5 C.F.R. Subpart C—Establishing and Implementing Training Programs
Title 5 - Administrative Personnel
Title 5: Administrative Personnel
PART 410—TRAINING
Subpart C—Establishing and Implementing Training Programs
§ 410.301 Scope and general conduct of training programs.
(a) Authority. The requirements for establishing training programs and plans are found in section 4103(a) of title 5, United States Code, and Executive Order 11348.
(b) Alignment with other human resource functions. Training programs established by agencies under chapter 41 of title 5, United States Code, should be integrated with other personnel management and operating activities, under administrative agreements as appropriate, to the maximum possible extent.
§ 410.302 Responsibilities of the head of an agency.
(a) Specific responsibilities. (1) The head of each agency shall prescribe procedures as are necessary to ensure that the selection of employees for training is made without regard to political preference, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, or handicapping condition, and with proper regard for their privacy and constitutional rights as provided by merit system principles set forth in 5 U.S.C. 2301(b)(2).
(2) The head of each agency shall prescribe procedures as are necessary to ensure that the training facility and curriculum are accessible to employees with disabilities.
(3) The head of each agency shall not allow training in a facility that discriminates in the admission or treatment of students.
(b)(1) Training of Presidential appointees. The Office of Personnel Management delegates to the head of each agency authority to authorize training for officials appointed by the President. In exercising this authority, the head of an agency must ensure that the training is in compliance with chapter 41 of title 5, United States Code, and with this part. This authority may not be delegated to a subordinate.
(2) Records. When exercising this delegation of authority, the head of an agency must maintain records that include:
(i) The name and position title of the official;
(ii) A description of the training, its location, vendor, cost, and duration; and
(iii) A statement justifying the training and describing how the official will apply it during his or her term of office.
(3) Review of delegation. Exercise of this authority is subject to U.S. Office of Personnel Management review.
(c) Training for the head of an agency. Since self-review constitutes a conflict of interest, heads of agencies must submit their own requests for training to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management for approval.
(d) The head of the agency shall establish the form and manner of maintaining agency records related to training plans, expenditures, and activities.
(e) The head of the agency shall establish written procedures which cover the minimum requirements for continued service agreements. (See also 5 CFR 410.310.)
(f) The head of each agency shall prescribe procedures, as authorized by section 402 of Executive Order No. 11348, for obtaining U.S. Department of State advice before assigning an employee who is stationed within the continental limits of the United States to training outside the continental United States that is provided by a foreign government, international organization, or instrumentality of either.
[61 FR 66193, Dec. 17, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 43867, Aug. 17, 1998]
§ 410.303 Employee responsibilities.
Employees are responsible for self-development, for successfully completing and applying authorized training, and for fulfilling continued service agreements. In addition, they share with their agencies the responsibility to identify training needed to improve individual and organizational performance and identify methods to meet those needs, effectively and efficiently.
§ 410.304 Funding training programs.
Section 4112 of title 5, United States Code, provides for agencies paying the costs of their training programs and plans from applicable appropriations or from other funds available. Training costs associated with program accomplishment may be funded by appropriations applicable to that program area. In addition, section 4109(a)(2) of title 5, United States Code, provides authority for agencies and employees to share the expenses of training.
§ 410.305 Establishing and using interagency training.
Executive departments, independent establishments, Government corporations subject to chapter 91 of title 31, the Library of Congress, and the Government Printing office may provide or share training programs developed for its employees of other agencies under section 4120 of title 5, United States Code, when this would result in better training, improved service, or savings to the Government. Section 302(d) of Executive Order 11348 allows agencies excluded from section 4102 of title 5, United States Code, to also receive interagency training when this would result in better training, improved service, or savings to the Government. Section 201(e) of Executive Order 11348 provides for the Office of Personnel Management to coordinate interagency training conducted by and for agencies (including agencies and portions of agencies excepted by section 4102(a) of Title 5, United States Code).
§ 410.306 Selecting and assigning employees to training.
(a) Each agency shall establish criteria for the fair and equitable selection and assignment of employees to training consistent with merit system principles specified in 5 U.S.C. 2301(b)(1) and (2).
(b) Persons on Intergovernmental Personnel Act mobility assignments may be assigned to training if that training is in the interest of the Government.
(1) A State or local government employee given an appointment in a Federal agency under the authority of section 3374(b) of title 5 of the United States Code, is deemed an employee of the Federal agency. The agency may provide training for the State or local government employee as it does for other agency employees.
(2) A State or local government employee on detail to a Federal agency under the authority of section 3374(c) of title 5 of the United States Code, is not deemed an employee of the Federal agency. However, the detailed State or local government employee may be admitted to training programs the agency has established for Federal personnel and may be trained in the rules, practices, procedures and/or systems pertaining to the Federal government.
(c) Subject to the prohibitions of §410.308(a) of this part, an agency may pay all or part of the training expenses of students hired under the Student Career Experience Program (see 5 CFR 213.3202(d)(10)).
[61 FR 66193, Dec. 17, 1996; 61 FR 68119, Dec. 27, 1996]
§ 410.307 Training for promotion or placement in other positions.
(a) General. In determining whether to provide training under this section, agencies should take into account:
(1) Agency authority to modify qualification requirements in certain situations as provided in the OPM Operating Manual for Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions;
(2) Agency authority to establish training programs that provide intensive and directly job-related training to substitute for all or part of the experience (but not education, licensing, certification, or other specific credentials), required by OPM qualification standards. Such training programs may be established to provide employees with the opportunity to acquire the experience and knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to qualify for another position (including at a higher grade) at an accelerated rate; and
(3) Time-in-grade restrictions on advancement (see 5 CFR 300.603(b)(6)).
(b) Training for promotion. Under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 4103, and consistent with merit system principles set forth in 5 U.S.C. 2301(b)(1) and (2), an agency may provide training to non-temporary employees that in certain instances may lead to promotion. An agency must follow its competitive procedures under part 335 of this chapter when selecting a non-temporary employee for training that permits noncompetitive promotion after successful completion of the training.
(c) Training for placement in other agency positions, in other agencies, or outside Government—(1) Grade or pay retention. Under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 4103 and 5 U.S.C. 5364, an agency may train an employee to meet the qualification requirements of another position in the agency if the new position is at or below the retained grade or the grade of the position the employee held before pay retention.
(2) Training for placement in another agency. Under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 4103(b), and consistent with merit system principles set forth in 5 U.S.C. 2301, an agency may train an employee to meet the qualification requirements of a position in another agency if the head of the agency determines that such training would be in the interest of the Government.
(i) Before undertaking any training under this section, the head of the agency shall determine that there exists a reasonable expectation of placement in another agency.
(ii) When selecting an employee for training under this section, the head of the agency shall consider:
(A) The extent to which the employee's current skills, knowledge, and abilities may be utilized in the new position;
(B) The employee's capability to learn skills and acquire knowledge and abilities needed in the new position; and
(C) The benefits to the Government which would result from retaining the employee in the Federal service.
(3) Training displaced or surplus employees. Displaced or surplus employees as defined in 5 CFR 330.604(b) and (f) may be eligible for training or retraining for positions outside Government through programs provided under 29 U.S.C. 1651, or similar authorities. An agency may use its appropriated funds for training displaced or surplus employees for positions outside Government only when specifically authorized by legislation to do so.
(4) Career transition assistance plans. Under 5 CFR 330.602, agencies are required to establish career transition assistance plans (CTAP) to provide career transition services to displaced and surplus employees.
(i) Under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 4109, an agency may:
(A) Train employees in the use of the CTAP services;
(B) Provide vocational and career assessment and counseling services;
(C) Train employees in job search skills, techniques, and strategies; and
(D) Pay for training related expenses as provided in 5 U.S.C. 4109(a)(2).
(ii) Agency CTAP's will include plans for retraining displaced or surplus employees covered by this part.
§ 410.308 Training to obtain an academic degree.
(a) An agency may authorize training for an employee to obtain an academic degree under conditions prescribed at 5 U.S.C. 4107(a).
(b) Colleges and universities participating in an academic degree training program must be accredited by a nationally recognized body. A “nationally recognized body” is a regional, national, or international accrediting organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The listing of accrediting bodies is available through the Department.
(c) The selection of employees for an academic degree training program must follow the requirements of §335.103(b)(3), §335.103(c)(1)(iii), and subpart A of part 300 of this chapter. The selection and assignment must be accomplished to meet one or more of the criteria identified in 5 U.S.C. 4107(a). Therefore, an agency may competitively select and assign an employee to an academic degree training program that qualifies the employee for promotion to a higher graded position or to a position that requires an academic degree.
(d) Agency heads must assess and maintain records on the effectiveness of training assignments under this section.
(e) On a periodic basis, OPM may request agency information on the use and effectiveness of training assignments under this section.
[69 FR 33277, June 15, 2004]
§ 410.309 Agreements to continue in service.
(a) Authority. Continued service agreements are provided for in section 4108 of title 5, United States Code. Agencies have the authority to determine when such agreements will be required.
(b) Requirements. (1) The head of the agency shall establish written procedures which include the minimum requirements for continued service agreements. These requirements shall include procedures the agency considers necessary to protect the Government's interest should the employee fail to successfully complete training.
(2) An employee selected for training subject to an agency continued service agreement must sign an agreement to continue in service after training prior to starting the training. The period of service will equal at least three times the length of the training.
(3) The head of an agency shall establish procedures to compute length of training period for academic degree training programs in accordance with §410.310(d).
(c) Failure to fulfill agreements. With a signed agreement, the agency has a right to recover training costs, except pay or other compensation, if the employee voluntarily separates from Government service. The agency shall provide procedures to enable the employee to obtain a reconsideration of the recovery amount or to appeal for a waiver of the agency's right to recover.
[61 FR 66193, Dec. 17, 1996; 63 FR 72097, Dec. 31, 1998, as amended at 69 FR 33277, June 15, 2004]
§ 410.310 Computing time in training.
For the purpose of computing time in training for continued service agreements under section 4108 of title 5, United States Code:
(a) An employee on an 8-hour day work schedule assigned to training is counted as being in training for the same number of hours he or she is in pay status during the training assignment. If the employee is not in pay status during the training, the employee is counted as being in training for the number of hours he or she is granted leave without pay for the purpose of the training.
(b) For an employee on an alternative work schedule, the agency is responsible for determining the number of hours the employee is in pay status during the training assignment. If the employee is not in pay status during the training, the employee is counted as being in training for the number of hours he or she is granted leave without pay for the purpose of the training.
(c) An employee on an 8-hour or an alternative work schedule assigned to training on less than a full-time basis is counted as being in training for the number of hours he or she spends in class, in formal computer-based training, in satellite training, in formal self-study programs, or with the training instructor, unless a different method is determined by the agency.
(d) When an employee is pursuing an academic degree through an agency academic degree training program, an agency may compute the length of the academic degree training period based on the academic institution's established contact hours.
[61 FR 66193, Dec. 17, 1996, as amended at 69 FR 33277, June 15, 2004]
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