Optional Form 8 (BACK) (Revised 1/85)
Instructions for Completing Optional Form 8
POSITION DESCRIPTION
In order to comply with the requirements of FPM Chapter 295,
subchapter 3, and other provisions of the FPM, agencies must
complete the items marked by an asterisk. Agencies may determine
what other items are to be used.
• A "Supervisory" position is one that meets the requirements
for a supervisory title as set forth in current OPM classification
and job-grading guidance. Agencies may designate first-level
supervisory positions by placing "1" or "1st" after "Supervisory."
• A "Managerial" position is one that meets the requirements for
such a designation as set forth in current OPM classification
guidance.
*1. Enter position number used by the agency for control purposes.
See FPM Chapter 312, Subchapter 3.
3. Check one.
*4. Enter geographical location by city and State (or if position is in a
foreign country, by city and country).
*5. Enter geographical location if different from that of #4.
6. To be completed by OPM when certifying positions. (See Item 15
for date of OPM certification.) For SES and GS-16/18
positions and equivalent, show the position number used on
OPM Form 1390 (e.g., DAES0012).
*7. Check one to show whether the incumbent is exempt or
nonexempt from the minimum wage and overtime provisions of
the Fair Labor Standards Act. See FPM Chapter 551.
8. Check box if statement is required. See FPM Chapter 734 for
the Executive Personnel Financial Disclosure Report, SF 278.
See FPM Chapter 735, Subchapter 4, for the Employment and
Financial Interests Statement.
9. Check one to show whether Identical Additional positions are
permitted. See FPM Chapter 312, Subchapter 4. Agencies may
show the number of such positions authorized and/or established
after the "Yes" block.
10. Check one. See FPM Chapter 212 for information on the
competitive service and FPM Chapter 213 for the excepted
service. For a position in the excepted service, enter authority
for the exception, e.g., "Schedule A-213.3102(d)" for Attorney
positions excepted under Schedule A of the Civil Service
Regulations. SES (Gen) stands for a General position in the
Senior Executive Service, and SES (CR) stands for a Career
Reserved position.
11. Check one.
12. Check one to show whether the position is non-sensitive,
noncritical sensitive, critical sensitive, or special sensitive for
security purposes. If this is an ADP position, write the letter "C"
beside the sensitivity.
• For "Official Title of Position," see the applicable classification
or job grading standard. For positions not covered by a
published standard, see the General Introduction to "Position
Classification Standards," Section III, for GS positions, or FPM
Supplement 512-1, "Job Grading System for Trades and Labor
Occupations," Part 1, Section III.
• For "Pay Plan code, see FPM Supplement 292-1, "Personnel
Data Standards," Book III.
• For "Occupational Code," see the applicable standard; or,
where no standard has been published, see the "Handbook of
Occupational Groups and Series of Classes" for GS positions,
or FPM Supplement 512-1, Part 3, for trades and labor
positions. For all positions in scientific and engineering
occupations, enter the two-digit functional classification
code in parentheses immediately following the
occupational code, e.g., "GS-1310(14)." The codes are
listed and discussed in the General Introduction to "Position
Classification Standards," Section VI.
13. Enter competitive level code for use in reduction-in-force actions.
See FPM Chapter 351.
14. Agencies may use this block for any additional coding
requirement.
*15. Enter classification/job grading action.
16. Enter the organizational, functional, or working title if it differs
from the official title.
17. Enter the name of the incumbent. If there is no incumbent, enter
"vacancy."
*18. Enter the organizational location of the position, starting with the
name of the department or agency and working down from there.
19. If the position is occupied, have the incumbent read the attached
description of duties and responsibilities. The employee's
signature is optional.
*20. This statement normally should be certified by the immediate
supervisor of the position. At its option, an agency may also
have a higher-level supervisor or manager certify the statement.
*21. This statement should be certified by the agency official who
makes the classification/job grading decision. Depending on
agency regulations, this official may be a personnel office
representative, or a manager or supervisor delegated
classification/job grading authority.
22. Enter the position classification/job grading standard(s) used and
the date of issuance, e.g., "Mail and File, GS-305, May 1977."
23. Agencies are encouraged to review periodically each established
position to determine whether the position is still necessary and,
if so, whether the position description is adequate and
classification/job grading is proper. See FPM Letter 536-1 (to be
incorporated into FPM Chapter 536). This section may be used
as part of the review process. The employee's initials are
optional. The initials by the supervisor and classifier represent
recertifications of the statements in items #20 and #21
respectively.
24. This section may be used by the agency for additional coding
requirements or for any appropriate remarks.
*25. Type the description on plain bond paper and attach to the form.
The agency position number should be shown on the attachment.
See appropriate instructions for format of the description and for
any requirements for evaluation documentation, e. g.,
"Instructions for the Factor Evaluation System," in the General
Introduction to "Position Classification Standards," Section VII.
• "Redescription" means the duties and/or responsibilities of an
existing position are being changed.
• "New" means the position has not previously existed.
• "Reestablishment" means the position previously existed, but
had been cancelled.
• "Other" covers such things as change in title or occupational
series without a change in duties or responsibilities.
•
The "Explanation" section should be used to show the reason if
"Other" is checked, as well as any position(s) replaced by position
number, title, pay plan, occupational code, and grade.
*2. Check one.
