Policy requires you to “give the form to the employee by March 15.”

No.  If you believe that the current standard accurately expresses what you expect from the employee and that the employee understands it, there is no need to change it.

No. Expecting employees to never err is unrealistic.  Remember, set the standard at a level that is acceptable to you, a level that will not leave you dissatisfied.  Standards describe to the employee that level of performance which will earn a rating of 3 (meets performance standard).  Perfection is a great goal but generally not a realistic standard.

Yes.  This is intended to be a working document and may be changed, as necessary, throughout the year.  If you change the plan, both you and the employee must initial and date it.  Give the employee a copy.

Since the new duties are significant, you should update the GOJA and the performance plan accordingly and immediately.  Don't forget that both you and the employee need to initial and date the updated plan.  Give the employee a copy.

You are not required to set a higher standard for the lead worker simply because that individual is the lead worker.  Exercise caution before assuming that the lead worker will always be more proficient at the same duty performed by an employee he or she leads.  It is quite possible that the employee who performs the duty more often is more proficient at that duty.

No.  A performance expectation is a statement based on a duty from the GOJA booklet which summarizes a significant portion of the job.  Duties are listed in section 05 of the GOJA.

No one signs the plan.  However, policy requires that both the supervisor and employee initial and date the plan.

No.  The performance plan is a document to be shared by you and your employee. 

Yes.  Later, if there is a question regarding whether you complied with the policy in this area, such documentation may prove valuable.

An employee’s supervisor may ask him/her to complete a self-evaluation or self-appraisal before meeting with the employee to discuss and formally assess their performance for the previous year. This self-appraisal gives the employee the opportunity to rate their performance and present their own appraisal to their supervisor. This can enhance the performance appraisal discussion as well as provide support for an employee’s performance rating.  The supervisor’s rating and assessment of the employee’s performance will be the basis for the official rating in the final performance appraisal document, but the self-evaluation can assist the employee and supervisor in identifying areas that need improvement as well as providing support for areas in which the employee excelled.

UPPS 04.04.20, Staff Performance Appraisal, requires that the GOJA be certified by the employee and supervisor prior to completing the performance appraisal discussion. This certification and the employee’s and supervisor’s signatures indicate that the GOJA that was used to generate the standards and expectations in the performance appraisal is current, accurate, and up to date. It also means that the supervisor reviewed the GOJA with the employee and that both the employee and supervisor agree that it accurately reflects the duties performed by the employee. The Performance Appraisal document must be signed by the employee and supervisor to certify the accuracy of the GOJA as well. This certification validates the performance appraisal process. 

A new version of the GOJA with the applicable signature sections is available at: http://www.hr.txstate.edu/Forms/compensationforms.html