Performance Evaluations
With annual evaluations just around the corner, this is a good time for members to review Article 10 of the CSUEU/CSU contract, which addresses the criteria for performance evaluations.
Your performance evaluation should be based on job-related criteria by an evaluator who is familiar with your regular duties. The term “evaluator” refers to your appropriate administrator (MPP) or the person designated by the appropriate administrator to conduct your evaluation. There should only be one evaluator.
- 10.14 The term "evaluator" as used in this Article refers to the appropriate administrator or the person designated by the appropriate administrator to conduct the performance evaluation of an employee. The evaluator shall be familiar with the regular duties of the employee.
The purpose of your evaluation is to provide guidance for performance development and improvement. Your position description should serve as the basis for your evaluation. If you have had changes affecting your position, such as a change in duties or workload, it should be included in the evaluation. It is important to document these changes in your position description as well, especially if those changes are the criteria needed for an IRP or in-class progression application. Finally, after you receive your draft evaluation, you have five working days to review and provide input to the evaluator.
- 10.5 A performance evaluation should be a review of the employee's performance and should be based upon job-related criteria. Employee performance evaluations are for the purpose of evaluating individual employee performance and for providing guidance for performance development and improvement. Employee evaluations should acknowledge changes affecting the employee’s position, including workload, which have occurred since the last evaluation.
- 10.8 The employee shall be given up to a maximum of ten (10) work days to review the draft evaluation and provide input, if any, to the Appropriate Administrator.
There should be no surprises in your staff evaluation. You should be counseled prior to the evaluation if your manager believes your performance is not satisfactory. If you do expect to receive an evaluation that is below satisfactory, your evaluation should include specific information regarding the areas that are below satisfactory.
Although you cannot grieve the content or overall evaluation rating, you may file a grievance on any violation, misinterpretation, or misapplication of other contract sections, particularly if the evaluator did not follow the proper procedures. Examples of possible grievances or complaints include the following: there was more than one evaluator, the evaluator did not follow timelines; the evaluator was unfamiliar with your job duties; or the evaluation was not based on the appropriate job description.
- 10.6 The performance evaluation of an individual with an overall performance evaluation rating of below satisfactory shall include specific information regarding the areas of concern. It is a recommended practice that the appropriate administrator counsel an employee on below satisfactory performance before it is documented in a Performance Evaluation. The substantive content and overall evaluation rating are not subject to Article 7, Grievance Procedure.
- 10.15 Performance evaluations shall not be subject to Article 7, Grievance Procedure, unless the grievant alleges the terms of this Agreement have been violated, misinterpreted, or misapplied.
Once the evaluator has completed your draft evaluation and you have received it, you have five workdays to review it and provide input to your evaluator. The evaluator will need to consider any input you give during that time.
To discuss the evaluation, the evaluator or you may request a meeting, which has to take within seven workdays of the request. After meeting with your evaluator, you may ask for an additional meeting in which the appropriate administrator, the evaluator, plus you and a steward can discuss the evaluation. That meeting will need to take place at a mutually agreed-upon time and location within 14 workdays of the request.
You can submit a rebuttal statement if you disagree with your performance evaluation. It must be attached to your evaluation. At this point, the appropriate administrator will reconsider your evaluation. If your evaluation is amended, the updated version will replace the original evaluation with the rebuttal statement and will be placed in your personnel file.
- 10.9 The employee shall be given up to five (5) work days to review the draft evaluation and provide input, if any, to the evaluator.
- 10.10 The evaluator shall consider input provided in the five (5) work day period in preparing the final performance evaluation, and prior to placing it in the employee’s personnel file.
- 10.11 Upon request of the employee or the evaluator, the evaluator and the employee shall meet to discuss the evaluation. Such a meeting shall take place within seven (7) workdays of the request.
- 10.12 Upon request of the employee and subsequent to the meeting between the employee and the evaluator, the appropriate administrator, the evaluator, the employee, and the employee's representative, if any, shall meet to discuss the evaluation. Such a meeting shall take place within fourteen (14) workdays of the request at a mutually agreeable time and location.
- 10.13 If an employee disagrees with the record of a performance evaluation, which has been placed in his/her personnel file, the employee may submit a rebuttal statement, which shall be attached to the performance evaluation. The evaluation shall be reconsidered by the appropriate administrator in light of the rebuttal statement and if the evaluation is amended, the amended evaluation shall replace the original evaluation and its rebuttal.