Re-Discover the Area's National Parks
Tune in to FEDtalk this week to discover the many offerings of the region’s national parks from the park representatives themselves. Summer is wrapping up, but there's still time for a day trip to Harpers Ferry, an afternoon in the sun at Anacostia Park, or attending one of Rock Creek Park’s numerous events.
Bipartisan Senate Bill Promotes Agency Cyberhygiene
New legislation introduced in the Senate seeks to promote cybersecurity within the federal government by requiring agency Inspector General reports on the security practices and software used by agencies.
Federal Circuit Differentiates Between 2 Types of Reprisal
A Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation employee filed a Step 1 grievance with the Agency after being issued a Letter of Warning regarding comments he allegedly made that potentially violated the agency’s anti-harassment policy.
House Approves Bill to Scale Back VA Workforce Due Process Protections
Legislation approved in the House last week would put the entire workforce at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on the same footing as VA Senior Executives who saw their workforce protections and due process rights shrunk last year following the agency waitlist scandal.
EPA OIG Report Reveals Common Problems in Issuing Discipline
A June report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Office of Inspector General criticized the actions of agency management regarding disciplinary actions against employees. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) report alleged a “culture of complacency” at the EPA that led to lax time and attendance controls, as well as lengthy delays in issuing discipline to offending employees.
Federal Managers Face Challenge of Discrimination Issues in the Workplace
Being a manager or supervisor has long been one of the most difficult jobs in the federal workforce, given the myriad challenges inherent in running an efficient office, in addition to following all government-wide regulations.
Legalization of Marijuana has no Bearing on Federal Prohibition for Employees
With the ushering in of a new law legalizing the possession of marijuana in the District of Columbia, there is bound to be some amount of confusion among the roughly 500,000 federal employees who live in the area surrounding the nation’s capital.
Survey Shows Federal Managers Embracing Technology
A recent survey of senior federal employees has revealed that federal managers largely approve of the use of digital technology and wish their agencies would increase such usage, while simultaneously fretting that the federal government is not adapting to today’s technology as quickly as the private sector.