Destroying a Federal Career for $96
How much is your career as a federal employee worth? A Senior Border Patrol Agent was fired for shoplifting about $96 worth of goods.
Court Cases
Read summaries of court cases and decisions that impact federal employees and retirees.
Is a 342-Day Federal Employee Suspension Too Long?
A federal court concludes that a decision resulting in the 342 suspension of an employee in the Social Security Administration was arbitrary because it was based solely on a “time served” suspension without logical deliberation on the length of the suspension.
‘Litigation as a Form of Costless Entertainment’
The Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit has run out of patience with a frequent litigant. In a case involving the Social Security Administration, the court revoked this plaintiff’s privilege of filing without paying filing fees and dismissed his 44 pending cases.
Crying Poverty Leads to Dismissal of Employee Complaint
An employee at the Department of Education said she could not afford a legal filing fee of $250. She avoided the filing fee based on her representation of not having any substantial assets. The judge was unhappy when, according to the court, she underestimated her assets by more than $562,000. Case dismissed.
Gender Change and the Federal Hiring Process
A male applicant selected for a job at the Library of Congress had his job offer rescinded when he told the agency he would be starting the new job as a woman.
Not Eligible to Retire? What Happens if You Create New Data for Your Retirement Application?
A federal engineer was going to be fired after giving false information. The agency agreed to let him retire. He then lied on his retirement application and was indicted. OPM terminated his retirement annuity as he did not meet the age requirement. A court finds the settlement agreement could not prohibit the agency from reporting misconduct to the appropriate authority for prosecution and he does not have a case.
“Drill Here, Drill Now”
“Drill here, drill now” has become a political hot topic as gas prices have been soaring. One argument against drilling: The oil companies are not even drilling with existing leases. A decision from a federal appeals court finds that the government reneged on off-shore leases off the California coast and kept the companies from exploring and tapping off-shore resources. The government has been ordered to pay more than $1.1 billion to the leaseholders.
Personal Expenses and Canceled Leave
If an agency cancels an employee’s leave that had been approved, should the agency be liable for the employee’s expenses? An agency and a union agreed to such a provision but it was disapproved by by the agency as being outside the agency’s duty to bargain. A federal court has agreed with that position.
Appeal of “Patently Unfair” Job Requirement is a Loser in Court
An Air Force Air Traffic Control Specialist was fired for not maintaining a certification required by the agency. A court upholds the agency’s right to set requirements, despite the former employee’s assertion that the requirement was “patently unfair.”
Administrative Remedies, Tort Claims and the Privacy Act
A federal court has handed another defeat to Joseph and Valerie Plame Wilson in their efforts to receive damages from various high-level officials, including Vice President Cheney.
