Why Are Goals Optional?

In case you missed the email on Monday from Dow Jones CPO Dianne DeSevo—along with another reminder today—management has kicked off the goal setting process for the 2026 fiscal year. IAPE was pleased to see DeSevo’s Monday note contained a reminder that goal setting is optional for IAPE-represented employees.

It is a long-held position of this union that conducting performance evaluations and providing annual goals should be management functions.

We remind members of that from time to time.

Yes, management also likes to inform staff that “meaningful conversations with your manager are encouraged.” IAPE agrees. The problem is, we occasionally hear from members that conversations with managers about goals and evaluations aren’t meaningful at all.

To repeat some IAPE guidance from previous years, we realize these employee/manager discussions are often employees’ best opportunities to talk about goals, expectations, performance and pay. IAPE is not opposed to members setting their own goals, we simply want you to know that you are not required to submit yours if you would rather have your manager set those targets for you.

The choice is yours.

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While we’re discussing performance goals and evaluations, we should also mention that management actually is not required to provide performance evaluations.

It is true that the majority of Dow Jones employees receive an annual review from their manager. But occasionally, a manager skips a year.

That’s okay, and permissible under Article XXI of the IAPE/DJ collective agreement, which reads:

“If an Employee receives a written performance evaluation, he or she has the right to review the evaluation and to affix their written response to the evaluation. Nothing in this provision shall require the Company to give performance evaluations. The Company and the Union agree that performance evaluations under this Article shall not be considered disciplinary actions.”

If you have questions about your FY2025 evaluation or your FY2026 goals, please contact the IAPE office.

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Finally, did you notice that portion of contract language confirming that IAPE-represented employees have the right to “affix their written response” to those evaluations? It seems the company has forgotten this key point, because the People Department claims the latest Dow Jones evaluation system does not provide an option for adding employee comments after a review has been submitted.

IAPE will address this with Dow Jones.