Governor Gregoire Announces Veterans Affairs First Agency to Receive Performance Confirmation

For Immediate Release: February 19, 2007

OLYMPIA � Governor Chris Gregoire today announced the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) has become the first of the Governor's cabinet agencies to receive performance confirmation from the Washington Department of Personnel.

�I am proud of the staff at Veterans Affairs for their commitment to accountability and their work on behalf of Washington veterans and their families,� said Governor Gregoire.

�I am honored to be a part of this team and the exceptional service they provide to our veterans and their families,� said John Lee, WDVA Director. �This will only make us better.�

By going through the performance management confirmation process, the WDVA strengthened its performance management system overall and now provides additional incentives for employees to strive to exceed performance expectations.

The 2002 Washington Civil Service Reform Act, which took effect in July 2005, required all state agencies to develop and implement a performance management process. As part of its performance management process, WDVA pursued performance confirmation from the Department of Personnel. The confirmation process verified that WDVA has a performance management system in place to ensure performance-based pay decisions are made fairly, consistently and transparently.

The confirmation means the agency now has the authority to provide performance-based compensation, in the form of a lump sum payment or leave time, to non-represented employees. Beginning in December 2007, WDVA will have the ability to recognize employees who demonstrate performance results that exceed expectations. Awards will be provided in two categories: Outstanding and Excellence.

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