Post Paris, Refugee Issue Threatens Government Funding
Last month, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham (R), chairman of the Senate appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over the State Department and refugee issues introduced legislation (S. 2145) to provide an additional $1 billion in FY2016 funding to bolster refugee resettlement efforts.
Federal Level of Employees with Disabilities Reaches High
Last month, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a report that announced the level of disabled workers in the federal government is higher than it has been in the 34 years that the statistic has been tracked.
Tenth Circuit Finds Kansas Anti-Subrogation Regulation Preempted by Federal Law
An anti-subrogation regulation in Kansas preventing insurers from issuing policies containing subrogation clauses came into conflict with the Federal Employees Health Benefit Act (“FEHBA”), but the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that federal common law preempted the Kansas regulation.
MSPB Finds Army Partially Out of Compliance with Order
The MSPB canceled the two indefinite suspensions of a former Army aircraft mechanical parts worker and ordered the agency to pay the employee back pay with interest and other benefits.
What Benefits will You Need in Retirement?
Take control of your long term care benefits this Open Season. Learn about their “virtual benefits fair,” why it’s never too early to sign up for long term care, and what packages Long Term Care Partners provides.
Lawmakers Target IRS Employee Bonuses, Hiring Practices
Congress recently introduced two new pieces of legislation specifically targeting the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) workforce.
Board Denies Army Appeal of Whistleblower Reprisal Holding
A former Army Diagnostic Radiologic Technologist was removed from her position on April 5, 2012, based on 25 specifications of Conduct Unbecoming a Federal Civilian Employee.
White House, Congress Strike Two Year Budget Deal
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) has passed both chambers of Congress, setting up a confrontation with the White House, which appears ready to follow through on its veto threat after acquiescing in prior years.
Why PLI was Necessary after 39 Years as an “Outstanding” Federal Employee
I was the lucky one – I had professionally liability insurance from FEDS. Here’s my story. I was accused of wrongdoing as part of the GSA "scandal.” At the time I had nearly forty years with the federal government and was the longest serving senior executive in the agency.
Army Settles Whistleblower Reprisal Case after OSC Investigation
After a U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) investigation, the Army recently settled a whistleblower retaliation claim filed by an Army civilian infection control analyst at Womack Army Medical Center in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Reporter Roundtable Discusses Hot Workforce Topics
Who better to provide insight into big issues facing the workforce other than those covering it? Tune in this week to for a roundtable discussion with reporters covering the federal beat.
Fiscal Conservatives, Defense Hawks, White House Battle Over Pentagon Funding Policy
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) has passed both chambers of Congress, setting up a confrontation with the White House, which appears ready to follow through on its veto threat after acquiescing in prior years.
FLRA Denies Agency Exceptions to Arbitrator Award Cancelling Subjective Performance Elements
An Office of Personnel Management senior accountant, through her Union, grieved her annual performance rating of “exceeds fully successful” both overall and in two critical elements of her performance plan.
Lawmakers, Employee Groups Rally To Prevent Medicare Premium Hikes For Federal Retirees
Absent congressional action, in 2016 federal and postal retirees may see their Medicare Part B premiums increase dramatically – the premium increase could be as much as 52 percent, raising payments from $104.90 to $159.30 per month.
Board Rules No Immediate Attorney Fees Award after Agreeing to Reopen Prior Opinion
In 2012, the Merit Systems Protection Board joined two adverse action appeals concerning an employee’s placement on enforced leave and sustained an MSPB administrative judge’s reversal of the enforced leave periods.
Organizational Performance
Tune in this week to learn how “Operational Intelligence” platforms are changing the way leaders, managers and staff can understand and relate to organizational performance.
Obama To Congress: No More Continuing Resolutions
After preventing a government shutdown by signing another stop-gap funding bill last week, President Obama has told Congress he has had enough.
MSPB Finds Interim Suspension of Access to Classified Info Doesn’t Trigger Process
On August 13, 2013, Department of Defense (DoD) suspended an Operations Research Analyst’s access to classified information pending a final security determination by the DoD Central Adjudication Facility (CAF) concerning whether to revoke the employee’s security clearance.