Tennessee Bulletin Number 250-08-3

April 18, 2008

Subject: FNM – Timekeeping procedures – Supervisor Certification.

Purpose: To provide a reminder on requirement for supervisors to certify timesheets before submission to NFC.

Expiration Date: September 30, 2008.

As everyone should be aware, we revised our timekeeping procedures last fiscal year. NRCS must now adhere to the policy of supervisors certifying timesheets before they are submitted to NFC. This means that supervisors, employees, and timekeepers need to adhere to the schedule outlined below.

NRCS employee timesheets must be certified by the supervisor prior to the timesheet submission to NFC. If the timesheet has not been certified, it will not be electronically “picked up” and processed by NFC. The WebTCAS system will control this. The procedure is: 1. Employee submits timesheet; 2. Timekeeper verifies timesheet; 3. Supervisor certifies timesheet; 4. NFC processes timesheet.

As we are all aware, NRCS supervisors are often not in the office on the days that timesheets are being submitted by employees. Certain procedures now need to be in place in order to insure that timesheets are not prevented from being processed because the supervisor is out of the office. The first thing I want to emphasize is the fact that WebTCAS is a web-based program – this means that employees and supervisors alike can access WebTCAS from almost anywhere they have Internet access. Secondly, WebTCAS has a new feature that allows supervisors to designate two (2) backup supervisors who can certify timesheets.

All supervisors must go into WebTCAS and make sure that you have designated two backup supervisors. To do this from the WebTCAS home page, you click on “Update Profile”. On your “Profile” page there are two boxes for “Backup Supervisor”. After making your choices from the drop-down lists, be sure to click on “Save Profile” before returning to the home page. Your next steps are to 1) notify the persons you designated to be your backups, and 2) notify your employees who their “backup supervisors” are.

Some rules regarding backup supervisors: 1. District Conservationists who are supervisors will designate your Area Conservationist and the Area Resource Conservationist as your two backups; 2. State Office Principal Staff members should name two other principal staff members to be your backups; 3. No one will ever certify their own timesheet!

We continue to have problems getting all employees to submit their timesheets in a timely manner and getting all supervisors to certify in a timely manner. Timekeeping needs to be a priority for all employees, timekeepers, and supervisors. The following timetable must be followed by ALL employees:

Payroll Monday 9 AM -- Employees will have their timesheets submitted by 9 AM on the Monday following the end of the pay period. If possible, employees should submit their timesheets on their last workday of the pay period.

Monday 4 PM -- Timekeepers will have all timesheets verified.

Tuesday 4 PM – Supervisors will have all timesheets certified.

Only timesheets certified by the supervisor will be picked up and processed for payment by NFC. Supervisors will need to be diligent in communicating with your backups regarding the need for one of them to certify timesheets in your absence.

If you have any questions about the information in this bulletin, please contact your timekeeper or Susan Hopkins, State Administrative Officer.

/s/
Kevin Brown
State Conservationist

Dist: E

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