Federal Managers Association

For more information on upcoming events, please visit FMA online at: www.fedmanagers.org.

NEW FEEA COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN NUMBER

The Federal Managers Association (FMA) joined the Federal Employee Education & Assistance (FEEA) Board of Directors in 1993 and in the dozen years since, FEEA and FMA have forged a partnership that continues to benefit both organizations.

FMA provides FEEA with an organized network of federal managers who help publicize FEEA’s programs by referring employees to their Emergency Assistance loans and grants, reminding them when it’s scholarship time, and helping FEEA get the word our during the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC).

The Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund has a new CFC number this year, 1-1-1-8-5.  All participating CFC charities – local, national and international – have been given brand-new 5-digit identification codes.  FEEA’s new number – 11185 – is the one to use when making a pledge.  It might not be quite as easy to remember as the old 1234, but making your pledge to FEEA will still provide the same types of financial assistance to needy feds across the country and around the world.  So no matter how you say it – 1-1-1-8-5, 1-11-85, 111-85 – please be sure to write it on your pledge card and help make a difference in the lives of your fellow civilian federal and postal employees all year long. 

You can learn more about how FEEA uses your contribution by visiting www.feea.org. For more information on the FMA-FEEA scholarship, please visit: http://www.fedmanagers.org/public/feea_fma_scholarships.cfm.

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WHAT’S NEW ON CAPITOL HILL?

 TELEWORK PROVISION MAKES ITS WAY THROUGH THE HOUSE

Members of Congress continue to press the issue of increasing government-wide telework opportunities for federal employees, this time as part of a broader energy bill (H.R. 3221), which passed the House before the August recess. By promoting increased awareness and participation in telework practices, the bill emphasizes the government’s commitment to implement more carbon-neutral programs.

Representatives John Sarbanes (D-Md.) and Frank Wolf (R-Va.) amended the bill to include language that would require the Government Accountability Office to better track how many employees partake in telework and then produce agency rankings based on how well teleworking opportunities are communicated by upper management. Agencies must then expand telework eligibility based on GAO recommendations.

While federal employees who handle sensitive material, including work associated with national security and intelligence, will not be able to telework, many members of Congress have made it clear that a shift in mentality regarding alternative work stations must take place. FMA National President Darryl Perkinson commented, “Federal employees have shown that productivity is not diminished by telecommuting, and Congress is now realizing that the benefits far outweigh the costs. The government’s ability to offer telework will undoubtedly become a recruiting tool in the near future.”

CONGRESS RETURNS FROM AUGUST RECESS

Starting today, Members of Congress will return to their offices on Capitol Hill after the month-long August recess. It is likely the Members’ main focus will be the fiscal year 2008 appropriations bills, which are required to pass annually.

While the end of the fiscal year is September 30, it is unlikely that the twelve spending bills will be enacted by then. While Congress left Washington without sending any of the fiscal year 2008 appropriations bills to the President for his final approval or veto, work on the spending bills are much further along than in previous years. Nonetheless, both the House and Senate will have to work diligently to get the bills to the President prior to the start of the fiscal year. It is likely either a continuing resolution or consolidated appropriations bill will be considered for the bills left unfinished.

According to the House schedule, target adjournment for the year is set for October 26, 2007. “Last year, Congress was forced to approve a continuing resolution at fiscal year 2006 funding levels, a move which proved detrimental to several agencies,” FMA National President Darryl Perkinson commented. “I urge Members on both sides of the aisle to work together to ensure federal employees do not suffer a similar fate this year.”

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 WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH?

In a blow to a coalition of federal employee unions, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia rejected the unions’ request for a full review of the court’s previous decision upholding rules that would reduce collective bargaining rights for civilian Defense Department (DOD) employees. In May, the Court voted 2-1 to reverse an earlier court ruling, allowing DOD to move forward with its personnel reforms.

Upon announcement of the decision, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), one of the unions involved in the case, declared it will file a Motion to Stay the Issuance of the Mandate with the Court of Appeals. AFGE also stated its intent to file an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court in order to stop the Department of Defense from implementing the National Security Personnel System (NSPS).

Capitol Hill is also making its feelings known on the personnel system. During consideration of the FY08 Defense Appropriations bill (H.R. 3222), the House of Representatives approved an amendment which would block funding for the sections of the Department of Defense’s National Security Personnel System (NSPS) dealing with employee collective bargaining and appeal rights. Additionally, the House version of the fiscal year 2008 Defense Authorization bill (H.R. 1585) repeals the Pentagon’s authority to waive collective bargaining rights and restores those rights to DOD employees. The Senate’s bill would ensure full bargaining rights for unions and would exempt blue-collar employees from entering the system.

MINIMUM WAGE TO INCREASE, IMPACTING FEDS

On July 23, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced that 2,865 federal employees will receive higher wages in July 2008 as the minimum wage rises from $5.85 to $6.55. Under the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007, the 2008 wage increase will be followed by another increase in July of 2009 to $7.25, positively affecting another 2,951 employees.

The majority of those receiving higher wages hold entry-level service jobs, which include fast-food servers and maintenance staff working at military facilities. As most federal employees are paid well above the minimum wage, the impact on payroll budgets will be minimal.

For more information on the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007, OPM asks you to contact your agency’s assigned Chief Human Capital Officer. OPM’s statement may be found at www.opm.gov.

COMINGS AND GOINGS WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESS

The last month has ushered in a series of personnel developments on Capitol Hill, the White House and within federal agencies. The rotation of officials in Washington is not a new phenomenon but the number of high profile officials departing in a short period of time is notable.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Rob Portman stepped down earlier this summer. Former Congressman Jim Nussle was nominated by President Bush to fill the seat and was confirmed by the Senate Budget Committee just before the August recess. It is likely the full Senate will vote on this nomination today.

The White House announced the resignation of Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor Karl Rove on August 13th, with Rove’s last day on August 31st. Often referred to as “The Architect,” Rove’s relationship with the President stretches thirty-four years and his decision to leave the White House was to devote more time to his family. During his tenure in the White House, Rove was entangled in allegations of revealing the identity of Central Intelligence Agency operative Valerie Plame and his activities in federal agencies. Upon announcing his resignation, President Bush thanked Rove “for making a tremendous sacrifice” for his service in the White House.

The U.S. Justice Department announced the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on August 27th, effective September 17, 2007. Gonzales has a history of public service where he previously served as White House Counsel, a Texas State Judge, Texas Secretary of State and a member of the U.S. Air Force. Gonzales’ resignation comes on the heels of an embroiled relationship with Congress concerning the firing of eight federal prosecutors and on topics ranging from the federal government’s domestic spying program to legal interpretations.

Solicitor General Paul Clement will act as Attorney General until a new nominee is confirmed by the Senate. Clement is a familiar face in the U.S. Justice Department and has served as the Principal Deputy Solicitor General.

White House Press Secretary Tony Snow announced his resignation on August 31th and will be replaced by Dana Perino as of September 15th. Perino acted as a White House spokeswoman during Snow’s absence in the past. Snow is battling colon cancer and has commented that he is making a career switch for financial reasons.

The departures are not isolated to the Executive Branch. Five-term U.S. Senator John Warner of Virginia announced on August 31st that he will not be seeking re-election next year. Senator Warner is the second ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and also a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

Three-term Senator Larry Craig of Idaho announced on September 1st that he will be resigning from his office effective September 30th. Senator Craig resigned due to allegations outside of his official duties andremarked, “[t]o pursue my legal options, as I continue to serve Idaho, would be an unwanted and unfair distraction of my job and for my Senate colleagues.” The Senator also commented that the citizens of Idaho “deserve a senator who can devote 100 percent of his time and effort” to the state and nation. Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter will appoint a successor to Senator Craig.

For more information on Karl Rove, Alberto Gonzales, Tony Snow and Jim Nussle please visit: www.whitehouse.gov.

For more information on Senators John Warner and Larry Craig please visit: http://www.senate.gov/.

 OPM INITIATES PILOT TO SPEED SECURITY CLEARANCES

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) recently implemented a pilot program in which completed background investigations for security clearances will be sent via electronic transfer. The pilot is taking place at the U.S. Army Central Personnel Security Clearance Facility (CCF) for adjudication of clearances under its jurisdiction.

"OPM has worked diligently over the past two years to increase the speed with which Federal employees receive their security clearance," OPM Director Linda Springer commented. "Through electronic transfer, agencies will have instant access to completed background investigations, ensuring more timely and efficient adjudication of clearance cases."

The program is expected to reduce the time necessary to transfer documents to the CCF for adjudication, which is the step at which employees are awarded clearance. Currently, completed investigations are normally delivered through the mail or other hand-delivery means. Electronic transfer will reduce delivery time by 7 to 13 days, providing a savings on postage and man-power costs. If successful, OPM expects to extend electronic transfer to all agencies by October 1 st.

“All federal agencies have been plagued by the delays in security clearance processing,” FMA National President Darryl Perkinson stated. “This has been the subject of much debate on Capitol Hill in recent years, and I thank OPM for taking the necessary steps to make the process more efficient.”

EEOC BRINGS CALL CENTER DUTIES IN HOUSE

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has terminated its National Contact Center (NCC) pilot program, designed to place more of its staff in the field and reorganize the agency’s structure, following a vote last week. The EEOC decided to end the pilot in favor of hiring a consultant to work with internal employees to aid the agency in its transition to more of a regional model to better utilize the agency’s 15 districts.

The NCC contract expires on September 20, and Congressional appropriators have proposed to eliminate funding for its continuation in the EEOC's Fiscal Year 2008 budget. The Commission vote authorizes funding to begin transitioning to an in-house system staffed by federal employees.

"The National Contact Center provided a useful mechanism for the EEOC to address 21st century customer service needs while freeing up limited agency field staff to process our growing caseload," Commission Chair Naomi C. Earp said. "However, we recognize the strong opposition to the NCC expressed by many interested parties who want calls answered by federal employees."

For the past three years, the EEOC contracted with Vangent, Inc. for the NCC, which has handled phone calls to the agency's 53 field offices nationwide. As part of the transition to an in-house system, the EEOC will hire a consultant to guide planning to ensure a sound, timely and cost-effective transition to a decentralized model utilizing each of the agency's 15 districts. The vote authorized the Commission to seek a three-month extension of the current contract with Vangent to provide for a smooth transition.

For more information on the change, please visit: www.eeoc.gov.

OMB ENFORCES FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT VERIFICATION

 The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is asking all federal agencies and departments to begin using a new system to verify the legal citizenship status of new hires and contractors. Set for implementation on October 1, the new Employment Eligibility Verification Program, also known as “E-Verify,” builds on previous verification systems and is designed to enhance employers’ abilities to authenticate a worker’s name, birth date and Social Security Number.

Employers will also be able to check non-citizens’ immigration information against a federal database to confirm eligibility status. OMB has asked that agencies provide a contact person for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) department to further facilitate implementation of the program. Agencies should have provided USCIS with the contact by August 24.

OMB notified agencies of the change via memorandum M-07-21. More information on E-Verify may be found at OMB’s Web site: www.omb.gov.

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 GET INVOLVED AT THESE EVENTS!

FMA TO PRESENT AT TELEWORK TOWN HALL MEETING

The Telework Exchange will host its 2nd Annual Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, September 12, 2007, to discuss government telework and next steps to establishing telework as a mainstream standard operating procedure across government agencies.

This focused event brings together a diverse set of stakeholders, including government agency telework proponents, government telework managers, government teleworkers, industry supporters, and affiliated organizations - all working collectively to achieve demonstrable progress in this area.

The Federal Managers Association (FMA) will be represented on a panel of experts entitled Envisioning the Government Workforce of Tomorrow. FMA member Michael O’Leary, a Program Manager in Operations Support at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, D.C., will speak on the future of the government’s workforce and how to bring about cultural change in your agency to embrace alternative work approaches and environments.

For more information on the session or to register for the conference, please visit: http://www.teleworkexchange.com/townhallmeeting/.

HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT SYMPOSIUM: FEDERAL 2007

The Federal Managers Association is cosponsoring the Human Capital Management Symposium: Federal 2007 conducted by Worldwide Business Research, November 14-16, 2007, at the Hilton Embassy Suites, Convention Center, in Washington, D.C.

Human Capital Management: Federal 2007 supports the government’s initiatives towards human resource transformation. By providing a venue for all human capital leaders and professionals in the federal sector to discuss the issues, brainstorm for solutions, and discover successful implemented programs, you get the opportunity to validate your current human capital management plans and apply tools and strategies to maximize the value of your human capital. For more information, please click here.

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Long Term Care Partners, LLC , FMA Corporate Partner.  Long Term Care Partners is the administrator of t he Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program.  Sponsored by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the Program is available to Federal and U.S. Postal Service employees and annuitants, active and retired members of the uniformed services, and their qualified relatives.  With more than 210,000 enrollees, it is the largest employer-sponsored long term care insurance program in the country.  FLTCIP policies are simple to understand and offer enrollees some distinct advantages, including comprehensive coverage, competitive and stable rates, international coverage, and administrative service standards that are the highest in the long-term care insurance industry.  Policies are sold direct through a highly-trained, non-commissioned staff with no high pressure sales tactics – simply sound advice.  Visit www.LTCFEDS.com or http://www.opm.gov/insure/ltc/index.asp for more information.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Federal Employee Program , FMA Sustaining Corporate Partner:  The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association represents the independent, locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans. The 40 local member companies of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association have provided millions of families with top-quality, affordable health insurance for more than 70 years.  For the one in four Americans who carry Blue Cross and Blue Shield cards, the Blue Plans symbolize health security.  Visit www.fepblue.org and join the best, most-recognized group of health insurance providers in the world.

Wright & Co. , FMA Sustaining Corporate Partner:  Wright & Co. has provided supplemental insurance programs to the Federal government for over 40 years.  They have built strong relationships with insurance companies and service providers to offer these comprehensive benefits at low, affordable group insurance rates.  Benefits include: Dental Insurance Plans; Term Life Insurance Plans; Accidental Death and Dismemberment Plan; and Personal Umbrella Plan.  Wright & Co. is also the originator of the Federal Professional Liability Program and provider of Disability Income Replacement coverage, underwritten by the Hudson Insurance Group, to all Federal employees.  For more information, please visit:  www.wrightandco.com

GEICO , FMA Corporate Partner:  GEICO was created over 60 years ago to insure Federal employees.  Over the years GEICO has continuously strengthened its affiliation with the Federal workforce.  Today GEICO has a special program established to support the Federal community.  GEICO’s Federal program participates in the following organizations and programs: GEICO Public Service Awards, which  have honored Federal workers (active and retired) who have contributed to the public good since 1980; and GEICO Federal Leave Record Cards, which for over 40 years have been provided by GEICO to Federal employees, free of charge, to help them track their annual leave.  Find out how much you could save with GEICO auto insurance as an FMA member by getting a line-by-line rate quote at:  www.geico.com

Shaw, Bransford, Veilleux and Roth, P.C. , (SBVR) concentrates its law practice on the representation of Federal employees, with a special emphasis on the representation of executives and managers.  SBVR serves as General Counsel to the Federal Managers Association and is uniquely situated to recognize the interests and viewpoints of Federal managers.  For up to two free half-hour legal consultations and reduced legal fees as an FMA member, please visit:  www.shawbransford.com

The Federal Managers Association and Management Concepts have teamed up to present the Federal Managers Practicum — a targeted certificate program for Federal managers. As the official development program for FMA, the Federal Managers Practicum helps FMA members develop critical skills to meet new workplace demands and deepen their managerial capabilities.  FMA’s leadership fully recognizes the need to prepare career-minded federal employees to manage the demands of the 21 st century workplace with greater competence and fully supports this unique and comprehensive certificate program.  For more information, please visit:  www.managementconcepts.com/fmp/fmpodp.asp

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The Washington Report is published biweekly by the Federal Managers Association.
Jessica Klement, Editor; FMA Staff Writers.

The Federal Managers Association, established in 1913, is the oldest, largest, most influential association representing the interests of the nearly 200,000 managers, supervisors and executives serving in today’s Federal government.

1641 Prince Street ~ Alexandria VA 22314-2818 ~ (703) 683-8700 ~ FAX (703) 683-8707 ~ E-Mail Info@fedmanagers.org

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