DOE and FERC Staffing Needs and Employee Distribution

A review was made of Department of Energy (DOE) personnel management practices relating to: (1) the impact of the federal hiring freeze on staffing needs of DOE and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); (2) the allocation of supergrade positions; and (3) actions taken by DOE to correct personnel management problems discussed in a September 1978 Civil Service Commission (CSC) report.

Most of the DOE organizations contacted had been given some form of staffing relief since the hiring freeze began; however, the Office of Conservation and Solar Applications, which has high priority responsibilities for the development of solar energy, and the Office of State and Local Programs, which administers several hundred million dollars in grants, indicated serious staffing problems as a result of the freeze. Processing of job applications is being done in a reasonable time frame and no serious problems exist, according to FERC officials. DOE initiated a systematic review of the allocation of supergrade positions in December 1978 to better understand the use of executive level positions and to identify areas where allocation adjustments may be necessary. In response to the CSC report, DOE approved organization structures and mission and functional statements as of April 1979 and had initiated a departmentwide classification review. No downgrading actions will be taken before May 1979.