What this means
m21-4:1.5 explains purpose of supervisory visits. In plain terms, the official guidance says supervisory visits of employees whose work is located outside the office are encouraged as a means of sharing information, best practices, and observing the work style of the employee. Supervisory visits are primarily made to: It also addresses each fiscal year the VSCM/PMCM/Fiduciary Hub Manager (FHM) or other designated supervisor will schedule and conduct supervisory visits to observe employees whose primary duty is working outside the regional office at a subordinate location.
How this may help with a claim
Use m21-4:1.5 as an internal VA audit trail for purpose of supervisory visits, not as a promise of a particular result. Compare the actions recorded in your claim file or decision notice with this source-specific detail: Supervisory visits of employees whose work is located outside the office are encouraged as a means of sharing information, best practices, and observing the work style of the employee. Each fiscal year the VSCM/PMCM/Fiduciary Hub Manager (FHM) or other designated supervisor will schedule and conduct supervisory visits to observe employees whose primary duty is working outside the regional office at a subordinate location. If the record does not show the expected action, identify the missing step precisely when asking VA or an accredited representative to review the file.
What to review in your file
- Check the file against this official condition: required areas for supervisory visit reports.
- Confirm that the record or notice addresses this source point: ensure that Veterans' privacy information is secured when not in use, and
- Document how this stated step or exception applies: 1.5.c. Required Areas for Supervisory Reports
Important limits
m21-4:1.5 is primarily internal workflow guidance about purpose of supervisory visits. It can help identify what VA was expected to document, but it does not by itself create a claimant deadline, a freestanding entitlement, or a guaranteed remedy. The source also states: Supervisory visits of employees whose work is located outside the office are encouraged as a means of sharing information, best practices, and observing the work style of the employee. Additional visits may be scheduled as determined by the VSCM/PMCM/FHM or designated supervisor.
Search terms when useful
Phrases that may help when searching your claim file or this library.
- Purpose of Supervisory Visits
- m21-4:1.5
- Purpose Supervisory Visits
- Supervisory Site Visits
- supervisory visits outbased employees
- required areas supervisory visit
- 1.5.a. Purpose Supervisory Visits
- Supervisory visits employees whose
Original VA guidance
The official VA text of this section
5. Supervisory Site Visits
Introduction
This section contains information on supervisory site visits
- purpose of supervisory visits
- supervisory visits for outbased employees and
- required areas for supervisory visit reports.
Change Date
October 1, 2019
1.5.a. Purpose of Supervisory Visits
Supervisory visits of employees whose work is located outside the office are encouraged as a means of sharing information, best practices, and observing the work style of the employee. Supervisory visits are primarily made to:
- ensure compliance with basic directives and mandatory procedures
- evaluate personally the quality of services provided
- ensure that Veterans' privacy information is secured when not in use, and
- appraise effectiveness and economy of operations.
Note: Review of an individual's workload management skills to include completed work and timeliness can easily be tracked through reports and through the use of quality reviews. In certain instances, however, a supervisory visit should also be scheduled. Specific circumstances will dictate a mandatory visit with additional visits scheduled at local option.
1.5.b. Supervisory Visits for Outbased Employees
Each fiscal year the VSCM/PMCM/Fiduciary Hub Manager (FHM) or other designated supervisor will schedule and conduct supervisory visits to observe employees whose primary duty is working outside the regional office at a subordinate location.
- This will include those outbased at VA medical centers, outpatient clinics, or itinerant points.
- Employees who perform frequent, recurring outreach such as Military Service Coordinators (MSCs) and each person responsible for conducting field examinations, as a primary job function will also be visited.
At a minimum, an annual visit will be conducted with each employee who has held the position for less than 3 years or with an employee, regardless of tenure, who has been identified as having performance issues.
Note: Additional visits may be scheduled as determined by the VSCM/PMCM/FHM or designated supervisor.
1.5.c. Required Areas for Supervisory Reports
Supervisory visit reports will reflect an accurate account of what was observed during the visit. The report format and content will be determined locally. However, the report should address the following areas in addition to any locally specified reporting requirements:
- employee’s rapport with customers and other individuals in the assignment
- aspects of the job the employee is doing well
- aspects of the job the employee needs to improve
- problems or comments expressed by the employee and solutions discussed
- security measures in place to ensure that sensitive information is protected, and
- general comments based on review of cases observed during the supervisory visit.