Federal HR news topics include federal employee unions, labor relations, bargaining, pay/leave and benefits.
Telework is being used in federal agencies and OPM is expanding it via a pilot program. A majority of those responding to our recent survey have had some experience with the program.
The Office of Personnel Management is conducting an experiment with a “results-oriented work environment” in which each person is “free to do whatever they want, whenever they want, as long as the work gets done.”
The author says it’s time to consider limiting the Douglas Factors to a smaller number.
In what must have been a big surprise to the Department of Defense, the Federal Labor Relations Authority finds civilian access to commissaries and exchanges to be a negotiable working condition. The Author suggests a political payback may be involved in the decision. You be the judge.
For three decades, federal HR has been working with the 12 “factors” from an MSPB decision. However, much has changed since then.
Highlights from the Council meeting include approval of 24 implementation plans and return of 21. Permissive issue bargaining is apparently still a hot issue, and FLRA’s General Counsel and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service will offer joint training on the Executive order.
A new decision appears to set up FLRA as arbiter of Agency efficiency and effectiveness.
OPM has sent a memo to employees in its Washington, DC headquarters urging them to take an hour of administrative leave (after seeking permission) to walk to the Tidal Basin “to view Washington DC’s magnificent cherry blossoms.”
It remains legal for agencies to discriminate against federal employees based on sexual orientation. This was reiterated by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, which recently granted summary judgment in favor of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The implementation plans for the President’s vision of Federal labor management relations are rolling in. Most tout their continuing commitment to getting along but exceedingly rare are commitments to bargain “permissive” topics. The biggest surprise is the submission by the Office of Personnel Management.
