NATCA Bookshelf

LABOR RELATIONS DEPARTMENT FAA BRIEFING ON HROI AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SPECIALIST TESTING PROCESS FOR FILLING POSITIONS On July 23, the Agency briefed NATCA regarding its plan to revise the Human Resource Operating Instruction (HROI) Air Traffic Control Specialist Testing Processes for Filling Positions. The policy describes the standardized testing procedures used for filling Air Traffic Control Specialist positions. The two substantive changes to the policy involve the Air Traffic Control Specialist Skills Assessment Battery (ATSA). First, the Agency has modified paragraph eight of the policy to specifically list the names of the Bands in which an applicant can be placed. Band placement Paragraph eight now contains examples of band names: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, Qualified, and Not Qualified. Previously, these band names were not listed in the policy. Second, the Agency has included new language in paragraph 10 to address the communication of Air Traffic Control Specialist Skills Assessment Battery band placement to certain applicants. The FAA will now share ATSA band placement with applicants who are either "Not Referred, or Not Selected due to their ATSA score." NATCA asked for clarification about whether applicants would receive their scores if they were Not Referred or Not Selected, and the FAA responded under both circumstances that the applicant would receive his or her score. NATCA is waiting for a response from the Agency on a few additional follow-up questions. POCs: Chief of Staff Dean Iacopelli, Tom Adcock, Acting Director of Labor Relations Nicole Vitale, and Labor Relations Attorney Suzanne DeFelice. EMP-1.27A SHUTDOWN FURLOUGH On July 11, the Agency briefed NATCA regarding revisions to EMP-1.27a Shutdown Furlough and associated reference materials. The purpose of the revisions is to incorporate the requirement to issue a second furlough notice if a shutdown furlough extends beyond thirty days, as well as to clarify that the Agency must retain furlough notices. The revisions also update the functions that are excepted and non-excepted and adopt the requirements of the Government Employees Fair Treatment Act of 2019 into the Agency's procedures for shutdown furloughs. POCs: Chief of Staff Dean Iacopelli, Special Counsel to the President Eugene Freedman, Acting Director of Labor Relations Nicole Vitale, and Labor Relations Attorney Grant Mulkey. WLB-12.8 NURSING MOTHERS PROGRAM On July 19, the Agency briefed NATCA regarding revisions to WLB-12.8 FAA, Nursing Mothers Program. The purpose of the revisions is to clarify the requirements for employee participation in the program, as well as to clarify management responsibilities. The Agency also revised its standard Nursing Mothers Agreement, which must denote the expected frequency and duration of lactation breaks. The Nursing Mothers Agreement is good for one year and can be extended up to three years after the birth of a child. During the briefing, NATCA highlighted the differences between WLB-12.8 and the nursing mothers program benefits contained in Article 31 and Appendix H of the Slate Book. For instance, the Nursing Mothers Program Form in Appendix H of the Slate Book requires an applicant to provide less personal information than the Nursing Mothers Agreement. NATCA continues to evaluate these differences in order to ensure the maximum benefits for all BUEs.

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• SAFETY AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT
• RUNWAY SAFETY
• Bridget Singratanakul (Gee) (DFW) is NATCA's Runway Safety Action Team (RSAT) Rep. She also serves as the Article 114 Rep to the Runway Status Lights (RWSL) program. Her report is below:
• Runway Status Lights (RWSL)
• BOS:
• Phase 2: Lighting computer was replaced. JAI is scheduled for August, and ORD for September.
• Phase 4: Planned IOC date was June 19. Presently, all testing is checking out well, however there is still more construction work being completed on the airfield. The system is online, but the additional arrays were not available until June.