By Aaron Herreras et al., Government Executive -

It is no secret that security clearance applicants will run into trouble if they have used marijuana. With an increasing number of state and local governments legalizing or decriminalizing uses of marijuana, however, both applicants seeking a clearance and some adjudicative agencies have questioned whether marijuana use should remain a potentially disqualifying security concern.

On Thursday, January 13, 2022, legislators introduced legislation that would provide federal employees an average 5.1 percent pay raise in 2023. Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA) introduced the bill in the House, and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) introduced identical legislation in that chamber. FMA swiftly endorsed the legislation, which increases basic pay by 4.1 percent, and an average boost in locality pay by 1 percent.

Once a month the Federal Managers Association writes a Hear It from FMA article for the FEDmanager.com newsletter. This article originally ran in the January 11, 2022 issue.

Congress has what’s known as the “power of the purse”. Article One of the Constitution grants Congress the authority – and the responsibility – to pass an annual budget that funds the government and all its necessary functions. This is an incredible power to have. Congress can decide what weapons systems the military will have, how NASA will access space, how many infectious disease experts the CDC will be able to hire, how big of a budget the IRS will have for chasing down tax evasion, and far more. That assumes, of course, that they pass a budget.

FEDweek -

The Federal Managers Association has said it is “disappointed” that the recently enacted DoD authorization would return that department to using the one-year probationary period that is standard elsewhere and has urged that Congress remain open to staying with the two-year period that has been in effect there for the last five years.

In a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) FMA Chapter 373 raises concerns about what may be a “catch and release” fugitive sex offender loophole in urging Congressional action to keep kids safe.

Federal News Network

The bill, signed Monday by President Joe Biden, gets the qualified endorsement of the Federal Managers Association.

On Wednesday, December 22, President Biden issued an Executive Order on Adjustments of Certain Rates of Pay, which implements an average 2.7 percent pay raise for 2022. The raise is comprised of a 2.2 percent across-the-board boost to basic pay and an average 0.5 percent boost to locality pay. Although FMA preferred a 3.2 percent pay raise, as proposed in legislation introduced by Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), we support the 2.7 percent raise in 2022. This provides the customary pay parity with the uniformed military, as included in the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act.

FMA National President Craig Carter sent a letter to all members of the U.S. House and Senate on December 1, 2021, urging them to prevent a pending government shutdown. The federal government is operating on a continuing resolution (CR) that expires on December 3, 2021. In the letter, Carter stresses the awful timing and laments being on the precipice of a lapse in appropriations once again. He also shares that CR's are not much better, and calls for Congress to fully fund Fiscal Year 2022. 

Fedweek -

The House measure would end a requirement in effect there since 2015 for a two-year probationary period for newly hired employees and return the department instead to the general policy in effect elsewhere of one year. That authority was enacted on grounds that one year is not enough to judge the performance of employees in many jobs which require specific training and on the job learning; federal unions, though, argue that it leaves employees without the full appeal rights that come with successfully completing a probationary period for too long.

Federal Managers Groups Largely Support Trump OPM Pick

By Erich Wagner, Government Executive

The Trump administration’s nomination of George Nesterczuk to serve as director of the Office of Personnel Management is already making waves among groups that represent federal workers.

While groups representing managers voiced varying levels of support for the announcement Wednesday, a union official was warier of the choice.