Inconvenient Drug Test Leads to Slowly Unfolding, Complex Tale
A Navy employee told to take a random drug test left before the test and created a complex tale to explain his actions during the multiple levels of appeal that followed his removal.
Author: Susan McGuire Smith
Dancing the Night Away (At the Jefferson Memorial)
A woman decided to honor Thomas Jefferson’s birthday at the Jefferson Memorial through an “expressive dance” with 17 of her friends. She was arrested and filed a lawsuit against the arresting Park Police Officer.
Knowingly Associating With an Illegal Alien
DHS removed an immigration inspector with 15 years of government service for “knowingly associating with an illegal alien” after she had married the man.
Interpreting “Good Faith” in a Last Chance Agreement
Did the Justice Department violate a “last chance” settlement agreement by not selecting the affected employee for various law enforcement positions for which she applied?
Is That a Knife or a “Utility Utensil?”
A VA Medical Center employee was fired for, among other charges, brandishing a knife, but he argued it was a “utility utensil.”
Almost Meeting the Requirements for a Survivor Annuity Isn’t Good Enough
The widow of a federal employee who missed having 10 years of creditable federal service by thirteen days, has now lost before the appeals court on her bid for a survivor annuity benefit under FERS.
Demotion of 28-Year Employee Upheld in Court
An appeals court has let stand the demotion of a Postmaster to a Supervisor in the Sacramento District of the US Postal Service.
Mitigation or Demotion for this Postal Supervisor?
A post office Supervisor who was demoted to Clerk based on unsatisfactory performance failed to convince the appeals court to mitigate the penalty to a suspension.
HHS Ordered to Compute Back Pay and Benefits After Violating Veterans Act
HHS was ordered to hire a veteran and to compute back pay where the agency conceded that it would have selected a veteran had it not made an error in removing his name from the list of candidates for a competitive service position.
Electing a Survivor Annuity: Follow Legal Requirements or Lose the Benefit
A surviving widow of a retired federal employee tried without success to convince OPM, the MSPB and the appeals court that her deceased husband had provided her a survivor’s annuity.
