Tag: United States Merit Systems Protection Board

Government Shutdown Furloughs Delay Sequestration Furlough Appeals

Government Shutdown Furloughs Delay Sequestration Furlough Appeals

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Thousands of appeals from federal employees furloughed because of sequestration sat in the pipeline during the 16-day government shutdown when the small federal agency working on them was forced to close shop.

In other words, more furloughs delayed furlough-related work.

The Merit Systems Protection Board, which has about 200 employees in Washington and eight regional offices nationwide, furloughed most of its workforce on Oct. 1, save for a few excepted employees and the three board members who are political appointees. It was not the ideal time for forced leave: The agency is in the middle of handling an unprecedented wave of appeals filed by federal employees furloughed during the spring and summer because of mandatory across-the-board budget cuts. Employees, nearly all Defense Department workers, filed roughly 32,000 furlough challenges during fiscal 2013. By contrast, the agency’s regional offices in fiscal 2012 received about 6,000 total appeals, which include furlough- and non-furlough-related issues. Continue reading “Government Shutdown Furloughs Delay Sequestration Furlough Appeals”

MSPB Could Face ‘Unprecedented’ Wave of Furlough Appeals

MSPB Could Face ‘Unprecedented’ Wave of Furlough Appeals

AFGE’s National President J. David Cox
AFGE’s National President J. David Cox AFGE

The Merit Systems Protection Board is bracing for the “unprecedented situation” of mass furlough appeals, according to an agency official.

MSPB — a quasi-judicial, independent agency that adjudicates appeals of “adverse personnel actions” from federal employees — is responsible for issuing rulings on furlough appeals. Bryan Polisuk, general counsel for MSPB, said the board does not know what to anticipate regarding the possibility of a wave of appeals.

“We’re taking a wait-and-see approach,” Polisuk told Government Executive. “We’re considering different things in an effort to handle the appeals, but we have to see if they come.” Continue reading “MSPB Could Face ‘Unprecedented’ Wave of Furlough Appeals”

Proposed Rule Could Void Civil Service System for Most Federal Employees

by Dylan Blaylock on May 28, 2013

Today, the Government Accountability Project (GAP) criticized rules proposed by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) that could rebrand virtually any federal government position as national security “sensitive,” and therefore outside the civil service system rule of law. Employees in positions that are deemed “sensitive” and relieved of their duties, as federal whistleblowers often are, would therefore have little recourse.

The proposed rules, released today, follow a Friday showdown at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, where the government pressed for a ruling that workers in “sensitive” jobs will not enjoy independent appeal rights to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) if they are deemed by their agency to be insufficiently trustworthy for a federal position. Continue reading “Proposed Rule Could Void Civil Service System for Most Federal Employees”

Federal managers retain wrong employees, feds say

Federal managers retain wrong employees, feds say

Photodisc

Federal employees worry their agencies are allowing their best employees to leave public service while retaining poor performers, according to a new report.

Less than a quarter of federal workers believe their organization “addresses poor performers effectively,” the Merit Systems Protection Board found in a workforce survey. Only 41 percent said their organization retains the best employees. Continue reading “Federal managers retain wrong employees, feds say”

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