Federal Circuit: Settlement Adherence for Sixteen Years Was Reasonable Enough
In 2001, a Department of Veterans Affairs employee reached a settlement agreement with the Agency after filing a whistleblower reprisal appeal (called an Individual Right of Action) at the Merit Systems Protection Board. One term of that settlement agreement was the Agency’s agreement to allow the employee to work a compressed work schedule of 10 hour days, four days per week, including three hours per workday of travel.
Your Questions about FEGLI and WAEPA, Answered. Via Twitter!
Life insurance can be confusing, especially in the federal space, where benefits packages can be overwhelming packets of paperwork, filled with unfamiliar acronyms and pricing tiers.
7 Strategies for Virtual Teams and Remote Workers
As more employees utilize telework, here are tips for managing remotely.
OPM Pushes New Assessment Tools for Critical Skills
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is partnering with agencies to increase use of assessments to determine which employees can be reskilled to meet changing workforce needs. The assessments are also being used within agencies to streamline the selection process for employees with skills to meet critical skills gaps.
Acting USCIS Director Appointment Unlawful, Court Holds
Ken Cuccinelli’s appointment as acting Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is unconstitutional, a federal district court held this week.
Senators Question Staffing Changes at EEOC
Two senators have submitted a letter to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to obtain more information regarding staffing levels and needs at the agency. The senators also inquired about how the agency is prioritizing staffing needs.
Coalition to Congress: Whistleblower Rights ‘Dysfunctional in the U.S.’
Last week, a coalition of civil society organizations covering the political gamut under the auspices of the Make It Safe Coalition sent a letter to House and Senate leaders on Capitol Hill highlighting challenges to whistleblower rights and protections in the United States.
Bipartisan Work to Modernize Congress
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is engaging in a discussion on ways to modernize Congress.
Integrating Program Integrity into Your Office
Tune in to FEDtalk this week to hear about how federal offices can mitigate fraud, waste, and abuse before the issue requires an oversight investigation. Joining our host, Natalia Castro, will be Linda Miller from Grant Thornton, Andrea Peoples from the Small Business Administration, and Rebecca Shea from the Government Accountability Office.
FMA and the Power of Advocacy
The Federal Managers Association (FMA) is hosting its annual national convention and management training seminar in Alexandria, Virginia, March 29 through April 1. The centerpiece of the event is the “Day on the Hill,” when FMA members will meet with members of Congress and their staffs to discuss issues important to their installation, their agency, and to FMA.
Exploring Varied Federal Environments in North Carolina
Huey and I experienced a wide range of environments in North Carolina. During the few weeks we were in the state, we faced below-freezing temperatures and days with highs in the seventies. We drove through rural farmland surrounding the Uwharrie Forest, suburban sprawl surrounding Research Triangle Park, and urban streets in Wilmington. We (tried to) visit the most modern of research facilities and saw the remains of a colonial settlement from over 200 years ago. We followed the trail of federal government involvement through all of these environments. I continue to be amazed at the vast scope of federal influence, which oversees the history and the future innovations coming out of North Carolina.
NIST Rolls Out Privacy Framework, Encourages Stakeholder Input
The rapidly evolving technology landscape is moving too fast for privacy laws and regulations to evolve with it. To assist agencies and private sector organization in keeping up, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has rolled out a privacy framework to provide guidance on maintaining user privacy. At an event last week, NIST Director Walter Copan and NIST Senior Privacy Policy Advisor Naomi Lefkovitz explained how the framework can help agencies navigate their use of technologies.
OPM Changes ‘Time to Hire’ Reporting Instruction Based on Agency, Stakeholder Feedback
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued a memo to agencies notifying them of a change in how they should calculate and report “time to hire” (T2H) results. OPM hopes the change will be in effect for reporting due on March 20, 2020 to cover FY 2019. The changes are based on feedback the agency has received from agencies during human capital reviews (HCR) and other stakeholder feedback.
Bipartisan Lawmakers Introduce First Federal Financial Management Reform Since 1990
Senators from various Finance, Budget, and Oversight Committees have come together to introduce legislation to reform how federal officials spend taxpayer funds. The Chief Financial Officers (CFO) Vision Act of 2020 will standardize CFO responsibilities, among other reforms. The legislation, lawmakers note, is in response to the 115th Congress’ passage of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018, which called upon agencies to use data to drive program reforms.
Government Files Petition for Rehearing En Banc in USERRA Case
The Social Security Administration (SSA) removed a preference-eligible veteran from his position as an attorney advisor near the end of his one-year probationary period due to allegedly poor performance. The employee filed for corrective action with the Merit Systems Protection Board, alleging that the agency violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) when it removed him because of his preference-eligible status. An MSPB administrative judge denied the request for corrective action, and the employee appealed to the Federal Circuit. On November 7, 2019, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reversed the MSPB decision, and remanded the case to the MSPB for a determination of the appropriate corrective action. On January 22, 2020, before the remand took effect, the government filed a petition for rehearing en banc, asking that all judges of the Federal Circuit hear the case and rule on a “precedent-setting question of exceptional importance.”
Learn How to Manage People and Be a Better Leader
Managing requires more than technical skills. Here are tips for the character traits that build great managers.
Exploring Where President’s Day Meets Black History
Tune in to FEDtalk this week to hear about the impact of different presidents on black history in the United States. Joining our host, Jason Briefel, will be Matthew Costello from the White House Historical Association and Gabriel Greaves from the Prince George’s African American Museum & Cultural Center.
First Director of New Whistleblower Ombudsman Office Named
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has appointed Shanna Devine to serve as the first Director of the Whistleblower Ombudsman Office of the House of Representatives. The office was created in the House Rules package passed at the outset of the 116th Congress to assist the House in developing best practices for whistleblower intake and to provide trainings to House offices on how to safely and confidentially receive information from whistleblowers.