Feds who goof off on the job, or who spend all day surfing the net, watching the clock or on personal business are in for trouble. Congress is coming. So why are...
In a modern version of the ancient yoga pose, Etu Topus Bottomus, which roughly translates to “head-up-one’s-own-anatomy,” belt-tightening members of Congress are finding that getting a handle on the giant federal establishment is easier said than done. And sometimes when done, not all that rewarding. Which would explain why…
A couple of problems with the plan!
First, the White House and Congress have already frozen white collar federal pay for two years. And are talking about extending the freeze another year (at minimum) or for another three years. Denying people something they don’t get anyhow seems, somehow, a less than effective tool. Are they saying that “if you ever become eligible for another pay raise you might not get it!”? Harsh!
Another is making it work and getting some bang for the denied bucks.
Most people, in or out of government, would agree that there is nothing wrong with not giving raises to people who can’t or won’t do their jobs. Surveys of large numbers of federal workers (who rank 14 percent of their coworkers as non-starters) indicate most employees would love to see slackers and losers actually lose.
One problem with both concepts, assuming employees could be convinced the procedures were fair, is how few people it would hit, and how little it would save.
Office of Personnel Management data obtained by the Federal Times showed that in the most recent period measured (2009) only 737 feds, out of a pool of 1.2 million nonpostal employees were denied in-grade (WIG) raises because of poor performance. That, the paper said, works out to one of every 1,689 employees. A denial rate of 0.06 percent . Maybe the same odds as being struck by lightning on a Florida golf course.
OPM Director John Berry, a veteran of Capitol Hill and the Executive Branch, has repeatedly said federal managers should step up to the plate and do a better job of taking action against poor performers. Managers respond that when they go after a poor performer they often fail to get support from topside, or find themselves in trouble.
Under the late National Security Personnel System, which at one time covered about 220,000 Defense civilians, pay-for-performance was the mantra. Supervisors were encouraged to encourage marginal employees to get with the program or remain in their current tax bracket forever. Even with this emphasis on performance, the rejection rate – the percentage of employees who didn’t get raises – was only 0.2 percent.
To reach me: mcausey@federalnewsradio.com
Nearly Useless Factoid
by Suzanne Kubota
President Warren G. Harding owned a Minor League baseball team.
MORE FROM FEDERAL NEWS RADIO
Buyout considerations: when to take cash to quit
More and more people are talking about buyouts, as agencies try to save money. But it’s more than talk, if you’re the one being offered cash to quit
Connolly on BRAC, budget and benefits
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) updates Federal News Radio on BRAC, the budget and other issues affecting federal workers.
Copyright © 2024 Federal News Network. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.