January 2020 Federal Employment Law Training Group Newsletter
Keeping Perspective in 2020
I’ve lived in Washington DC for eight years. Every now and then, though admittedly not often enough, I take the time to embark on an adventure or see a sight available in my neighborhood. So on a recent blustery Sunday afternoon, I did something I’ve only done once before: I took a trip up the Washington Monument to see how the city has changed since my last trip up, in 2014.
There are dozens of new condo buildings, of course, a fancy new waterfront neighborhood and a new sports stadium. (Buzzard Point sure looks different than it used to!) But some of the enduring symbols of America look exactly the same as they have for more years than any of us have been alive. The stately pillars of the Lincoln Memorial at the end of the reflecting pool; the museums lining the National Mall; the flag flying atop the White House; and the iconic dome of the Capitol building, topped with the statue Freedom. And from this perspective, 500 feet above all the divisive things happening in this city, across the country and around the globe, I hold on to hope that America will continue to endure as she has for over 243 years.
And now I invite you to read FELTG’s first newsletter of the decade, with articles on Douglas factors, poorly-written performance standards, EEO document receipt timing pitfalls, workplace resolutions, and more.
Happy New Year,
Deborah J. Hopkins, FELTG President
Creating a Thriving Work Environment in 2020: It’s Not a Laughing Matter
By Dan Gephart, January 14, 2020 Chip is a hard-working and successful comedian. A few years ago, he was named the funniest stand-up comic in Philadelphia. He moved to Los Angeles and wrote for television shows. He returned to the East Coast and grew his reputation...
The Great Debate: Douglas in the Proposal or Douglas in the Decision?
By Deborah Hopkins, January 14, 2020 When Bill Wiley and I teach MSPB Law Week (next held in Washington, DC March 9-13), we get a lot of great questions. And occasionally, we get pushback from an attendee on some of our practice methods. One hot topic that always...
Why a Supervisor Should Never Give a Summary Performance Rating of Unacceptable
By William Wiley, January 14, 2020 Here's an issue that comes up frequently in FELTG training and consulting. Supervisors who have a non-performing employee are sometimes advised by well-meaning attorneys and HR specialists to give the employee an Unacceptable...
Supervisor Survival Series: Buy a Notebook and Use It
If you’re a supervisor in the federal government, you need a notebook. Because federal employees have multiple avenues to challenge management actions, contemporaneous documentation is critical evidence that will help you demonstrate bona fide, legitimate reasons for...
How About Standards That Actually Measure Performance?
By Barbara Haga, January 14, 2020 I’ve looked at quite a few performance plans recently and I keep seeing the same problems showing up. Performance plans full of boilerplate measures that deal with what should be conduct issues, lists of tasks with no discussion of...
The Good News: A Cheat Sheet to Help Overcome the Office of Folklore!
By Ann Boehm, January 14, 2020 Those of you who attend FELTG training and read our newsletters know that supervisors regularly tell us, “These are great ideas, but our HR staff or counsel won’t let us do this.” I have come to realize that it is not the fault of the...
Please Mr. (Sometimes Electronic) Postman: How Do You Determine Receipt?
By Meghan Droste, January 15, 2020 Happy New Year to our wonderful FELTG community! With the holidays, and their many related treats behind us, it’s time to get back to work. I decided to follow the example of my swim class coach and ease all of you back into things...
Tips From the Other Side: January 2020
By Meghan Droste, January 15, 2020 In addition to representing federal employees (and having the pleasure of teaching many courses with FELTG), I spend about half of my time representing private sector and local government employees. This gives me an interesting...