The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has the overall responsibility of administering the state's personnel system and establishing necessary policies, procedures and regulations to ensure system uniformity in accordance with state and federal law. OPM offers diversified personnel service programs to all state agencies and institutions of higher education to assist in the achievement of human resource management goals and objectives.
OPM provides for the efficient utilization of state resources and the effective management of Classification and Compensation, Payroll, Training, and Research and Technical Services. OPM is also responsible for preparing, drafting and reviewing legislation. OPM's goal is to ensure fairness, equity and uniformity in the application and administration of all personnel policies, rules and regulations and the optimal utilization of the state's human resources.
Due to the diversity of legislation affecting the two areas, the administration of Classification and Compensation is divided into two sections: (1) State Agencies and (2) Institutions of Higher Education.
Both OPM sections are responsible for managing the State Classification and Compensation System. This includes classifying positions, evaluating jobs, developing classification standards and specifications, assigning pay grades to classifications, collecting salary data, developing and administering pay plan policies and procedures, developing and administering performance evaluation procedures and providing professional assistance and guidance related to personnel management.
The sections analyze all state agency and institution of higher education biennial personal services budget requests and prepare appropriate recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature prior to and during the Legislative session.
The Research and Technical Services section provides research, analyses, advice and interpretation of personnel-related statutes, rules, regulations, policies and procedures. The section provides administration of programs required by law or necessary for OPM efficiency and effectiveness such as the Concurrent Employment Policy, the Minimum Qualification Review Policy, the State Temporaries Active in Retirement (STAR) Program, The Department of Finance and Administration Catastrophic Leave Bank Program and the State Employee Suggestion System. The section also provides administration of the OPM Management Information System.
The Arkansas Administrative Statewide Information System (AASIS) is a comprehensive computer software system designed to meet the accounting and human resource (HR) needs of state agencies. AASIS participating state agencies create and update HR Master Data in AASIS.
OPM Payroll section is responsible for creating and updating HR Master Data for AASIS Service Bureau agencies, conducting statewide time processes, executing payrolls, paying HR vendors, reporting taxes and associated taxable income to federal and state tax authorities for AASIS participating agencies; and, providing technical assistance to those agencies.
