Human Resources
Federal Job Classifications: Competitive vs. Excepted Service
What are the differences between competitive service and excepted service jobs and what does that ultimately mean for you?
Human Resources
Stay informed with the latest federal human resources news, including updates on federal employee unions, labor relations, collective bargaining, workplace policies, and federal HR guidance. This category covers OPM regulations, pay, leave, and benefits administration, labor‑management disputes, union negotiations, workplace rights, and major **HR policy changes.
Human Resources
How Much Official Time Used by Federal Unions? No One Really Knows
GAO analyzed a recent OPM report on official time usage by federal employee unions. It found significant discrepancies in the data but OPM noted that providing more accurate…
Court Cases
The Mailbox Rule Revisited
The author cites a recent court decision in which the court ruled that email is not a viable means of certifying that an employee received a notice of…
Human Resources
Clear the Table!
The author discusses the "table of penalties" often used by HR departments in agencies and explains why he believes it is no longer needed.
Human Resources
Official Time and the Implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement – A Micro Perspective
The author says that much has been written about the number of hours of official time used by the government, but from the perspective of Congress, OPM and…
Human Resources
FEVS Results Show Declining Trends in Employee Satisfaction
OPM has released the results of the 2014 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, and they suggest declining trends are present among overall job satisfaction in the federal workforce.
Agency News
Administrative Leave for ‘Underperforming’ Feds at Top of Coburn’s Annual Wastebook
Gambling monkeys, massages for rabbits, and paid leave for federal workers who are "underperforming or even engaging in criminal mischief" - these are some of the projects listed…
Human Resources
Federal Employees Encouraged to Get Flu Shots
It's flu season, and the Office of Personnel Management wants to make sure you get your flu shot this year.
Human Resources
New Rules Mean More Protection For Pregnant Workers
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is linking the temporary condition of pregnancy to a legal principle usually associated with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which rewrote the…
Human Resources
Using an IDP for Your Career Move
Individual Development Plans can be an effective tool for your career advancement.