Which statement best summarizes the three specific provisions of the Civil Service Reform Act that profoundly impact the appraisal system?

• A. Must consist of established standards that permit accurate evaluation of performance on objective criteria; standards and critical job elements must be communicated to employees in writing at the beginning of each appraisal period; employees are to be appraised annually.
• B. Standards must be flexible; appraisals may be informal; no written communication required.
• C. Appraisals should be conducted only when performance issues arise.
• D. 360-degree feedback must be used for all ratings.

Answer: (A)