News Briefs

THE DAILY FED

News Briefs

The following news summaries are from OPM AM, the daily newsletter of the Office of Personnel Management. OPM AM is available on OPM Mainstreet, the agency's electronic bulletin board, at 202-606-4800.

EDUCATION CONNECTION--"A recently released profile of federal employees of Asian or Pacific Islander origins demonstrates that education has been their vehicle to greater professional opportunity" (Office of Communications News Release [US OPM], September 297).

HHS REASSIGNMENT--"The Public Health Service physician who did 'virtually nothing' for three years while receiving $117,000 in annual pay has been given a new job--after the government determined it could not fire him" (The Washington Post).

IRS--Under fire on many fronts, IRS is the agency people love to hate. What's driving this assault? "The sheer hassle level for taxpayers is one factor. IRS's own problems and a complex tax code make it a favorite political target this year" (The Washington Post).

OPEN SEASON--"Open season, the annual period in which workers can choose a new health insurer and other firing benefits, is not just for federal workers anymore" (The Washington Post, Cash Flow).

CUSTOMS WARNING AIRLINE WORKERS--Customs officials have told American Airlines they believe its employees and contract workers are responsible for drugs found on American's international flights (The Washington Post, In Brief).

DOWNSIZING--"Politicians and media have been lamenting corporate downsizing for the past tow years. I say, stop it! This sort of public hand-wringing encourages laid off workers to become 'poor me' victims rather than active managers of their careers" (The Washington Post).

OF INTEREST--Many companies turn to parties, gifts and other forms of employee recognition to augment more old-fashioned rewards (The Washington Post, Workplace)...A recent survey of human resource professionals says downsizng of work forces in U.S. industry has gone too far (The Washington Post, Odd Jobs).