Querying your PAR

ANNUAL performance reporting for all personnel should be underway. An individual’s report should not come as a surprise to them as they should have received feedback during the reporting period. However, at times, people will wish to represent against their PAR.

Under the performance appraisal system, individuals can represent against each issue only once. If individuals are dissatis- fied with any aspect of their report, they should represent immediately.

Signing the report

Individuals should not sign a disputed report in the hope of avoiding confrontation and in the expectation that they can represent at a later time. Disputes over the accuracy and the content of PARs can only be resolved at unit level. Neither the Complaints Resolution Agency nor DP-AF have the authority to override a report – especially if the individual has signed the report without representing. The individual is the only person who is affected in the long term with this course of action.

Representation

An individual may submit a representation against the assessor’s assessments and/or narrative contents.

The representation is not required to follow a set format, but usually a minute format will suffice. The individual should initial each page of the representational material before submission.

The individual should indicate their intention to represent within two working days of being given the PAR. The representation is to be submitted to the assessor within seven working days. The assessor is required to provide a response within five working days.

Structure

The representation structure is very important. It should address those specific areas of discontent. It should not venture into personal attacks, but focus on the areas of performance the individual considers they should have received more favorable consideration of.

The individual should include examples of performance and tangible achievements from throughout the reporting period. Usually these things are contained in the PRPs raised.

The representation should detail the specific outcomes desired, for example: “I feel I should have been assessed as being a ‘self-starter who acts independently with competence and authority” for ‘resourcefulness’ for the following reasons: (list examples)”.

The next steps

Once a decision is made, changes should be included in the PAR, an explanation included at Part 3A and a detailed explanation provided to the individual (verbally and written).

A copy of all documentation should be provided to the individual at all times. The PAR needs to be forwarded to DP and all representation material forwarded to Defence Archives, even if the individual is not satisfied with the outcome of the representation.

The individual may pursue action through DI (AF) PERS 34-1 - Redress of Grievance. For further information visit People Central, phone FLTLT Mia Ploughman on (02) 6265 2220 or FLTLT Peter Greenacre on (02) 6265 2487.

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