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Washington, D.C.—Even though employees will receive their money nearly two months late, the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) is pleased with the decision by the Department of Energy (DOE) to move ahead with performance-based awards payments as called for under the parties’ collective bargaining agreement, the leader of the union said today.

NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley welcomed the DOE announcement that the recently-approved Continuing Resolution (CR) for fiscal 2007 puts the agency “in a solid position,” including permitting it to meet its obligations with regard to employee awards, which were payable by Jan. 31. NTEU had filed two grievances over the matter.

In a message to employees, DOE said performance-based discretionary payments will be effective March 4 and have a pay date of March 29.

President Kelley was sharply critical of the DOE decision last November to delay bonuses and quality step increases until after Congress had acted on the agency’s fiscal 2007 appropriation.

At that time, she said DOE employees should not be made to suffer in any fashion resulting from any deficiencies in agency budgeting.

DOE blamed what it called its “very difficult decision” regarding awards on the terms of the CR then in effect “and the uncertain funding situation for fiscal 2007.” The subsequent CR, approved Feb. 15 and covering the balance of this fiscal year, DOE said, “provides the department with a clear financial situation.”

NTEU will pursue discussions with DOE about interest payments on the delayed awards and on making employee-earned quality step increases retroactive, Kelley said.

NTEU is the largest independent federal union, representing some 150,000 employees in 30 agencies and departments, including nearly 1,700 in DOE.