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On September 18, 2023, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) published proposed regulations in the Federal Register to reinforce and clarify important civil service protections for federal employees who may shift from the competitive service to the excepted service or from one excepted service schedule to another. FMA National President Craig Carter submitted comments on behalf of our association strongly supporting the proposed rule and urged OPM to finalize the new regulations as expediently as possible.
A hallmark of America’s civil service is the foundational, fundamental understanding that federal employees swear an oath to the Constitution and provide services to all Americans, regardless of political party. The federal government cannot function effectively without this nonpolitical civil service capable of preserving institutional memory and competence across administrations. Dating back to the Pendleton Act of 1883, which ended the spoils system, America’s civil service has been governed by statutes and rules aimed at preserving a federal employee’s right to due process, as protected by the Constitution.
FMA contributes a quarterly column for "FedForum, published on FEDmanager.com, responding to different prompts. The prompt for this quarter was "What does accountability and transparency mean to your organization?" The piece originally ran on FEDmanager.com.
The mission of the Federal Managers Association is advocating excellence in public service. That mission is what guides and shapes our work. When talking about accountability, first and foremost, FMA takes pride in being accountable to our members. We want to hear their concerns and listen to what issues are impacting their agencies, their workplace, their careers, their healthcare and retirement, and to address those issues with Congress and the Administration as best we can. That is what shapes our issue briefs every year – from fighting to achieve the best compensation for their hard work and ensuring the benefits they were promised and earned throughout their careers are not taken away, to pursuing investments in the workforce and providing tools to empower FMA members in their workplace. Since any manager, supervisor or executive is eligible to join FMA, a win for FMA members is usually a win for the federal workforce, writ large. Accountability to our members often helps recruitment, retention, and morale across the federal government.
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FMA contributes a quarterly column for "FedForum, published on FEDmanager.com, responding to different prompts. -
When not talking about potential government shutdowns, continuing resolutions, or protecting pay and benefits for feds, an issue that regularly comes up in Federal Managers Association (FMA) meetings on Capitol Hill is hiring reform. Hiring, recruitment, and retention to the federal workforce are often talked about in Washington, D.C. The federal workforce faces a concerning comparison with the private sector in regard to time-to-hire. In Fiscal Year 2018, the average time it took to hire a new employee in the federal government was 98.3 days, which was down from 105.8 days in Fiscal Year 2017. The Office of Personnel Management’s goal across the government is 80 days. And according to the Society for Human Resource Management, the average time-to-fill in the private sector is 36 days. To speed this process, FMA supports commonsense hiring reforms and giving managers other tools to enhance the talent pipeline in the federal workforce.
FMA contributes a quarterly column for "FedForum, published on FEDmanager.com, responding to different prompts. The prompt for this quarter was "the importance of professional development for federal employees." FMA's column ran in the May 30, 2023, edition of FedManager.com.
Professional development is a topic at the core of the Federal Managers Association (FMA) and our mission of advocating excellence in public service. Along with networking and advocacy of policy, we encourage and promote professional development for all FMA members.At FMA we infuse professional development opportunities wherever possible, including training sessions during our annual national convention and management training seminars, regional conferences, and virtual sessions throughout the year. Most recently, at FMA’s 85th National Convention, attendees heard from Barbara Haga, President of Federal HR Services, Inc., on Navigating the Complexities of Title 5 Leave Programs, and Mika Cross, a federal workplace expert, on the Changing Nature of Work and the Future of the Federal Workforce. We also encourage FMA members who have expertise in different areas to lead development of their peers, addressing topics such as change management for federal managers, tools for ‘crucial conversations’ when stakes are high, and engaging employees to boost performance.
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This week is Public Service Recognition Week. Since 1985, the first full week in May has been the annual celebration of the contributions of public servants in federal, state, local and tribal government. Across the nation, more than 21 million dedicated people serve in government, including in our public schools and universities.
FMA contributes a monthly column, "Hear it from FMA," published on FEDmanager.com on a variety of issues and topics. This month we discussed FMA's recent 'Day on the Hill,' where FMA members met with their elected officials to advocate on behalf of management in the federal workforce.
The Federal Managers Association (FMA) recently met for its 85th annual National Convention and Management Training Seminar. FMA’s mission is to advocate for excellence in public service, and on March 29, 2023, FMA members from across the country did just that when they went to the US Capitol and met with their Senators and Representatives.For most attendees, the Day on the Hill is the highlight of the convention. And for good reason. Managers from the Department of Defense, the Social Security Administration, the Railroad Retirement Board, and many other agencies and departments go to Capitol Hill. They are empowered by knowing they are part of the legislative process. They walk the halls of Congress, make their voices heard by their elected representatives, and participate directly in the ongoing story of American democracy. They meet with decision makers and their staffs, educate them on issues that impact the profession of management in the federal workforce, and work to assist themselves and their fellow managers. And by joining together, with strength in numbers and a professional, conversational demeanor when taking our message to Capitol Hill, FMA members have an exceptional track record of achievements and legislative success stories.