Court Cases
Temporary or Permanent: What’s In a Name?
A temporary employee applied for a permanent job and was selected--even though the announcement indicated the job was not open to temporary employees. She lost the job as…
Labor Relations
Stay informed on the latest developments in federal labor relations, including updates on collective bargaining, union negotiations, FLRA decisions, labor‑management disputes, and federal workforce policies that shape the rights and responsibilities of federal employees. Find news and analysis on AFGE, NTEU and other federal unions, bargaining agreements, workplace rules, and major actions affecting labor relations across federal agencies. Find clear insights into how evolving labor policies impact the federal workforce and agency operations.
Human Resources
Goals, Objectives, and the Everyday Employee
Federal employees who perform civil service work year in and year out do not need to have their evaluations tied to the agency's strategic planning process.
Court Cases
Court Upholds Removal After Employee Failed to Reveal Problems With Former Employer
An employee of the IRS told the agency he had never left a job "under unfavorable circumstances." A background investigation revealed that was not necessarily the case, at…
Federal Workforce News
Performance Improvement (Part Two)
Solving a performance problem in the complex world of the federal human resources environment takes time, energy, patience and considerable work. This part of the article explains how…
Federal Workforce News
Performance Improvement: Addressing the Real Problems Without Getting Bogged Down in the Most User-Unfriendly Program Around
Existing performance systems do a lousy job of addressing the real problems supervisors face in getting the job done. Fortunately there are other choices available. Here is how…
Federal Workforce News
Two New FLRA Decisions: Practitioners Pay Attention!
The Federal Labor Relations Authority has issued two decisions that author Bob Gilson says practitioners should read as instructional tales on how to lose a case by not…
Federal Workforce News
HR and EEO: “Why Can’t We Be Friends?”
There is often a tense relationship between EEO and human resources. Here are some of the reasons for the tension and possible solutions to the problem.
Court Cases
Background Investigation Finds “Issues” and Appeal Upholds Agency Action
After a background investigation turned up "issues" for a person tentatively offered a job with the IRS, the agency put the job offer on hold. It subsequently did…
Human Resources
New Pay-For-Performance Twist Coming to Your Agency
Pay for performance has been a controversial subject on which millions of dollars has been spent by lawyers, managers, HR specialists and unions. Here's a new twist to…
Federal Workforce News
Effective Whine Management: A Critical Skill for Federal Managers and Supervisors
The art of whinemaking is alive and well in the federal service. There are a great variety of whine types: Whine are cultivated everywhere and advanced by their…