Human Capital Policies

Human Capital Policies (HCP) is made up of four services that provide strategic human capital support to VA Administrations and Staff Offices. The Services within HCP include the Recruitment and Placement Policy Service, the Compensation and Classification Service, the Oversight and Effectiveness Service, and the Strategic Human Capital Planning Service. HCP develops, publishes, and provides consultative advice on Department-wide policy and legislative matters related to several VA Directives and Handbooks (5001, 5003, 5004, 5005, 5007, 5022, 5024, etc.), Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer Bulletins, VA memorandums and other program guidance.

Kayla Williams

Ophelia “Ann” Vicks

Executive Director

Organizational Units

Compensation and Classification Service (CCS)

Sheila Willis, Service Director

Compensation and Classification Service (CCS) develops compensation and classification policy, supports VA components in crafting legislation, and provides oversight, and expert consultation on position design, position management and pay and compensation programs in support of the recruitment and retention of talent.

Activities:

  • Provides agency policy, oversight, and advisory services on organizational design, position development and pay and compensation that support OCHCO’s strategic human capital mission.
  • Collaborates with other Federal agencies with delegated authority to use the provisions of Title 38 through the Interagency Committee on Healthcare Occupations.
  • Ensures VA’s statutory compliance through review and response to legislation and various external oversight entities (i.e., Office of Personnel Management, Government Accountability Office, Office of Management and Budget, and Office of Inspector General) on inquiries that require revisions to VA Handbook 5007 (Pay Administration) and VA Handbook 5003 (Position Classification, Job Grading and Position Management).
  • Educates and increases awareness of changes to statutes, regulations and VA’s policies.
  • Promotes accurate and consistent position classification and pay parity enterprise-wide.

Oversight and Effectiveness Service

Ellen Kollar, Service Director

The Oversight and Effectiveness Service (OES) oversees an independent HR audit program and ensures VA has a systematic means for evaluating human capital programs and services and standardizing quality control measures; ensures compliance with merit system principles and other laws and regulations.

Activities:

  • Strengthens the accountability and effectiveness of VA Human Capital Management (HCM) programs and HR operations by offering excellent oversight and consulting services, sharing effective practices and advocating the use of metrics.
  • Ensures HCM programs and HR operations support VA’s mission and comply with merit system principles and other laws and regulations.
  • Coordinates and executes systematic means for evaluating human capital programs and services across the VA Administrations and standardizes quality control measures.
  • Conducts periodic Delegated Examining Unit (DEU) audits across the Administrations.
  • Supports OPM in its HCM and DEU audits across the Administrations.
  • Administers annual HCM self-evaluation surveys and analyzes results; shares prior year findings.

Recruitment and Placement Policy Service

Hattie McLeod, Service Director

Recruitment and Placement Policy Service (RPPS) develops staffing policies, implementation guidance, conducts learning sessions, and develops creative and innovative staffing solutions and strategies that enable VA HR staff to attract and retain a diverse and high-performing workforce. RPPS is composed of three program areas: Policy and Legislation, Programs and Services, and a Department-level Talent Team. These programs work together to provide consultation and interpretation of relevant laws, regulations, policies, and guidance for HR staff to address problems and issues that impact VA hiring.

Activities:

  • Develops and manages creative and innovative staffing solutions, policies, guidance, and strategies that enable the VA HR community to attract and retain a diverse and high-performing workforce.
  • Collaborates and creates partnerships with VA HR customers, provides technical staffing and recruitment guidance, advice, and/or assistance to HR professionals while building meaningful work relationships.
  • Updates VA Directive and Handbook 5005, Staffing, to reflect legislative, regulatory, and other mandated policy changes.
  • Provides OCHCO briefing sessions to VA HR workforce as necessary to address impactful issues and new developments, changes in laws, regulations, VA policy, and OPM guidance.
  • Provides consultation and interpretation of relevant laws, regulations, policies and OPM guidance for HR staff to address problems and issues that impact VA hiring.
  • Establishes and revises, in collaboration with VA stakeholders, Title 38, and applicable Title 5 qualification standards for which the VA Secretary is delegated statutory authority.
  • Conducts technical review of a variety of staffing/employment related requests to include selective service waivers, staffing variations, term appointment extensions, direct hire authority, Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) certification, and Veterans Passover requests.

Strategic Human Capital Planning Service

Ellis Osiname, Service Director

The Strategic Human Capital Planning Service (SHCPS) facilitates the development of evidence-based innovative solutions to inform decision making and to enable organizational agility and resilience. SHCPS’ mission is to optimize the workforce to meet Veterans’ current and future needs by facilitating leading-edge human capital programs through collaborative governance, analytics, resources, and advisory services.

Activities:

  • Provides advisory services and publishes policy on Strategic Workforce Planning, Succession Planning, Mission Critical Occupations, Workforce Data Analytics and Workforce Restructuring.
  • Analyzes and reports enterprise data to drive decision making on strategic human capital programs.
  • Coordinates Contingency Planning efforts for the Department and authors the biennial VA Contingency Plan, ensuring the VA is prepared for continuance of operations in the event of a lapse of appropriations.
  • Oversees the administration of VA’s Entrance, Exit, and Transfer Surveys and the associated Governance Work Group which ensures consistent, timely process changes and outcomes for the Surveys.