Whistleblower Wins at Appeals Court
Finding that the Government failed to justify reassignment of a Department of Justice whistleblower, the appeals court has bounced his appeal back to MSPB and ordered the Government to pay his costs.
Author: Susan McGuire Smith
A Conviction By Any Other Name…
A federal law enforcement official could not persuade the appeals court to overturn his removal stemming from his conviction on a Virginia felony charge for possession with intent to distribute.
Some Things Should Be Kept From the Boss
The appeals court has thrown out an arbitration decision upholding removal of a Department of Defense teacher, finding her due process was violated when the chain of command discussed her case.
A Personal Remembrance in Honor of Veterans Day
Veterans Day is a federal holiday created to honor those that served their country in the military. The author provides a personal memorial to honor one of these veterans.
All In the Family
Accepting reimbursement for services that were actually paid for by a relative leads to a federal employee’s removal.
D.C. Circuit Disagrees with DOJ Handling of FOIA Request
Here is yet another case in which a court has taken issue with an agency’s withholding of information in response to a FOIA request. This time it’s the Department of Justice—the agency responsible for “overseeing” how the government is handling its disclosure obligations.
Workforce Disruptions Lead to Removal of 30-Year Employee
Incidents of anger, outbursts and threats in the workplace lead the agency to suspend then fire a long-standing employee.
Poor Customer Service Leads to Removal
An IRS employee who cursed out a taxpayer in front of several witnesses could not persuade the court that his removal was unwarranted.
She Fought the Law and She Won
A PhD candidate at University of Virginia fought back when the Defense Department ruled she did not qualify for the education reduced fee exemption under the FOIA and therefore would have to pay the full $900 due in fees for the agency’s efforts. She won at the influential U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. She not only gets the reduced fee, her case sets a precedent that should affect how all agencies handle FOIA requests from students in the future.
When Private Emails Are Official Government Records
A Federal appeals court has ruled that an agency head’s email records that are stored on a private, non-government server are nevertheless official agency records reachable by a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
