Tag: VA
Court Upholds Firing of VA Officer for Treatment of Homeless Man
The appeals court has sustained the firing of a VA Police Service lieutenant stemming from his treatment of a homeless visitor.
Is That a Knife or a "Utility Utensil?"
A VA Medical Center employee was fired for, among other charges, brandishing a knife, but he argued it was a “utility utensil.”
Good Pay Day for the Lawyers in VA Class Action Lawsuit
As usual, the attorneys that filed class action lawsuits fared much better than those they are representing in this case involving the Department of Veterans Affairs. Attorneys suing the VA wanted 25% of a $20 million fund, or $5 million. The judge decided they would get only 18% or $3.6 million. Represented veterans got from $75 to $1500.
Death Panels, National Health Care and the VA
An agency can find itself in the middle of a political and media firestorm quickly and unexpectedly. The Dept. of Veterans Affairs has found itself in the middle of another controversy it doesn’t want. The relatively new political appointee caught in the middle is undergoing a trial by fire.
Be Careful in Asking for a Classification Review
This VA employee thought he should be paid at a higher grade level; OPM disagreed.
Disrespectful Language and Failure to Follow Instructions Leads to Removal
An employee of the Dept. of Veterans Affairs was fired for failing to follow a supervisor’s instructions and then used “disrespectful language and made inappropriate statements.” The employee argued that she was a whistleblower and that the agency had committed procedural error but, after all appeals, remains a former federal employee.
“Flirtatious” Behavior and a Last Chance Agreement Lead to Removal
An employee of the Dept. of Veterans Affairs signed a “last chance” agreement and waived his appeal rights in order to be reinstated as a federal employee with the agency after having been charged with using government computers for sending “obscene material.” The agency invoked the agreement several months later and fired him and another federal employee case headed to the courts.
Court Upholds VA Restriction on Voter Registration at VA Medical Centers
The Federal Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled constitutional a regulation that led to the VA denying access to the Menlo Park, California facility for the purpose of registering veterans to vote.
Policy, Politics, Religion and Death: Could There Be Any Controversy Here?
When a change in the policy of a federal agency is going to invoke the emotions surrounding the death of a veteran while American troops are fighting in another war, a national symbol with the patriotic symbolism of the American flag, and the role of religion during a funeral ceremony, it would be hard to think of a policy that can have much more emotional impact. The reaction in this case could not have been a surprise. The only surprise is that the officials responsible apparently did not have the foresight to see the publicity deluge headed straight toward the VA building in Washington.
When is "Removal" A Reasonable Penalty?
What will a court and the Merit Systems Protection Board consider in determing whether the firing of a federal employee is reasonable? This employee of the VA tested the system and found her firing upheld as a reasonable penalty under the circumstances.
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