Employee Intranet

USDA-NRCS Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP)

Employee Orientation for the new Student Temporary Experience Program.

Click each link below, fill out each form and promptly mail them to our Human Resources office using the envelope provided to you.

If you have any questions regarding the forms on this web page, please contact Pamela Smith, (254) 742-9927 or Sue Elliott, (254) 742-9930.

Form	Title
OF 612 (PDF; 727 Kb)	General Information - Optional Application for Federal Employment - A false statement on your application may be grounds for not hiring you, or for firing you after you begin work. Provide complete mailing addresses including a zip code. The OF-612 must have an original signature and date, and all questions need to be answered. Disregard if provided with your employment application.
OF 306 (PDF; 92 Kb)	Declaration for Federal Employment
SF 144 (PDF; 214 Kb)	Statement of Prior Federal Service
SF 85 (PDF; 522 Kb)	Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions Read instructions carefully before completing. Account for all applicable periods of time (indicating Month/Year and provide complete mailing addresses).
SF 256 (PDF; 187 Kb)	Self-Identification of Handicap
SF 181 (PDF; 62 Kb)	Ethnicity an Race Identification
SF 1199A (PDF; 113 Kb)	Direct Deposit Sign-Up Form Take this to your financial institution and have them fill out and sign before mailing it back to Human Resources. Note: If you are changing banks, SF-1199A must be completed by your financial institution first. Then you may submit SF-1199A form electronically (using your established PIN) through NFC Employee Personal Page (EPP) https://www.nfc.usda.gov. Do not forward this Form to Human Resources UNLESS you are unable to enter your data through EPP)
Form W-4 (PDF; 237 Kb)	Form W-4 (2008) (blocks 1-5 must be completed)
AD 349 (PDF; 11 Kb)	Employee Address Form - Direct deposit only (blocks 8 - 12 do not apply)

If you are a veteran: A copy of your DD-214 documenting an Honorable Discharge must be provided. We must have a copy of this document to verify all periods of military service.

During your first week of duty

When you report for duty, you and your supervisor will work together to fill out the following forms.

SF 61 Appointment Affidavits
I-9
Security Clearance forms IRM 2 and IRM 3

During your first month of duty

EAuthentication Job Aid for New Employees (PDF; 591 Kb)
EmpowHr Instruction Guide for New and Returning Employees (PDF; 1.87 Mb)

These links are very important to have with you during your first month of duty. Please print each booklet from your office computer and have them available for instruction after you’ve received your first pay stub. These links will discuss EmpowHr and eAuthentication passwords which are required for empowHr help and eAuthentication registration. After you receive your EMPOWHR password by email, follow the instructions in the “EmpowHr Instruction Guide for New and Returning Employees”. If you do not receive your EmpowHr User ID and Password by your 4th week on duty contact Pamela Smith via email or phone at (254) 742-9927.

Read eAuthentication Job Aid for New Employees. After you have registered and received your eAuthentication password you will log in to Aglearn in order to take the “USDA Security Literacy and Basics” course. Make sure you print a certificate after you complete this course.

Then you will go to the “Introduction to NRCS”, which includes employee orientation, civil rights, and ethical conduct.

If you are having troubles registering for your eAuthentication password refer to the help instructions in - EAuthentication Job Aid for New Employees (PDF; 591 Kb)

Remember these log ons and passwords for future use.

Please read these important booklets and handouts material in their entirety.

Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (PDF; 288 KB)
Your Rights as a Federal Employee
The Role of the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (PDF; 288 Kb)
Security Expectations and Rules of Behavior (PDF; 52 Kb)
Security Incident Response Guide for Users (PDF; 277 Kb)

Employee Development:

A. Your supervisor will be preparing your Employee Development Plan (EDP). You have the responsibility for ensuring your training is completed and documented on your EDP. A current EDP will be maintained throughout your career.

B. You will also need to enter all training on the Texas Training Database. Your Supervisor will provide instructions on how to enter this data.

An Employee Personal Page (EPP) Password from The National Finance Center (NFC) will be mailed to your home address approximately 4 weeks after you enter on duty.

What is EPP?

With the Employee Personal Page (EPP) you can view your payroll, leave, travel, health and life insurance, savings bond, and other personal information, read news items from your agency or NFC, and link to your favorite sites.

The Self-Service option is available for employees whose agency has elected to offer this option. You can change your Residence Address, Federal and State Tax withholding, Financial Allotments, and Direct Deposit information.

The Work Number for Everyone (PDF; 21 Kb) The Work Number for Everyone is an automated system that provides employment & salary verification to specific creditors and potential lenders. Through use of a touch-tone phone, employees can authorize potential creditors the access needed in order to obtain information required for apartment rental, reference checks, short-term, and major loans including mortgages through this automated system.

Military Reservists: Federal employees are required to advise their employing offices at such time they become eligible for retired or retainer pay from the military reserves.

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