Interim Guidelines on Appointments and Other Human Resource Actions for the Period of State of Calamity Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

Pursuant to CSC Resolution No. 2000659 promulgated on July 8, 2020, the Commission adopted the following Interim Guidelines on Appointments and Other Human Resource Actions for the Period of State of Calamity Due to COVID-19 Pandemic:

I. Purpose

These interim guidelines shall lay down the parameters on appointment processes and other human resource actions during the period of State of Calamity due to COVID-19 pandemic.

II. Scope and Coverage

These interim guidelines shall apply only to appointments to first and second level positions, including second level executive/managerial positions in the career service, and those appointed to the non-career service who are non- presidential appointees.

III. General Guidelines

1. Publication and Posting of Vacant Positions

a. The nine (9)-month validity period of publication pursuant to Section 29 of the 2017 ORAOHRA, as amended, shall be extended for the period equivalent to the duration of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) or modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) imposed in the area where the agency is located, reckoned from the date of its lifting. The period covered by the ECQ/MECQ shall not be included in the counting of the nine-month validity period of publication. If the vacant position is not filled-up within the said extension, the agency has to cause its re-publication and posting pursuant to the said section.

b. The submission of the electronic copy of the Request for Publication of Vacant Positions (CS Form No. 9, Revised 2018) to the CSC Field Office (CSC FO) concerned through electronic mail (e-mail) shall be continued. The electronic copy received by the CSC FO concerned shall be forwarded to the CSC Regional Office (CSC RO) concerned which shall publish the same in the CSC Bulletin of Vacant Positions in the Government in the CSC Website. The corresponding hard copy shall be submitted to the CSC FO concerned within sixty (60) calendar days after the lifting of the ECQ/MECQ, for reference and records purposes.

c. The posting of the list of vacancies in three (3) conspicuous places is relaxed during the period of the ECQ/MECQ. Hence, publication/posting in the CSC, the agency website or its social media platforms, other job search web engines and radio announcements would suffice.

2. Recruitment and Selection Process

Agencies shall adopt internal guidelines that will allow for online recruitment and selection processes such as online competency assessments, video conferencing for interviews and HRMPSB deliberations.

The CSC RO and CSC FO concerned shall be furnished a copy of said internal guidelines for records purposes.

3. Issuance of Appointment

Appointing officers/authorities of agencies, including the Human Resource Management Officers (HRMOs) and HRMPSB Chairpersons, are allowed to affix their electronic signatures on copies of appointments provided that a certification by the head of the agency (Annex A) on the use of their electronic signatures, which shall also include the specimen signatures, is submitted to the CSC RO through the CSC FO concerned.

Agencies shall adopt internal rules to ensure that the electronic signatures are secured and validated. Said rules on electronic signatures shall be included in the agency internal guidelines as stated in Item no. 2 of these interim guidelines.

4. Submission of Appointment

a. Agencies shall be allowed to submit to the CSC FO concerned through e-mail the appointments issued together with the Appointment Transmittal and Action Form (ATAF) for regulated agencies or Report on Appointments Issued (RAI) for accredited/deregulated agencies, including the requirements for regular appointments pursuant to Sections 4 and 5 of the 2017 ORAOHRA, as amended, within thirty

(30) calendar days from date of issuance of the appointments and on or before the 30th day of the succeeding month, respectively.

b. Agencies shall submit the hard copies of the appointments, ATAF/RAI and requirements for regular appointments pursuant to Sections 4 and 5 of the 2017 ORAOHRA, as amended, which were e-mailed during  the community quarantine, within sixty (60) calendar days upon the lifting of the ECQ/MECQ by proper authorities.

The CSC FO concerned shall stamp said appointments and ATAFs/RAIs with the date of receipt of email submission of said documents.

5. Action on Appointments

a. Appointments submitted through e-mail may be approved/validated if the appointee meets the qualification standards of the position with the following colatilla:

i. Subject to revalidation upon submission of the original copies of the appointment, plantilla of position, and other supporting documents stated under Sections 4 and 5 of the 2017  ORAOHRA, as amended.

ii. Subject to official verification of civil service eligibility issued  by the duly authorized agency (for appointee’s civil service eligibility not previously verified).

b. Action on appointments by the CSC FO concerned shall be reflected on the ATAF/RAI which can be sent thru e-mail to the agency. A separate CSC RO/FO letter informing an agency regarding the disapproval/invalidation of appointment shall likewise be sent thru email. The CSC FO Director shall sign the appointments upon submission of the hard copies by the agencies, with the same date as indicated on the ATAF/RAI.

c. In case of disapproval/invalidation of appointments, the 2017 Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service (RACCS) shall govern.

6. Assumption to Duty

a. The appointee whose appointment was issued or takes effect during the effectivity of the ECQ/MECQ may be allowed by the appointing authority to assume office:

1. Within the ECQ/MECQ period through the alternative work arrangements adopted by the agency; or

2. Within thirty (30) days from the lifting of the ECQ/MECQ.

b. The administration of oath of office may be done through virtual modes such as video conferencing provided that the appointee was furnished a copy of his/her appointment through e-mail and that he/she acknowledged receipt of the appointment by affixing his/her electronic signature, if possible, or through e-mail/SMS.

c. If the appointee has taken his/her oath of office and assumed the duties of the position, he/she shall be entitled to receive his/her salary at once without awaiting the approval/validation of his/her appointment by the Commission.

7. Probationary Period

The imposition of the ECQ/MECQ/general community quarantine shall not extend the probationary period of the probationers who are performing their functions through the alternative work arrangements adopted by the agency. However, for those who are not involved in any of the alternative work arrangements since their work depends solely on office operations which could only be performed onsite, their probationary period shall be extended for the same period of the ECQ/MECQ/GCQ.

8. Reassignment, Detail, Transfer, Designation

a. Human Resources for Health (HRH), such as but not limited to medical and allied medical staff, may be reassigned or detailed to other government hospitals or temporary medical facilities requiring supplemental health workforce pursuant to Section 4 (m) of R.A. No. 11469 or the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act” during the state of national emergency, notwithstanding the provisions of R.A. No. 7305 or the “Magna Carta of Public Health Workers”.

b. Licensed professionals, such as but not limited to medical and social workers, who are holding administrative and other positions in the government, may be reassigned, detailed, transferred or designated to perform additional duties, upon their consent, to healthcare or other government facilities, in the exigency of the service, for the duration of the state of national emergency to augment the depleting number of frontliners in the said facilities where their services are necessary, provided that appropriate training is provided prior to their deployment.

c. Qualified officials and employees in the career service may be reassigned to stations or posts near their homes or home provinces if within the region, during the imposition by the National Government of ECQ and MECQ due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

9. Filling-up of Vacant Positions Resulting From Promotion

Agencies shall be allowed to fill up vacant positions resulting from promotion without awaiting the action of the CSC on the promotional appointments. Provided, that the positions to be filled are involved in providing essential services in this time of state of national health emergency (e.g. health-related, social workers, and the like) and that the recruitment, selection and placement processes pursuant to their CSC- approved Agency Merit Selection Plan and internal guidelines are complied. This is a conditional exemption from Section 96 of the 2017 ORAOHRA, as amended, for agencies not previously exempt therefrom.

IV. Effectivity

These interim guidelines shall take effect retroactively on March 16, 2020, the date of the President’s declaration placing the entire country under the State of Calamity and shall remain in force until the same has been lifted by the President of the Philippines.

CSC Memorandum Circular No. 14, s. 2020 (DOWNLOAD)

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