News Briefs

THE DAILY FED

News Briefs

SECTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM:

20th Annual May Training Program

The 20th annual May Training Program will be held at the Arlington [Texas] Convention Center from 8:00am to 4:00pm on Tuesday, May 13th and Wednesday, May 14, 1997. The two-day training program consists of 13 professional speakers who will present 20 different workshops on a wide variety of topics such as motivation, organizational improvement, successful writing, sexual harrassment, communication strategies, career advancement, and many more. Some workshop titles include:

• How to Manage Projects, Priorities, and Deadlines;
  
• Communicate With Clarity, Confidence, andCreditability;
  
• Technology Never Stands Still.. Neither Should Your Career;
  
• Leapfrogging Roadblocks to Organizational Harmony;
  

Conference costs are $45 per day. Complete conference details are available at http://r6ser1.r06.epa.gov:8000/dfwfeb/calfwp.htm. The registration deadline is April 11,1997. For questions, please call Cheryl Moore, FWPC President, at 817-847-3898.

Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) Seminar

This two-day seminar scheduled for May 1 and 2 at OPM [in Washington, DC], is designed to help Employee Assistance Program counselors and other mental health professionals in developing and managing a CISD team. The seminar prepares participants to provide a variety of crisis services for distressed employees after a traumatic event occurs at work. For more information call Sheila Rozier at (202) 606-1269.

Third Annual Performance Management Conference

May 13-14, 1997, in McLean, VA, at the McLean Hilton Hotel. This conference is designed to provide practical, cutting-edge information on a wide variety of topics related to performance appraisals and awards. To receive a brochure, call (202) 606-2720, or fax a request to (202) 606-2395. For additional conference information, call Digna Carballosa at (202) 606-1778 or E-Mail dmcarbal@opm.gov.

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.

THE FEDERAL DIARY--"Opponents of the White House plan to trim cost-of-living adjustments for civilian federal retirees believe they have the bipartisan clout in Congress to block the co-called diet. COLA plan. But the resulting trade-off could mean other changes in the benefits package" (The Washington Post).

MANAGED CARE--"With 160 million Americans now in some form of managed heath care -- like an HMO -- millions have experienced the hassle of trying to get a timely appointment, a referral to a specialist or approval for treatment. But all that is starting to change" (USA TODAY).

INTERNET--"Business leaders say they worry more about workers roaming the Internet for sports scores and stock market times. Too much surfing will cut into work hours and hurt productivity, they fret. Most effective punishment for unauthorized Internet use: cutoff Internet access" (USA TODAY).

LABOR SHORTAGE?--In an informal survey conducted by the American Management Association of about 400 of its participants, who represent broad cross-section of middle-sized and large American companies and 50 government agencies, nearly half said skilled manpower is in short supply (The Washington Post).

WELFARE TO WORK--Worker trainee program can help agencies planning to hire welfare recipients (Federal Human Resources Week).

OF INTEREST--For many, work seems like a retreat compared with home (The Wall Street Journal, Work & Family).

OTHER VIEWS--Missing Moline pension checks on the way (Rock Island Argus, Rock Island, IL, March 7; Dispatch, Moline, IL, March 7)...Bill would strengthen Veterans preference (Chief, NY, NY, March 14)...Federal employees facing RIFs can use annual leave for retirement eligibility (Chief, NY, NY, March 21).