Author Archive
Management
House GOP cancels VA overhaul vote again
House Republicans narrowly defeated a motion that would have sent the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act back to committee but has struggled to build support for its counter to a looming discharge petition to advance another bill aimed at increasing veterans’ benefits.
Workforce
More than 50 Dem lawmakers demand more Schedule F transparency
Efforts to understand the true scope of the recent executive order moving around 8,000 career federal jobs into Schedule Policy/Career, making their incumbents effectively at-will employees, have been stymied by the administration’s scant public documentation.
Workforce
Arbitrator restores telework and remote work at the Forest Service
The U.S. Forest Service violated its collective bargaining agreement with the National Federation of Federal Employees last year when it unilaterally canceled telework and remote work agreements en masse as part of the Trump administration’s return-to-office mandate.
Workforce
Fired EPA dissenters sue for reinstatement, alleging First Amendment violations
Seven former EPA employees said they were targeted for removal for signing an open “declaration of dissent” in their personal capacities because they had fewer civil service protections rather than any wrongdoing.
Workforce
Unions sue to restore DOD collective bargaining rights, asserting ‘chaos’
A new lawsuit alleges that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s order last April to terminate most union contracts led to a slapdash implementation process that stripped bargaining rights even from those exempt from President Trump’s anti-labor executive orders.
Workforce
Trump wants to scrap a key framework for federal employee discipline
Officials said the Douglas factors, 12 criteria federal agencies have used for 45 years to devise and justify discipline for misconduct, are too restrictive and “mechanistic.” Practitioners disagree.
Workforce
OPM proposes ‘decentralized’ FEVS with fewer questions and less transparency
Agencies would be expected to conduct their own workforce surveys each year, with little rules on how much, or how little, they divulge to the public about it.
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Workforce
OPM finalizes ‘Nixonian’ rule centralizing and enabling some federal firings
Under final regulations published this week, the federal government’s dedicated HR agency can remove federal employees from across government over suitability and conduct issues—blocking most avenues for appeal.
Pay & Benefits
Some TSP funds faltered in June
Following two straight months of gains, the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program posted a more muted performance last month.
Workforce
IRS agrees to stop stealing workers’ pro-union decorations
The National Treasury Employees Union sued the agency earlier this month after multiple instances in which management confiscated and disposed of flyers and other decorations from employees’ workstations and communal bulletin boards.
Workforce
Judge halts Trump administration effort to exert political control over union elections
U.S. District Judge Denise Caspar said the Federal Labor Relations Authority’s move earlier this year to usurp jurisdiction over some cases from career employees was arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act.
Workforce
Lawmakers, unions and civil society groups urge withdrawal of governmentwide NDA plan
The Office of Personnel Management received more than 30,000 comments on its plan to require federal workers sign nondisclosure agreements, which critics said would violate the First Amendment and chill whistleblowers.
Management
As opposition mounts, House cancels vote on VA overhaul bill
House Democrats and veterans service organizations warned that a bill Republicans claim will increase benefits "robs Peter to pay Paul" and hastens efforts to privatize veteran health care.
Workforce
Bill would limit federal relocations to states with abortion restrictions
Legislation introduced by Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-Va., would block the Trump administration from relocating agencies to states that have instituted or revived abortion bans since the fall of Roe v. Wade, and grants feds the right to refuse relocations to those jurisdictions.
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Oversight
Congressional Dems demand info on revised workforce survey
As the traditional spring solicitation window closes, the public remains in the dark as to when the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey will be administered and what questions it will ask.
Workforce
Unions urge court to force ruling in ‘loyalty question’ lawsuit
Three months after a hearing on whether to block federal agencies from asking four politicized essay questions of every federal job applicant, a federal judge still has not issued a decision.
Workforce
In rare move, full appeals court agrees to hear case challenging Trump’s ‘Article II’ firings
Federal circuit courts typically hear cases via randomized three-judge panels, reserving review by the entire judicial bench for its most important cases.
Management
GOP’s VA overhaul bill narrows some employees’ rights, spurs privatization, union says
The Take Care of America’s Veterans Act also would cut some vets’ disability benefits and push the Veterans Affairs Department to bring back telework in some form.
Workforce
NTEU sues IRS over destruction of employees’ pro-union decorations
The Internal Revenue Service last month issued a directive barring employees from posting flyers and other decorations related to the National Treasury Employees Union, which the union says violates the First Amendment.
Pay & Benefits
Expanding paid leave for federal workers is back on the table
Bipartisan legislation would grant civilian federal employees up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave per year.
