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.

OFFICIAL TIME--The Federal Labor Relations Authority has ruled that taxpayer dollars can be used by federal unions to lobby members of Congress. This resolved a grievance brought by a union representative in Memphis who contended that he should receive his pay and not have to use his vacation time when he traveled here for his union's "Lobby Week" activities, which included meetings with members of Congress (The Washington Post).

FEDERAL ISSUES--"OPM is going to court to overturn a Merit Systems Protection Board decision to suspend, rather than fire, the defendant in a sexual harassment case"....A group of senators has introduced a bill that would prevent the government from "shutting down" due to a lapse in appropriations. Some say the bill has lest than a 50-50 chance of passage"....OPM offered tips on Internet recruiting, buyouts and implementation of the Government Performance and Results Act in its Jan. 29 interactive satellite HR forum (Federal Human Resources Week, February 10).

RIF RULES--Federal employees facing the possibility of layoffs would have an "enhanced opportunity" to receive retention service credits based on their actual job performance under a rule proposed Feb. 4 by OPM (Government Employee Relations Report, February 10).

OF INTEREST--Companies are increasingly using temporary assignments to fill full-time jobs. About 40 percent of those sent out on temp assignments get offered full-time positions, estimates the National Association of Temporary and Staffing Services (The Wall Street Journal, Managing Your Career)...Internet use on the job is growing but with few guidelines (The Wall Street Journal, Work Week).

OTHER VIEWS--IRS snafu blamed on Milton printer (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee, WI, Jan. 24)...FEHB model for Medicare (Columbian, Vancouver, WA, Jan. 14)...Federal engineers carry different skills and pay levels (KC Star, KC, MO, Jan. 21)...FEHB referenced in article about Florida health plan (Managed Care Week, Washington, DC, Jan 27).