Congress Passes VA Accountability Bill
The VA Accountability Bill has passed Congress. It will change human resources processes for taking action against agency employees.
MSPB
Everything You Ever Wanted Know About the Merit Systems Protection Board
The author provides an overview of the MSPB, its mission, and how federal employees go about filing appeals.
Does the VA Accountability Bill Get Rid of the MSPB?
Congress is considering legislation to allow the VA secretary greater leeway in removing employees for performance reasons. Secretary David Shulkin provided a response to a direct question asking if the bill would mean elimination of the MSPB.
Whistleblower Blows Whistle at Office of Special Counsel
A complaint has been filed and a hearing scheduled for a complaint against senior officials of the Office of Special Counsel, the agency that normally investigates and prosecutes these cases.
Federal Employee Perceptions About Sexual Orientation Discrimination
The author says that MSPB’s Merit Principles Survey provides insight into the perceptions of sexual orientation discrimination against LGBT federal employees.
Whistleblowing or Failure to Communicate Properly With Supervisors?
Here’s a situation where a federal employee received a “counseling memo” following what he apparently considered as a whistleblowing complaint to his agency chain of command. He tried to challenge the informal discipline as retaliation for protected whistleblowing and eventually his case went to the federal appeals court.
What Federal Employees Need to Know About Furloughs and RIFs
What should federal employees know about furloughs and RIFs? The author provides the critical basics of each.
Who Says You Cannot Fire a Federal Employee?
When a deciding official cited an extraordinary lack of productivity in addition to the four reasons laid out in the notice of an employee’s proposed removal, the agency spent nine years cleaning up the mess and finally effecting and defending a removal action.
Whistleblower Failed Burden of Proof In Challenge to Her Removal
A federal attorney who was fired claims that it was done in retaliation for being a whistleblower. The MSPB said it had no jurisdiction, saying she failed to make her case. See how the federal appeals court has now ruled on her appeal.
Legislation Would Extend Appeal Rights to Some Postal Employees
Legislation has been introduced in Congress to extend MSPB appeal rights to approximately 7,500 Postal Service employees.
