Human Resources

2013 Budget – Pay Changes – .5% Pay Raise, Increase Retirement Contribution by .4%, FERS Supplement Cancelled

The White House just announced their fiscal 2013 budget request. Some good recap from GovExec & Washington Post A couple big pay updates: 1) Pay raise -Bump of .5% pay raise in 2013 for civilians, 1.7 for military 2) Increase retirement contribution – Increase the percentage feds pay into their retirement by 1.2 (.4 percentRead… Read more »

Making Large-Scale Collaborations Effective: Lessons from “Reinventing Discovery: The New Era of Networked Science”

In 1999, the reigning world chess champion played against 50,000 people through the Internet. Entitled “Kasparov versus the World,” chess players (experts and amateurs) collaborated to play the black pieces while Kasparov alone played the white pieces. Anyone can suggest a move, discuss the moves, and vote on moves. Whichever move received the highest voteRead… Read more »

Advice from A Retired Public Servant

Social Connect via: The public service is good at many things and yet faces challenges in many others. One area of great personal interest is the demographic shift as aging baby boomers retire from the public service. One important element of this retirement is the loss of institutional and corporate knowledge that has the potentialRead… Read more »

The Executive Think Tank Conference on Diversity & Inclusion has taken on an incredible momentum

The focus of the Thought Leadership Executive Level Think Tank Training session is compliance with Executive Order 13583 and Executive Order 13548 on diversity and inclusion in the federal sector and strategies and best practices for diversity and inclusion within industry and other fields. Supervisors/Executives (thought leaders, influencers & visionaries) from government, private sector, nonRead… Read more »

First: How to Train People to Communicate Well, Not How to Act

When training acting takes the place of empathy and more. Saying something important or serious the politically correct way isn’t always best. Acting is about truth, honor, trust and integrity. What it is not about is “faking it” or “pretending;” that does no one any good. From an actor’s perspective, doing those things rarely endRead… Read more »

Strengthening Employee Health and Productivity through Workplace Griefbusting: Transforming Workplace Ghost Carriers into Grief Warriors

Once again I’m reminded of how lingering grief sits heavy on many people’s minds and bodies, hearts and souls; and yet this hulking ghost is often barely recognized in a “TNT” – “Time, Numbers, & Technology” – driven and distracted world. Actually, this psychic specter has the potential to both trigger volatility and be emotionallyRead… Read more »

Daily Dose: Federal Workers Union Questions the GOP

An article in the Washington Post shared an ad that is scheduled to air this weekend by the American Federation of Government Employees, targeting the GOP’s recent legislation on federal pay and benefits. The 30-second ad is part of a modest advertising campaign that begins Sunday on TV stations in the Washington area and willRead… Read more »

All Sources Opening for Employee Relations Jobs at State Department

My announcement for two GS-11/12/13 Employee Relations Specialists closes Monday, February 13. The positions are in the Bureau of Administration and based in Rosslyn, Virginia. We’re recruiting among status candidates AND all sources. Please apply if you are experienced in employee relations/labor relations and/or administering telework, workers’ comp, and/or leave programs.

Hostile Work Environment or Tangible Employment Action?

In the most recent edition of the FELTG newsletter, William Wiley and Ernest Hadley provide a scintillating exchange of articles surrounding a recent EEOC decision regarding a retroactive promotion – Hadley v. Secretary of Health and Human Services, NIH, EEOC Appeal No. 0120113029 (December 6, 2011).[Note: the Hadleys are not related.] This issue centers aroundRead… Read more »

Thoughts About and Analysis of the 2011 Public Service Employee Survey

Last week the Treasury Board Secretariat released the results of the 2011 Public Service Employee Survey (PSES). According to the Treasury Board Secretariat website: The Public Service Employee Survey (PSES) has been conducted every three years since 1999. It provides employees the opportunity to anonymously voice their opinions on their leadership, workforce and work environment.Read… Read more »