criticized heavily for the timing of the directive, which some sectors believed was issued to protect the jobs of his appointees when the new administration stepped in.