OPM Needs to Modernize GS System
The Government Accountability Office said in a new report that the Office of Personnel Management needs to work on ways to modernize the General Schedule system.
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.
What Can’t The Federal Government Do To Its Employees?
Prohibited personnel practices outline what federal managers may not do when it comes to their employees. The author highlights 13 specific examples of these prohibited actions federal employees should be aware of.
Changes to Your Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS)
There are two important changes to the flexible spending account program for federal employees for 2015. Here are the changes.
The Mailbox Rule
Historically, federal agencies have used what is known as the “mailbox rule.” This maxim provides that if a notice or letter is properly addressed and duly mailed, it is presumed to have arrived at the mailing address in due course. However, the author cites cases which illustrate that this does not always work out as an agency would expect.
MSPB Report Explains Veterans’ Hiring Laws
A new report issued by the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) discusses Federal laws and regulations regarding the preferences in hiring that Federal agencies can or must give to veterans and certain family members.
It’s Time to Wake up and Call Back
Which is worse for a Federal agency to have, a bad employee or a bad supervisor? No doubt, the government would rather have neither, but the author says the effects of inept, biased, or malevolent leaders are among the greatest risks to your agency’s mission.
Labor Relations at the FAA: An Expensive Program Without Internal Controls
A new report indicates the labor relations system at FAA lacks internal controls and that there is no effective system for tracking or anticipating new costs.
FLRA Forcing ICE to Go to Court to Protect Computer Security Worldwide
In a case involving computer security at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), FLRA finds that the Agency’s duty to bargain over curtailing employee access to private email accounts on their work computers trumps the Agency’s statutory obligation to protect the security of information under its control. The Minority Member, in his dissent, said that unlike the majority members, he could not interpret the federal labor statute to, in essence, require an Agency to compromise its computer security to bargain over a minor working condition issue.
IRS Employees Suspended for Pro-Obama Activities
The IRS appears to have had numerous problems with employees campaigning for Barack Obama during the last presidential election–and most of the cases are below the public’s radar.
Federal Hiring Declining
A new report from the Partnership for Public Service shows that the number of new hires in the federal workforce has been declining in recent years.
