Annual Performance Evaluations

The annual performance evaluation is a review of your work performance for a one-year period of time and is part of your official employment record, so it’s an important document that is maintained in your permanent personnel file.

SLOCEA consults with a lot of members on the annual performance evaluation, especially since the County switched from a five metric to a three metric evaluation system. The old evaluation system rated employees as Outstanding, Above Satisfactory, Satisfactory, Improvement Needed, and Unsatisfactory. The current three metric evaluation rates employees as Exceptional, Successful, and Needs Improvement.

The County’s Civil Service Commission rules dictate guidelines for these three ratings as such:

RULE 13.03 PERFORMANCE EVALUATION RATING STANDARDS:

Performance evaluations shall be made in accordance with the following standards:

(a) Exceptional work performance is consistently and distinctly well above the standard expected of a competent worker in that job; performance is consistently superior. Exceptional ratings must be substantiated in writing by the rater.

(b) Successful work performance consistently meets the standard expected of a competent worker in that job.

(c) Needs Improvement work performance is frequently less than the standard expected of a competent worker in that job. Needs Improvement ratings must be substantiated in writing by the rater.

Many employees tell us that they feel deflated when they receive their evaluation because they’re deemed “overall successful” and not appropriately recognized for the work that they’ve done throughout the year. These employees believe their work has been well above the standard of a “competent worker” but are not getting those exceptional competency ratings. Alternatively, many employees take issue with the narrative that their supervisor has written and disagree with its content.

Employees who are not in agreement with their evaluation have a few choices.

If you receive an evaluation that is rated overall as “needs improvement”, you have the right to file an appeal of the evaluation and have 10 business days to do so. Contact SLOCEA immediately if you find yourself in this situation.

If you receive an evaluation that is rated overall successful, but there are elements that you do not agree with, you can and should reach out to your supervisor and manager to discuss the disagreements you have with the evaluation content and request modification. In addition, you can (and should) always submit a written response to those elements of the evaluation that you dispute and request that it be placed in your permanent personnel file. When signing the evaluation, you should also note in the comment section that you have submitted a written response to the evaluation to make sure that it’s appropriately captured.

Signing your name on the dotted line does not mean you agree with its content, it just means that you received the evaluation, and your supervisor has reviewed its contents with you.

Should you find yourself in any of these situations, contact SLOCEA for guidance.

Theresa Schultz

Senior Labor Representative