Staff Office

Office of Human Resources Management

The OHRM provides leadership and direction for administering USDA’s human resources programs and initiatives.

Our Mission

OHRM is dedicated to providing leadership and administration of the agency’s human resources programs and initiatives, while delivering related analysis and advisory assistance to the Secretary, Mission Areas, Staff Offices and other policy officials to support informed decision-making regarding USDA’s human resources programs.

Leadership

Deedra Fogle

Acting Chief Human Capital Officer, Office of Human Resources Management

Biography

What We Do

Our Goals Are To:

Build Future Leaders
Leverage Technology to Improve the Delivery of HR Support
Support USDA Programs’ Human Capital Requirements
Provide Sound Human Resource Policy Guidance

Division Breakdown

Servicing HR Offices

To ensure all USDA employees receive timely and effective support, this section outlines the various human resources service areas and their corresponding points of contact. The Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM) proudly serves Departmental Administration and USDA Staff Offices, providing dedicated guidance and expertise for these groups. For employees in other mission areas and agencies, please refer to the information below to locate your designated HR office and connect with the team best equipped to meet your needs.

Office of Human Resources Management (Departmental Administration, USDA Staff Offices): humanresources@usda.gov
Marketing and Regulatory Programs (APHIS, MRP, AMS): MRP.HR.Directors.Office@usda.gov
Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS, UCO): TFAA-FAS-CHCO@usda.gov
Farm Production & Conservtion (FPAC-Business Center, NRCS, FSA, RMA): FPAC.BC.HR.CHCOMail@usda.gov
Food and Nutrition Service: sm.fn.director-humanresources@usda.gov
Food Safety and Inspection Service: FSISHR1@usda.gov
Forest Service: hrm_contact_center@usda.gov
Office of the Chief Financial Officer: SM.OCFOADMINISTRATIVEPROJECTS@USDA.GOV
Office of the Inspection General: HRMDGROUP@oig.usda.gov
Rural Development: HRFO@usda.gov
Research Education and Economics (OCS, ARS, NASS, NIFA, ERS): HRD-AFM.Communications@usda.gov

Executive Resources Management Division: The Executive Resources Management Division (ERMD) oversees HR policies and programs for Senior Executive Service (SES), Senior Level/Scientific or Professional (SL/ST), Senior Science and Technology Service (SSTS), excepted service positions, and political appointments across USDA. ERMD also manages the Secretary’s Executive Resources Board and USDA’s Performance Review Board; works closely with the Secretary’s Office on various executive policy initiatives; and serves as the liaison between the Office of Personnel Management OPM, Office of Management and Budget OMB, and other Federal Departments affecting executive-level employees.

Human Resources Operations Division: The Human Resources Operations Division provides human resources services, including classification, recruitment and placement, pay and compensation, personnel action processing, performance management; employee benefits; awards and recognition; eOPF recordkeeping, and personnel security to non-executive and non-political employees to all staff offices under Departmental Administration, Office of the Secretary, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Budget and Program Analysis, Office of the Chief Economist, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Office of Communications, Office of the General Counsel, and the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement.

Employee Relations and Accountability Division

The Employee Relations and Accountability Division consolidates employee relations, labor relations, third-party litigation, reasonable accommodation, misconduct investigations, and anti-harassment from the various Mission Areas, Agencies, and staff offices into the Office of Human Resources Management, bringing together expertise and resources from across the Department to better provide those critical functions to all of USDA.

The ERAD functional areas are:

Employee Relations: Provides information, guidance, and support for supervisors and managers on all matters involving questions or allegations of employee misconduct or unsatisfactory performance.
Labor Relations: Provides information, guidance, and support for management in all matters involving the rights and obligations of management, unions, and bargaining-unit employees.
Litigation (Third Party): Represents the Agency in grievance arbitrations and proceedings before the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), Federal Labor Relations Authority, or other matters in appropriate forums, working in close collaboration with the Office of the General Counsel (OGC), which continues to represents the Department in all judicial litigation, administrative equal employment opportunity (EEO) litigation, and MSPB appeals affecting Senior Executives.
Employee Misconduct Investigations: Conducts administrative investigations into alleged misconduct by employees and may also conduct or support other management inquiries related to employees’ alleged violations of the standards of conduct.
Anti-Harassment: Receives, assesses, and coordinates response to reports of harassment under USDA DR 4200-003 or any subsequent Departmental Regulation.
Reasonable Accommodation: Administers USDA DR 4300-008 in accordance with applicable law and regulation to provide effective reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities or bona fide religious beliefs.
Accountability, Training, Liaison, Analysis, and Systems:
- Accountability—Reviews findings against the agency in EEO cases, decisions against the agency in arbitrations or appeals, analytical reports, and other information for compliance with laws and regulations, leadership priorities, and best practices and recommends appropriate corrective action (individual or systemic).
- Training—Develops training presentations and maintains reference materials in all program areas for both practitioners and supervisors on applicable laws and regulations, alignment with leadership priorities, and accordance with best practices in all program areas, in collaboration with OGC.
- Liaison—Provides liaison with Mission Areas, Agencies, and Staff Offices to enhance communications and customer service.
- Analysis—Analyzes data related to relevant issues in the workforce and quality of services provided, coordinates recurring and special reports requested by leadership, and identifies indicators of emerging issues or areas for improvement.
- Systems—Administers the case-management system, in coordination with the Human Resources Enterprise Systems Management Division, to ensure the capture and maintenance of critical data and documentation across functions.
Employee Relations Resources

Human Resources Policy Division

The Policy Division administers human resources policy pertaining to pay, leave, performance management, employee recognition and awards programs, employment, classification, position management, organization, safety, worker’s compensation program, special retirement coverage for firefighter and law enforcement officer positions, delegations of authority, transit subsidy program and federal employee retirement and benefits programs. The Division provides policy guidance and coordination on a variety of management initiatives and serves as liaison with USDA agencies, Office of Personnel Management, Office of Management and Budget, and other Departments. The Policy Division monitors human capital management by analyzing compliance with merit systems principles, identifying and reporting on necessary improvements, and monitoring corrective actions.

Human Resources Enterprise Systems Management Division: The mission of Human Resources Enterprise Systems Management (HRESM) is to lead and manage strategic alignment of HR systems resources to support faster decision making, more effective workforce management, and improve resource alignment with agency missions. The HRESM team is also charged with taking HR business strategy and then defining information technology systems architecture to support and execute that strategy.