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.
DoD
7 Things Every Federal Worker Should Know About the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act
These are seven provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act that federal workers should know about.
What Happens If You Are Accidentally Overpaid?
Recent news that nearly 10,000 soldiers were asked by the Pentagon to repay bonus overpayments may have other federal employees wondering what happens if they find themselves in a similar situation. The author provides some details on how agencies usually handle overpayments.
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.
Priorities in Trump’s Acceptance Speech and the Federal Workforce
Comments in Donald Trump’s acceptance speech that would directly impact the federal workforce were few in number but give an indication of his priorities. Here is a quick summary.
House Committee Wants to Know How Many DoD Employees Are Mishandling Classified Information
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is seeking information from the Defense Department as to how many cases it has opened in recent years for employees’ mishandling of classified information.
Phased Retirement Coming to DoD
Phased retirement may be a solution in search of a problem. Agencies have been slow to implement it and reception by federal employees has been languid. DoD is now moving out to implement the program.
House Committee Still Not Satisfied with Records Provided on Carter’s Use of Personal Email
The Defense Department finally complied with the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s request for records regarding the Defense Secretary’s use of personal email, however, the Committee is now asking for unreacted copies of the records.
Is it a Headquarters if it Does Real Work? Why Not All Defense Overhead is the Same
Defense Secretary Ashton Carter recently announced a freeze on civilian hiring. The author says that there is still more consolidation that can be done inside of the Department of Defense and that the Defense Logistics Agency is a prime example of an efficient agency that could handle more duties and responsibilities within DoD.
House Committee Threatens Legal Action Against Defense Secretary Over Use of Personal Email
House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) recently sent a follow up letter to Defense Secretary Ashton Carter demanding information that the agency has thus far failed to provide regarding Carter’s use of personal email for conducting official business.
