News Briefs

THE DAILY FED

News Briefs

SECTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM:

10th Annual Federal Quality Conference

Get more information on this special conference and download a brochure and registration forms from our special conference section.

U.S. Navy International Logistics Symposium

Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton will be a guest speaker at a three-day International Logistics Symposium sponsored by the Navy International Programs Office in conjunction with the American Society of Naval Engineers, July 14-16, 1997, at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Crystal City, VA. Representatives from government, industry and foreign nations will meet to exchange ideas and review exhibits on a variety of logistics topics related to the Navy's Foreign Military Sales program. For program information contact NAVSEA (703) 602-9000.

The following news summaries are usually 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.

**TSP OPEN SEASON**The Thrift Savings Plan Open Season runs through July 31. During this time, you may begin contributing to the TSP, change the amount of your TSP contributions, or allocate TSP contributions to your account among the three investment funds. To get more information and download the forms you will need, click here.

DISA DIRECTOR NOMINATED--Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen announced today that the President has nominated Maj. Gen. David J. Kelley, U.S. Army, for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general and assignment as director, Defense Information Systems Agency.(DoD press release)

THE FEDERAL DIARY--"Although Congress and the White House have tentatively agreed on a balanced budget plan, the part dealing with federal retirement is up for grabs"...and..."The White House has nominated Janice R. Lachance to be deputy director of OPM" (The Washington Post).

DEMO PROJECT--OPM is proposing a demonstration project plan to test an alternative personnel management system in the Commerce Department to find out whether giving managers more freedom to determine who to hire and which employees deserve a raise can help agencies to achieve their missions (FEND's Government Performance Report, June 2).

EMOTIONS--"If you don't learn to control your emotions in the workplace, you could find yourself unemployed. Those who can't control their emotions can't work with other people in teams, and their reactions cause problems that often detract from productivity" (Federal Human Resources Week, June 2).

FAMILY-FRIENDLY--"In an era when harried workers are trying to juggle jobs and child-rearing responsibilities while schools complain about declining parent involvement, the notion of giving hourly workers in private business the same flexibility enjoyed by managers and by all federal workers seems a no-brainer" (The Sun, Editorial).

OF INTEREST--In 1997, Americans seem simply detached from the federal government, not concerned enough to be very hopeful or very angry (The Wall Street Journal).