584 Employee Evaluation
584.1 Significance of Probationary Period
584.2 Outlining Expectations
584.3 Length of Probationary Periods
584.31 Overview
This section outlines the probationary periods that are required for different kinds of employment.
584.32 Career Appointment to Bargaining Position
584.33 Career Appointment to Nonbargaining Position
An applicant hired as a Postal Inspector must serve a probationary period of 2 years. Exception: The probationary period for a person with veterans’ preference appointed as a Postal Inspector is 1 year.
584.34 Position Change During Probationary Period
584.35 Noncareer Appointment
584.36 Reinstatement
Former federal and postal employees who are reinstated must serve new probationary periods.
584.37 Management Foundations Program
584.4 Counting Probationary Service
584.41 Periods of Absence
584.42 Periods of Military Service
584.43 Periods of Noncareer Service
584.44 Reassignment During Probation
584.45 Position Changes During Probation
584.5 Bargaining Employees
584.51 Overview
PS Form 1750, Employee Evaluation and/or Probationary Report, establishes benchmarks for satisfactory work performance. For noncareer employees, the form serves as an evaluation report to make the appropriate rehire decisions, to facilitate coaching and counseling, and to assist employees needing guidance. For career employees, the form serves as a probationary report that clearly outlines expectations for the probationary period, including the factors the immediate manager will evaluate. During the employee’s first week at the work site, the immediate manager must hold an initial discussion to outline clearly performance expectations for the evaluation or probationary period, including the factors the immediate manager will evaluate and examples of satisfactory performance.
584.52 Performance Evaluation Intervals
584.53 Formal Evaluations at Other Intervals
584.54 Evaluation After the Probationary Period
584.6 Nonbargaining Employees
584.61 Overview
584.62 Conducting the Initial Discussion
- Supervisory — PS Form 5956-SUP, EAS Supervisory Employee Probationary Period Report.
- Non-Supervisory — PS Form 5956-EAS, EAS Non-Supervisory Employee Probationary Period Report.
- Management Foundations Program — PS Form 5956-MFP, Management Foundations Program Employee Probationary Period Report.
- Managerial — PS Form 5956-MGR, EAS Managerial Employee Probationary Period Report.
- Executive — PS Form 5956-EXE, Executive Employee Probationary Period Report.
- Postal Inspector — PS Form 5956-PI, Postal Inspector Probationary Period Report.
These forms are available online at http://blue.usps.gov/formmgmt/forms.htm.
584.63 Performance Evaluation Intervals
The probationary period for most nonbargaining employees is 1 year and increases to 2 years for some Postal Inspectors (see 584.33). In addition to providing the ongoing feedback necessary for successful performance management, the manager must conduct formal discussions with the employee. After the initial meeting during the employee’s first week at the work site, the manager will conduct and document interactive discussions at regular intervals as described on the appropriate probationary form (see 584.62). Both the employee and manager are required to initial the form to indicate completion of these discussions.