Skip to content

USPS Process Guide
Chapter 1: Positions –

H0CUS – Agency Processing Options

Screen: H0CUS
Prerequisites: None
Key Field: AGENCY

Note: Use this screen to establish various options and defaults when processing actions on HMPNH and HMPHR. A Letter of Authorization (LOA) is required to change any values on this screen.

Step Action
1 Access H0CUS.
2 Enter the following fields as required:
AGENCY (Key)
CREATE POSITION (Required)

This switch indicates whether a position will be created by the HMPNH/HMPHR process or if the position must be set up prior to the HMPNH/HMPHR action. The value of this switch also determines if an override of this switch is allowed at the HMPNH/HMPHR level.

Note: The create position switch your agency has chosen resides on the H0CUS (Agency Processing Options).

Switch Definition
1 The position will always be created during the HMPNH/HMPHR action. No override of this value may occur on the HMPNH/HMPHR screen. There is, however, a way using the CREATE/UPDATE POS field, to stop the automatic position creation when you are using reason codes where position creation is not necessary. By default, your agency will use synchronized staffing (where budgeted equals actual pay).
4 The position will not be created during the HMPNH/HMPHR action. A valid position must already exist on HNPU1. No override of the HMPNH/HMPHR position creation value is allowed on the HMPNH/HMPHR screen. Corresponding HMPNH/HMPHR fields do not have to match. Under/overfill situations are allowed.
VALIDATE PCA (Required)
Enter a value to indicate whether the relationship between employee organization code and PCA should be validated using the rules established on HMMU1.
Y Validate using HMMU1
N Do not validate using HMMU1
INCLUDE LWOP MOS (Required)
Enter a value to determine whether LWOP months will be included in the calculation of agency effective service date.
Y Include LWOP months in calculation
N Exclude LWOP months in calculation
CREATE REVIEW AT NEW HIRE (Required)
This switch controls whether the new hire process (HMPNH) will create a performance appraisal record (H61U1).
0 Do not create record
1 Schedule review one month from hire date
2 Schedule review two months from hire date
3 Schedule review three months from hire date
4 Schedule review four months from hire date
5 Schedule review five months from hire date
6 Schedule review six months from hire date
7 Schedule review twelve months from hire date
VER EVAL SSN/COPY EVAL SSN (Optional)
The first area of this field is used to restrict what employee numbers can be entered as review/evaluators on H61U1. When this option is on, only employees who have their “allowed to review” switch set on H0BUN can be entered on H61U1.
Y Verify SSN is allowed to perform reviews based on switch (H0BUN)
N (or blank) Do not verify.

The second area of this field is used to indicate whether or not the evaluator SSN(s) should be carried forward as new performance appraisal records are created.

Y Copy Eval/Review SSN(s) to the new, automatically created record.
N Do not copy Eval/Review SSN(s) to the new, automatically created record.
DOWNLOAD OF DISABILITY DATA (Optional)
Indicates whether the disability data (HN1) can be included on the personnel extract (Report 50).
Y Can be included.
N (or blank) Cannot be included.
AGENCY PCA INDICATOR (Optional)
Determines whether an agency can use PCA indexes or agency-defined cost centers.
A Only use agency-defined cost centers (1st character of all labor codes must be an A).
U Only use USAS PCAs or Indexes (1st character of all labor codes must be a P for PCAs or I for Indexes).
B Allow both agency cost centers and USAS PCAs/Indexes.
FML/PL TRK BY CERT HRS IND (Optional)
Determines whether an agency tracks family and parental medical leave by certified hours.
Blank field Do not use certified hours.
Y Use certified hours.
ACTIVE AGENCY (Required)
Enter the value that determines the status of an agency.
Y Agency is active in USPS.
N Agency is not active in USPS.
C Converted to SPRS. Requires ERS interface.
S Converted to SPRS. Does not require ERS interface.
ALLOW SEMI-MONTHLY PAYROLLS (Optional)
Determines whether an agency is allowed to request semi-monthly payrolls.
Blank field Do not allow semi-monthly payrolls.
Y Allow semi-monthly payrolls.

AUTO LOAD DCP FILE FROM ERS

Y Automatic Loading Enabled.
Blank Automatic Loading Not Enabled.
CREATE/UPDATE POS DEFAULT (Optional)
This value defaults to HMPHR and determines whether the existing HNP will be updated or if a new HNP is created when reason codes 001, 025, 027, 028, 034, 038, 047, and 049 are processed.
Blank field User will need to enter value each time action is performed.
U Existing HNP will be updated.
C New HNP will be created.

Note: The value that appears on HMPHR can be overridden at any time.

TIME CARD STATUS DEFAULT (Required)
Enter the value that represents the time card status used by the majority of the agency’s employees.
0 Time card required.
1 Auto pay (no time card required).
PRIMARY EEO-4 FUNCTION CODE (Required)
Enter a value that represents the EEO4 function code used by the majority of the agency’s employees. EEO4 function codes are entered on HDWE4.
POSITION CODE DEFAULT (Required)
Enter a value that represents the position code used by the majority of the agency’s employees.
C Classified
U Unclassified
E Exempt
RETIREMENT TYPE DEFAULT (Required)
Enter a value representing the retirement code used by the majority of the agency’s employees.
1 Judicial Retirement Plan 1
2 Judicial Retirement Plan 2
C Employees Retirement System (ERS) – Law Enforcement and Custodial Officer Supplemental (LECOS)
D Decline
E ERS
H TRS 90-day wait
L ERS – Legislative
M Maximum retirement service credit – ERS/JR1/JR2
N ERS 90-day wait
O Optional Retirement Plan
Q LECOS 90-day wait
R ERS surcharge return to work retiree
S ERS surcharge LECOS return to work retiree
T TRS
X Exempt (use for returning retirees, etc.)
LOCATION DEFAULT (Optional)
Represents the location used by the majority of the agency’s employees. Locations are established on HNJU1.
DATA REL IND DEFAULT/OVERD (Required)
Enter a value of Y (yes) or N (no) in the first area of this field indicating whether or not the individual allows the agency to release all of the following information to the public.
  • Address
  • Home Phone
  • Social Security Number
  • Family Information
  • Emergency Contact

Enter a value in the second area of this field which determines whether the indicator value can be changed on the HMPNH (new hire) screen.

P Protect data release indicators (do not allow overrides)
U Unprotect data release indicators (allow overrides)
AGENCY DEF 1 NAME (Optional)
Text that describes the ADDITIONAL INFORMATION field from the H0BUN and HMPNH screens. The text should be right justified and end with a “>” to conform to screen standards.
AGY DEFAULT PCA (Optional)
Defines the default PCA to be used on HNPU1 if the user is not cloning a record or on HMPNH if the HOCUS “Create Position” switch is 0 or 2 and the HMP row does not already exist.
ERS LEAVE INTERFACE
Indicates agency choice to allow leave balances to be sent to ERS.
Y Yes, include on ERS Leave Interface file.
N No, do not include on ERS Leave Interface file.
CO EXCESS HOURS/SW (Optional)

The first area of this field identifies the maximum number of time card hours allowed before appropriate diagnostic messages are issued (defaults to 0). This field is used only if there is a value of 3 in the AGENCY EXCESS HOURS SW field.

The second area of this field indicates whether to perform edits on time cards entered that exceed the specified number of hours.

0 Issue fatal message if time cards entered that exceed the specified number of hours.
1 Not used.
2 Not used.
3 Issue warning message if time card hours exceed the CO EXCESS HOURS field on this screen.
MULTI-CHECK CTL (Optional)
Indicates if multiple time cards within a CTL period are combined on a single check.
0 All time cards containing the same date or range of dates are combined to produce separate checks.
1 All time cards containing the same date or range of dates within the CTL period begin and end dates are combined into one check.
CHANGE RPT SEQ (Optional)
Indicates the sequence options used to produce Report 1006 and Report 1010.
1 Produce Report 1006 using the sequence option, change within employee.
2 Produce Report 1010 using the sequence option, employee within change.
3 Produce Report 1006 and Report 1010 using both sequence options, change within employee and employee with change.
CURR MONTH (Display)
Identifies the most current payroll month.
A January
B February
C March
D April
E May
F June
G July
H August
I September
J October
K November
L December
CURR QTR (Display)
Identifies the current calendar quarter for the agency.
1 First quarter (4th quarter clears have been run)
2 Second quarter (1st quarter clears have been run)
3 Third quarter (2nd quarter clears have been run)
4 Fourth quarter (3rd quarter clears have been run)
MONTHLY STATUS (Display)
Indicates whether the agency has processed the monthly regular payroll for the current month.
0 Monthly regular payroll has not been run this month.
1 Monthly regular payroll has been run this month.
SEMI STATUS (Display)
Indicates whether the agency has processed the first or second half semimonthly regular payroll for the current month.
0 No semimonthly regular payrolls have been run this month.
1 First half semimonthly regular payroll has been run.
2 Second half semimonthly regular payroll has been run.