Would You Believe the Cookies Were Laced?
A Bureau of Prisons correctional officer in Atlanta, fired for failing a random drug test, was unsuccessful in his defense that the Thanksgiving cookies were laced with marijuana without his knowledge.
Read summaries of court cases and decisions that impact federal employees and retirees.
A Bureau of Prisons correctional officer in Atlanta, fired for failing a random drug test, was unsuccessful in his defense that the Thanksgiving cookies were laced with marijuana without his knowledge.
A housekeeping aid at a VA medical center was indefinitely suspended following his indictment on four counts, including possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
In a very recent case before the DC Circuit, the court slammed the Federal Labor Relations Authority again for interpreting law other than its own. In what appears a sweeping decision that may reverse the effect of many years of FLRA Negotiability determinations, the Court found that absent specific appropriations language, an Agency would violate the legal prohibition against use of appropriated funds for employees’ personal expenses. Pay attention to this decision.
In Kennington v. Merit Systems Protection Board, CAFC No. 2011-3192 (nonprecedential), 12/13/11, the court recounts what many would view as odd behavior, including claims from the employee that he “previously worked as a psychic” and “could communicate with angels, God, and Jesus.”
Is a performance standard reasonable where it requires that a Veterans Affairs rating specialist achieve at least 85 percent accuracy? In Fisher v. Department of Veterans Affairs (C.A.F.C. No. 2011-3046 (nonprecedential), 11/14/11), the appeals court agrees with the arbitrator who ruled that it was a reasonable standard.
Carol Brown’s case is not precedential, but it raises many of the disability discrimination issues federal employees commonly raise.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit recently ruled the U.S. Postal Service was justified in demoting a supervisor to a non-managerial position after he consistently made inappropriate comments and, at one point, dropped his pants at work.
An Interior Department economist was bestowed with a $383,600 award by a group the employee assisted in bringing a successful false claims action involving underpayment by oil companies. The employee was fired. Here is the most recent appeals court decision. It isn’t over yet.
A federal appeals court has backed disciplinary action against a postal service manager that was taken for his sex-based and race-based comments as well as an apparent intentional “dropping of his pants” at work.
An employee with Homeland Security refused to follow orders, attend counseling sessions or to sign off on a letter of instruction. She got fired and went to court to try to save her job.