News Briefs

THE DAILY FED

News Briefs

SECTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM:

OPM DIRECTOR VISITS EMDC--OPM Director Janice Lachance recently toured the site of the Eastern Management Development Center (EMDC) under construction in Shepherdstown, West Virginia (Journal, Shepherdstown, W VA, 11/8/97).

THE FEDERAL DIARY--"Next time it snows, you won't have to rely only on radio reports, TV news or car-pool members' speculation about Uncle Sam's game plan for the day. Just hit the Net"...and..."The Senate has unanimously confirmed Janice Lachance as director of the Office of Personnel Management" (The Washington Post).

HEALTH INSURANCE--"A new report out this week shatters some widely held myths about the 42 million Americans--one in every six--who are not covered by health insurance" (The Washington Post, Trendlines).

JOB LOSSES--Job losses are common in good times and bad. While nearly four workers in 100 lose their jobs each year during an economic slump, 2.5 in 100 lose their jobs when the economy is expanding (USA TODAY).

WORKING PARENTS--Whatever their reasons for working, many mothers have mixed feelings at least some of the time about leaving their children in someone else's care (The New York Times).

WORKER'S PARADISE--In Germany, full-time employees are entitled to six weeks of paid vacation. They get comprehensive health insurance, including, every four years, three weeks of "spa leave" for recuperation at health resorts, if a doctor prescribes it. Unemployment and job-training benefits can easily last more than two years. And as in most of Europe, tough laws make it almost impossible to fire people (The New York Times).

OF INTEREST--Colleagues often have the wrong ideas about why women quit their jobs (The Wall Street Journal, Managing Your Career).

CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Government Technology Leadership Institute

Dec. 2-3. "Leading Change, Leveraging Technology." Marriott Metro Center, Washington, D.C. Through examination of case studies and practical theories, the institute will demonstrate the pontential and pitfalls of IT initiatives, explain key laws and regulations, and teach how best to evaluate the performance of ongoing technology programs. The 6th annaul Government Technology Leadership Awards will also be announced.

Managing the Federal Employee Discipline and Performance Process

Jan. 12-13, Feb. 25-26. A nuts-and-bolts course designed to enable managers to navigate through the shoals of employee conduct and performance problems without becoming the loser. Cost:$550. Conducted by William Rudman. Brookings Institution. Washington, D.C. Contact Lela Sallis (202)797-6299.