B. SSA will incur no travel or per diem expenses for the representation; and

C. The time must be approved in advance under the applicable official time procedures of the representative; and

D.  Procedures for meeting with employees as set forth in the appendices of this article are complied with.

Section 5--Training of Union Officials

A. The Administration recognizes that Union sponsored training is an appropriate representational activity for which official time may be used, consistent with law.  Official time for this purpose will be charged against the appropriate official time bank, block, or cap and will not otherwise be authorized for this purpose.  It is understood that this section applies to training related to developing representational skills and does not apply to long-term training.

B. The Union may provide training on this Agreement for those Union representatives who do not have an official time bank, block or cap no later than 1 year after the effective date of this agreement.  The Administration will provide a reasonable amount, not to exceed 8 hours, of official time for such training for these representatives.

C.  The Administration's sole expense for all the above training will be official time.  However, the Employer shall permit the use of available training facilities.

Section 6--Official Time

A.  Grievants and witnesses will be granted a reasonable amount of official time for the purpose of preparation and presentation of arbitration and grievances under this agreement.

B.  The parties agree that official time is not appropriate for use by a Union representative for work performed at home or outside the time the Union representative would otherwise be in duty status.  This section is not intended to preclude a remedy of straight time in accordance with case law.


Appendix A

Headquarters in Baltimore

Section 1--Carryover Provisions

The parties hereby agree that the existing official time provisions of the