Workforce
Social Security Administration, Union Spar over Reentry Plans
Union officials say they suspect the agency is withholding details of its reentry plan to avoid having to negotiate over it, an accusation management denies.
Workforce
GovExec Daily: Ahuja on Pay, COVID-19 and Hiring
The OPM chief joins the podcast again to discuss how to make the civil service younger, pay scales and how the COVID-19 rules are affecting federal employees.
Workforce
Science Foundation and Union Clear the Air on Reentry, Remote Work Plans
In a message to employees, agency leaders provided a detailed timeline for returning to the office and implementing plans to adopt a hybrid work environment, and sought to assuage employee fears amid the rise of a new COVID variant.
Workforce
Science Foundation Director Faces Employee Backlash Over Reentry Announcement
Union officials say the NSF director appears to be slow-walking implementation of a hybrid work environment, including remote work and telework, following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pay & Benefits
New Contract for 200K Postal Employees Would Boost Pay, Add Layoff Protections
Part-time and non-career staff would also score wins under agreement.
Workforce
Biden Administration Recognizes Immigration Judge Union, Reversing Trump Decision
Even under Biden, the Justice Department briefly argued against the judges' collective bargaining.
Workforce
Union Files Another Legal Challenge to the COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate for Feds
This came right before the Biden administration delayed penalties for failure to comply with the requirement.
Workforce
Why So Many Unions Oppose Vaccine Mandates – even when They Actually Support Them
The reasons have a lot to do with the nature of unions as representative of workers’ views, as well as the importance of protecting their right to bargain.
Workforce
AFGE Calls on Administration to Delay Vaccine Mandate for Feds
The union’s leader said the recent delay in enforcement of the vaccine mandate for contractors sets up a “double standard” in federal workplaces.
Workforce
Social Security Employees Slated to Return to Offices in January
Restrictions on telework and confusing vaccine rules for visitors to SSA offices rankle union officials, who have demanded to bargain over employees’ reentry to their traditional worksites.
Management
Senate Panel Advances Labor Authority Nominees
President Biden’s picks to lead the agency that administers federal labor law were sent to the floor by a party-line vote Wednesday.
Management
Lawsuit Challenges COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate for Federal Prisons Employees
This is the first challenge by a federal employee union.
Workforce
Bill to Expand Union Rights for State and Local Workers Puts FLRA in Charge of Enforcement
It is unclear whether the Federal Labor Relations Authority would require additional resources to carry out its proposed new duties, as the agency faces an extensive existing case backlog and staffing crunch.
Workforce
Biden Admin. Suspends Immigration Judge Quotas, Prompting Similar Requests Elsewhere
Following news that the Justice Department will no longer enforce strict caseload quotas on immigration judges, administrative law judges at SSA called on the agency to suspend the requirement to schedule at least 50 disability cases per month.
Pay & Benefits
House Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Overhaul Federal Firefighter Pay, Benefits
Under a new bipartisan bill, federal wildland firefighters would make at least $20 per hour.
Workforce
Labor Authority Nominees Vow to Tackle Case Backlog That Flourished Under Trump
Unfair labor practice complaints stagnated for the last four years because the agency’s general counsel position sat vacant for the entirety of the previous administration.
Workforce
Federal Agencies to Inform New Hires of Union Eligibility, Rights
As part of the Biden administration’s initiative to promote collective bargaining in the federal government, agencies also will be expected to inform current employees of their union rights at least twice per year.
Workforce
After Having Their Computers Monitored, Employees Blast SSA Watchdog
Employee group pledges to bring its complaints to the White House and Congress.
Workforce
TSA, Merit Board Reach Deal to Provide Appeal Rights to Airport Screeners
As the Biden administration moves to provide full civil service protections to the TSA workforce, lawmakers say Congress must codify screeners’ rights.
Workforce