Workforce Rights/Governance

  • A budget resolution early in 2015 is a top priority for the incoming 114th Congress. Republican leaders have already said they're interested in passing some federal workforce reforms. Jessica Klement is legislative director for the National Active and Retired Federal Employees association. On In Depth with Francis Rose, she said she's worried about the possibility of a budget reconciliation, and what that could mean for federal employee benefits in the future. In her Top 3 for 15, she says she's keeping a closer eye on federal workforce policy reforms coming from the new Congress.

    December 30, 2014
  • The Merit System Protection Board agrees that GSA's conference scandal was, indeed, scandalous. But at least two of the senior officials GSA fired in response didn't have much to do with the whole affair.

    December 29, 2014
  • Sharon Helman loses her job because she accepted and failed to report illegal gifts, not because she led the health care facility at the heart of the nationwide scandal over patient care.

    December 24, 2014
  • A ruling could have a major impact on the pay, pensions. bonuses and job security of Uncle Sam's 6,000 top career executives, says Senior Correspondent Mike Causey.

    December 22, 2014
  • Debra Roth hosts a roundtable discussion of the "hot" federal workforce topics in 2014, and what will be the big issues in 2015. December 19, 2014

    December 19, 2014
  • The Office of Personnel Management's retirement claims backlog is down by about 10,000 claims in the past 10 months. The average processing time is at 37 days. OPM says an updated case management system will help it do better, but it's not sure yet what exactly that system will look like. Jessica Klement, legislative director for National Active and Retired Federal Employees, and her association's president, Richard Thissen, testified Wednesday before the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce, US Postal Service and the Census. She tells In Depth with Francis Rose about the concerns she's hearing from NARFE members.

    December 11, 2014
  • The primary federal pensions plans -- CSRS and FERS --are the gold-standard compared to virtually any private-sector pension plan. But how safe are they? asks Senior Correspondent Mike Causey.

    December 11, 2014
  • Jenny Mattingley hosts a roundtable discussion with federal CIOs and CTOs, about how their jobs have changed over the years, and the future opportunities and challenges they see on the horizon. December 5, 2014

    December 05, 2014
  • Uncle Sam isn't Detroit. At least not yet, says Senior Correspondent Mike Causey. But a growing number of politicians -- some seeking better ways to do things, some bureaucrat-haters -- are looking at the government retirement program as the place to make savings.

    December 01, 2014
  • The continuing resolution funding your agency expires in 16 days, on Dec. 11. The possibilities for what happens after that ranges from another CR, to a full government shutdown, or even to Congress passing an omnibus bill. Jessica Klement is legislative director of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association. On In Depth with Francis Rose, she offered predictions on what might happen over the next few weeks.

    November 25, 2014
  • Project on Government Oversight general counsel Scott Amey and Tom Devine, legal director of the Government Accountability Project join host Debra Roth to talk about the inspector general community and the challenges IGs face in identifying fraud, waste, and abuse in the federal government. November 21, 2014

    November 20, 2014
  • The Merit Systems Protection Board has affirmed the Veterans Affairs Department's decision to ax James Talton, one of the first senior executives targeted under a new law that speeds up the removal process. Talton headed the Central Alabama Veterans Administration Healthcare System.

    November 20, 2014
  • The 113th Congress is on pace to be one of the least productive in history, according to the Pew Research Center. When Republicans take over the Senate in January, they'll deal with President Barack Obama entering his lame duck years. Jessica Klement is Legislative Director of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association. On In Depth with Francis Rose, she shared legislation that helps federal employees she'll try to push through the political standoff.

    November 11, 2014
  • In a report released just before Veterans Day, the Merit Systems Protection Board outlined some of the complications in two key veterans workforce laws. Sharon Roth, MSPB senior research analyst, said managers need to better understand veterans' rights when hiring.

    November 10, 2014
  • Just in time for Veterans Day, the Merit Systems Protection Board has issued fresh guidance for federal managers on the topic of veterans hiring preferences. Two laws underpin the myriad of veterans preference regulations. Sharon Roth, a senior research analyst at the Merit Systems Protection Board, was the project manager of the report. She joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive to explain the new guidance.

    November 10, 2014