House Judiciary Committee To Hold Hearings On IRS Misconduct
The House Judiciary Committee will host two hearings in the coming weeks regarding alleged “misconduct” by IRS Commissioner John Koskinen.
House Oversight Chair Continues Crusade Against IRS Commissioner
Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is demanding to know where the IRS has found money to hire up to 700 new staffers for enforcement.
MSPB: Veterans Preference No Exemption from Preappointment Process
Despite a negative passover decision from OPM, the Merit Systems Protection Board found that the Agency’s subsequent withdrawal of a job offer from a veteran with a 10-point preference was not improper.
House Panel Wants To Make Federal Employees Happier At Work
In effort to discover what makes some federal employees happier at some agencies, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform brought together representatives from agencies who have ranked high in the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government and one – the Department of Homeland Security – who has struggled at the bottom for some time.
Claims Court Dismisses Secret Service Scheduling Complaint
On March 17, 2016, the United States Court of Federal Claims dismissed, in part, a complaint brought by current and former Physical Security Specialists employed by the United States Secret Service, who claimed that the agency engaged in unlawful scheduling and recordkeeping practices in order to deny overtime pay.
Lawmakers Urge Administration To ‘Ban The Box’
Last week, Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and 50 other House members issued a letter to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regarding “fair chance hiring” in government and to continue to ease hiring for formerly-incarcerated individuals.
This Week on FEDtalk: Recognizing Public Servants During PSRW 2016
Tune in this week to preview Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW) events with members of the Public Employees Roundtable.
FMA’s Manager of the Year Leads by Example
Last month, the Federal Managers Association (FMA) honored Sue Thatch as its Manager of the Year for 2015, in recognition of her efforts to promote excellence in public service. Sue has been lauded for originating the idea that became the Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act, expected to help more than 45,000 disabled veterans over the next five years.
Software License Bill Moves Forward In The House
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee unanimously approved the “Making Electronic Government Accountable by Yielding Tangible Efficiencies Act,” bipartisan legislation that would require federal agencies to maintain comprehensive software inventories and use them to track licenses and software usage to reduce duplication.
Board Grants Jurisdiction but Dismisses Appeal of 2009 Removal
A former federal employee’s confusion over what he was contesting in a disability retirement appeal did not entitle him to a finding of good cause for the lengthy delay in filing an appeal of his removal.
Civil Servants in a Political Age
Debate season is in full swing as the races for the Republican and Democratic nominees for the 2016 presidential election begin to kick into high gear.
Mikulski Continues To Fight For Fed Pay Raise
During her last year in office, Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) will continue to advocate for a proposed 5.3% pay raise for federal employees, in addition to finding new money for the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
This Week on FEDtalk: Celebrating the National Park Service Centennial
Help the National Park Service celebrate its 100th birthday in 2016! Although it’s birthday is officially August 25, centennial events run all year long.
AFGE Hires Former House Budget Staff Director
Former House Budget Committee staff director Thomas Kahn is the new legislative director for the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE).
Supreme Court Stalemate in Public Sector Union Case
The United States Supreme Court reached a 4-4 split in deciding whether non-union members could be charged compulsory fees via an agency shop agreement in public sector unions.
Social Media and the Hatch Act: How To Make Sure your Tweets Don’t Cost You Your Job
As we approach the presidential election in November, it is important for all federal employees to review the guidelines governing their expression of political support. The governing law, as all federal employees should know, is the Hatch Act. First passed in 1939, the Hatch Act regulates what federal employees can share or promote regarding political campaigns. The act is frequently updated, and the latest revisions in 2014 outlined how federal employees can display their political preferences on social media. While most federal employees are familiar with Hatch Act provisions in their everyday interactions, the explosion in social media over the last decade and its removed quality leads some employees to forget that the Hatch Act applies on social media as well.
FMA Elects New National President
Renee Johnson will lead the Federal Managers Association (FMA) as their newly elected national president.