July 2019 Federal Employment Law Training Group Newsletter
Open Offices (and Telework) Are Going the Way of the Dinosaur
Last week, I was reading an article in Inc. magazine about workplace fads that have come and gone. Apparently one fad that’s on its way out is the open office concept. It turns out that having an open office actually decreases employee productivity and collaboration: the more open the office the less human interaction coworkers actually have with one another, and the more they rely on texting and instant messaging to communicate.
Another trend that seems to be on its way out, especially in the federal government, is telework. A number of agencies are drastically reducing the amount of telework employees are allowed to use, regardless of productivity, causing lots of kicking and screaming from employees and unions, as telework and flexible work schedules are one of the most powerful recruitment tools employers can use to woo new employees. It will be interesting to see how this all shakes out.
In the meantime, how about some summer reading? This month’s newsletter has articles an accountability, marijuana use by federal employees, EEO deadlines, performance standards and reasonable accommodation, and more.
Take care,
Deborah J. Hopkins, FELTG President
We Don’t Need Civil Service Reform, Part I
By Deborah Hopkins, July 17, 2019 Yes, you read that title correctly. Despite what you hear and read in the media and from politicians who don’t know our business, We Don’t Need Civil Service Reform. The system is not broken. We just need federal supervisors to use...
The Good News: It’s Perfectly Legal to Talk to Your Employees — and it Can Net Results!
By Ann Boehm, July 17, 2019 Our friends at the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) Office of Policy and Evaluation recently released a research brief called Remedying Unacceptable Performance in the Federal Civil Service. It’s nice to know the MSPB is functioning,...
Performance Standards and Reasonable Accommodation
By Barbara Haga, July 17, 2019 I do a lot of training with managers on performance management and performance appraisal system requirements. That includes discussions of performance failures and how to hold employees accountable. It seems that many don’t have a good...
‘Summertime, and the livin’ is easy’ – A Brief Reminder on EEO Deadlines
By Meghan Droste, July 17, 2019 Happy summer dear FELTG readers! By the time you read this, we will be firmly in the middle of July and, if you are in an area like DC, in the midst of plenty of heat and humidity. It’s the perfect time to take it easy, find some shade,...
Tips from the Other Side: July 2019
By Meghan Droste, July 17, 2019 When I’m not litigating my own cases, I spend most of my work-related time out there teaching, bringing you case law and pointers to help in your own practice. Last month, I had the pleasure of being the student instead of the teacher,...
More Questions about Federal Employees Who Use Marijuana
By Deborah Hopkins, July 17, 2019 As marijuana is legalized in more states around the U.S., the questions FELTG receives regarding marijuana use by federal employees continue to come in. (If you haven’t already, check out my first article on the topic, Can Federal...
Are They Going to Regret Leaving?
By Dan Gephart, July 17, 2019 It was 24 years ago this month, and I vividly remember that heart-pounding march from the desk I shared with a fellow reporter to the Editor’s office. The newsroom boss -- we’ll call him X – was very talented. He was even more...