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Release Date: 01/26/05 00:00:00
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010
Office of Personnel Management Press Office, 202-606-2402
January 26, 2005
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and Office of Personnel Management Director Kay Coles James announced today submission of final regulations for the department’s new human resource management system to the Federal Register.
“The men and women of DHS have developed new ways of working together to secure America,” said Secretary Ridge. “In the same manner, a new human resource management system will allow us to develop significant new ways of supporting our valued men and women, providing the tools necessary to recognize their accomplishments, build on their successes, and continue to build the Nation’s first line of defense.”
The regulations outline the design of a system that will affect about 110,000 employees. Referred to as MAXHR, the system is designed to create an environment that enhances recruitment, retention, and development of superior talent. MAXHR will recognize and reward employee contributions, and achieve the highest levels of individual performance and accountability.
“Employees who are honoring their nation by defending our homeland would have been serving under an outmoded and unresponsive personnel system," said Director James. “It is a system that was developed by OPM and DHS following extensive research and outreach to thousands of DHS employees, their union representatives, managers, and other stakeholders in a series of focus groups and town hall meetings held across the country over the last two years. Today's announcement marks the beginning of the implementation process, which is a critical step for the department and one that will require excellent communication and coordination."
The implementation plan for MAXHR includes a multi-year schedule. Using the framework established in the regulations, work will begin in establishing new policies and procedures for labor relations, adverse actions, and appeals including the formation of the Homeland Security Labor Relations Board. The new performance management system is expected to launch in the fall of 2005 with pay and classification changes implemented the following year for some employee groups. Work will also be underway in the first year to develop HR information technology solutions to support this initiative.
Communicating these changes is a critical part of the MAXHR effort, and the Department of Homeland Security has made a serious commitment to ensure employees receive the information and training they need throughout implementation of the program. In the coming months, the department will roll out briefing sessions, satellite broadcasts, web-based training modules, classroom training, print materials, and frequent updates to the MAXHR Web site.
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This page was last reviewed/modified on 01/26/05 00:00:00.
