Special Directive 94-2
                                Annual Review

To:      Directorate, Field Directorate, Superintendents, and WASO Division
         Chiefs

From:    Director

Subject: Dual Career Assistance Program

This Special Directive transmits the National Park Service's revised policy on
dual career assistance.

To recruit and retain a high quality, diverse workforce, it is the Service's
policy to provide assistance to employees and/or their spouses.  Many
households rely on dual incomes.  Recognizing this fact and providing
appropriate assistance to employees and/or spouses will promote high morale and
increase productivity.  Although the ultimate responsibility for securing
employment rests with the individual, managers and supervisors are to make
every possible effort to assist spouses in securing employment.

This policy on dual careers applies to dual income couples where at least one
spouse works for the National Park Service.

The policy uses the word "spouse" as defined by the Department of the Interior
in the Personnel Management Letter on Family and Medical Leave to mean "husband
or wife, as defined or recognized under State law for the purposes of marriage,
including common law marriage in States where it is recognized.  In addition,
this issuance recognizes non-traditional relationships where an individual
related by blood or affinity whose close association with the employee is the
equivalent of a spousal relationship."

The following actions will be taken by supervisors and managers to assist dual
career employees or their spouses.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Parks, Service Centers, and Regional/WASO Offices are expected to:

Provide counseling to dual career couples about their career options;

Explain the Dual Career Referral Program when making job offers to
employees so they are aware of the assistance available;

Grant as a minimum at least 180 calendar days Leave Without Pay (LWOP) to
permanent employees who are leaving to accompany a spouse.  Obtain a
written resignation post-dated to the end of the LWOP.  To encourage
management support, the losing unit is allowed to create an "additional
identical" (AI) position to fill immediately, regardless of resignation.

Make personal contact with managers at other Service units about
placement possibilities for spouses with status;

Review vacancies to determine if they can be advertised simultaneously as
possible dual career opportunities;

Encourage supervisors to utilize alternative work schedules, job sharing
and flexi-place as appropriate.

Support existing or consider establishing day care facilities.

Maintain a current list of other Federal agencies and major employers
within the commuting area with addresses, phone numbers and contacts.

Provide a copy of the Dual Career Exit Interview Checklist (Attachment
1 - see end of this document) to employees transferring to other areas.

Appoint a Worklife Coordinator, who may be assigned on either a full-time
or a collateral duty basis. The Coordinator shall provide information on
dual career opportunities, other employment options, day care, schools 
and additional area information to transferring employees and potential
applicants.  The Coordinator can also assist supervisors and managers in
fulfilling their obligations under the program. 

DUAL CAREER REFERRAL PROGRAM:

The National Park Service will assist spouses who have career or career
conditional status with the Federal government by referring their applications
for consideration to selecting officials before advertising or filling
vacancies.

To be eligible, spouses must submit their application to the appropriate
personnel offices in the commuting area.  The spouse must identify the types of
positions they wish to be considered for.  If qualified, they will be
considered for positions at the same or lower grades as held before on a
permanent appointment.  Consideration for vacancies under this program will
begin with the receipt of the spouse's application and terminate with being
offered and declining the identified position(s) and grade(s), or with
accepting a permanent position.

The Dual Career Program may be managed by either the unit's Personnel Office or
by the Worklife Coordinator.  Each responsible unit will set up a process for
maintaining the applications of spouses and for providing the appropriate
applications to selecting officials before a vacancy is advertised or filled. 
Spouse applications are valid for up to one year, continued eligibility will
require annual updates by the spouse.

Referral Procedures:

Before announcing or filling a vacancy (except if the NPS Priority Placement
List is used), the unit(s) will refer the spouse's application for any position
they are qualified for and have identified an interest in at a grade no higher
than permanently held.  The selecting official is not obligated to select the
spouse appliant, only to consider his/her application.  If the selecting
official does not select the spouse the position may then be advertised or
otherwise filled.  If the position is advertised, the spouse may apply.

ALTERNATIVES FOR PLACEMENT

Before making decisions on reassignments each dual career couple should
maintain a flexible attitude and consider all available placement options
within and outside the National Park Service.

Supervisors of and dual career couples are expected to examine all options
available for placement including, but not limited to, the following:

     a) Detail to another Park/Region;
     b) Lateral reassignment to another position for which qualified;
     c) Temporary (seasonal) assignments;
     d) Permanent intermittent status;
     e) Change to a lower grade;
     f) Job-sharing, flexi-schedule, and flexi-place assignments;
     g) Transfers to other federal agencies in the area;
     h) Networking with professional organizations (e.g. ANPR, ANPME, FOP,
        NAI, etc.)
     i) Resignation;
     j) Employment outside the federal government (e.g. with state/local
        governments, private industry, etc.)

This policy does not propose that any particular employee will be accommodated
in every instance.  The responsibility for career planning still rests with
individuals whether dual career couples or not.  It does, however, provide a
process for assisting employees with planning and achieving career movement.

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                DUAL CAREERS EXIT INTERVIEW CHECKLIST


1. For all dual income couples:  discuss employment options/career plans for
the spouse/employee at the new location.

2. For spouse/employee with federal status: explain the Dual Career Referral
Program.

3. For spouse/employee with federal status: discuss employment options
available.  Options may include:

     a) detail to another Park/Region
     b) non-competitive reassignment to lateral position
     c) temporary (seasonal) assignments
     d) permanent intermittent status
     e) change to lower grade
     f) job-sharing, flexi-schedule, and flexi-place options
     g) transfers to other federal agencies
     h) networking with professional organizations
     i) resignation
     j) employment outside the federal government (e.g. with State/local
        governments, private industry, cooperating associations, etc.)

4. For an employee trailing a spouse to a new location: inform them of the
180 calendar days of LWOP they can have while they look for a job in
their new location.

5. For all dual income couples: provide contact with Worklife Coordinator at
the new location.