The FLRA Strategic Plan includes four broad goals. They are: 1) providing high quality services that timely resolve disputes; 2) using alternative methods of dispute resolution and avoidance to reduce the costs of conflict; 3) maintaining internal systems that support programs needs -- notably information technology systems; and 4) developing FLRA staff to ensure an effective organization with the flexibility to meet program needs.
Consistent with the FLRA Strategic Plan, the FLRA developed its FY 2000 Annual Performance Plan which identifies 28 performance goals to implement the four Strategic Plan goals. During FY 2000, FLRA fully met or exceeded 21 of the 28 performance goals. FLRA substantially met the remaining seven goals. Adjustments have been made to achieve these seven performance goals in FY 2001.
FLRA continued its efforts to integrate the use of alternative dispute resolution approaches at all stages of case processing -- notably related to negotiability appeals and unfair labor practice cases. FLRA negotiability regulations, which were revised in FY 1999, include conferences designed to narrow and clarify issues; procedures to resolve all aspects of a dispute, where appropriate; and clarification of the responsibilities of each party. FLRA pre-complaint ULP regulations facilitate dispute resolution and attempt to simplify, clarify and improve processing of ULP charges. In addition, FLRA post-complaint ULP regulations formalize the Settlement Judge Program and provide for a pre-hearing conference program. During FY 2000, FLRA staff provided training, facilitation and intervention services -- conducting over 1700 sessions for over 12,000 participants.
In addition, FLRA made significant progress in its commitment to maintain sound internal systems and processes by ensuring FLRA systems were Year 2000 (Y2K) compliant, upgrading computer hardware and software, designing and converting agency databases and expanding the FLRA web site by providing the ability to search FLRA case decisions electronically. Finally, FLRA continued its commitment to maintaining a highly skilled work force through employee development, leadership development and a performance management system.
Each year, Annual Performance Plan goals are established by FLRA components and offices, consistent with the multi-year Strategic Plan, to identify performance goals and initiatives for the coming year. At the same time, the annual budget submission is developed to identify the necessary resource levels to accomplish the Annual Performance Plan goals. Once the agency budget is approved by Congress, an annual operating plan is developed in order to align agency resources with the Annual Performance Plan goals. The operating plan is regularly monitored and adjustments are made during the course of the year to realign resources to meet program needs. In addition, performance goals are regularly monitored to ensure performance levels are reached.
The FLRA performance management plan is also designed to link organizational goals and performance with individual goals and performance. Consistent with this plan, FLRA components and offices develop the Annual Performance Plan goals, as noted above, which clearly define organizational performance expectations. After the organizational goals are established, individual work plans are developed for each FLRA employee specifying the individual performance expectations to support the organizational goals. Each office conducts monthly and quarterly reviews of organizational progress. During the year, at least two employee progress reviews are conducted. At the end of the year, individual and organizational performance is formally evaluated and annual employee performance appraisals are conducted. This sequence provides a system that clearly defines, monitors and links organizational and individual goals and actual performance.
Because the three FLRA components -- the Authority, OGC and FSIP -- need to maintain their independence to ensure separation of responsibilities related to investigation, prosecution and adjudication, there are normally few opportunities to have internal cross-cutting activities related to the case processing activities in Goal 1. However, FLRA did undertake a number of internal cross-cutting activities in Goals 2, 3 and 4 in order to coordinate and maximize the use of its resources. These included: 1) the agency-wide collaboration and alternative dispute resolution program through training, facilitation, education and intervention; 2) internal training and development of FLRA staff; 3) leadership development; and 4) integration of agency systems -- notably in database management and electronic research.
Exec Summary | Goal 1 | Goal 2 | Goal 3 | Goal 4 | Appendix