September 2023 Federal Employment Law Training Group Newsletter
The Evolving Meaning of Words
In just about every language, the meaning of words and phrases can evolve over time. So when I recently perused an article titled 10 Passive-Aggressive Phrases to Avoid in the Digital Workplace, I was surprised – and mildly dismayed – to learn some of the things I write in emails have fallen out of favor and are considered passive-aggressive, including:
· Thanks in advance
· Putting [name] on CC for reference
· Re-attaching for your convenience
Legal definitions, regulations and case law also evolve over time and at FELTG we are here to give you the very latest, most updated information, so your work doesn’t end up in a news article some day about what not to do in the workplace. Please check out our upcoming trainings and register for what works for you.
The September FELTG newsletter addresses recent MSPB reversals of AJ mitigations, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, confidentiality of medical records, stress and workers’ comp, and retirement misinformation.
Take care,
Deborah J. Hopkins, FELTG President
Board Reverses AJ Mitigations and Reinstates Agency Penalties
By Deborah J. Hopkins, September 11, 2023 The Merit Systems Protection Board holds a number of functions; chief among them is reviewing agency penalty selections in cases of appealable discipline. The Board’s role is not to displace management’s responsibility in a...
The Good News: The PWFA Is Good for Employees and Easy for Agencies
By Ann Boehm, September 11, 2023 Have you heard about the newest anti-discrimination law? On Dec. 29, 2022, President Biden signed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) into law. It’s the first new anti-discrimination statute since 2008. It went into effect on June...
Confidentially Speaking: Be Very Careful With All Medical Information
By Dan Gephart, September 11, 2023 The overworn idiom about the road to a certain scorching and undesirable place (no, I’m not talking my former state of residence, Florida) being “paved with good intentions” applies to the Rehabilitation Act. Just replace the H, the...
New MSPB Case Highlights Dangers of Retirement Misinformation
By Barbara Haga, September 11, 2023 FELTG President Emeritus Bill Wiley sent me an MSPB decision last week. Many of you are aware I spent most of my Federal career working for the Navy, and Bill spent some time there, too. At the end of my years with the Navy, I...
When Emotional Stress Can (and Can’t) Support a Workers Comp Claim, Part 2
By Frank Ferreri, September 11, 2023 Just how much stress does it take to support a workers’ compensation claim? That’s a question we started to answer last month by breaking down recent cases that address when stress turns into an occupational disease for Federal...