Court Cases
Knowing When to Quit While Ahead
A federal employee won $40,000 in her discrimination complaint. She wasn't happy with that result and went to court. She lost and was ordered to pay back the…
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.
Federal Workforce News
Establishing Expectations: Ten Suggestions for Supervisors and Managers
Organizations work only when the people who make them up share common values (rules) and have dependable expectations of themselves, each other and management. Here are 10 suggestions…
Federal Workforce News
Update on Dueling DC Prosecutors. Who’s Got the Best Grip on the Law Book?
Which federal agency has a better understand of federal labor law: the National Labor Relations Board or the Federal Labor Relations Authority? Here is the latest development in…
Human Resources
AFGE Attacks FLRA General Counsel (GC) Over Proposed Changes
The vast majority of unfair labor practice allegations are filed by unions against agencies. Determining the winner or loser in these cases often depends on getting information and…
Court Cases
How Much Comp Time Should Federal Employees Get?
Several anonymous employees of the Social Security Administration sought to get more comp time from the agency by going to court. Their argument: We should get 1.5 hours…
Federal Workforce News
The Best Performance Discussion Guidance I Ever Borrowed
Both supervisors and employees often dislike performance reviews. They take time, effort, paperwork and may involve conflict and confrontation. It is a task that often gets pushed aside…
Court Cases
Twenty Years of Service Don’t Save Federal Worker’s Job
This fired Postal Worker appealed to the MSPB and argued that he did not start the fight which led to his removal, did not cause severe bodily injury…
Human Resources
Labor and Employee Relations in 2007: The Very Best Stories of the Year
Author and consultant Bob Gilson takes a look back at some of the "Litigation of Silly Assertions" that emerged from the federal community in 2007.
Court Cases
Supervisor Demoted for Changing Records on Employees’ Work Time
A supervisor who changed records to show that employees were coming in before their scheduled time of work got fired. An appeals court says that is a reasonable…
Court Cases
Settlement Agreement Spawns New Round of Appeals
When a union representative signed a settlement agreement on behalf of an employee it was representing back in 2000, the agreement was not to litigate the issue further.…