Author Archives: AdminUN
GILBERT & BROIDA RESCUE DISABLED CBP OFFICERS Way back in 2014 we wrote about a Customs and Border Patrol Officer with sleep apnea who asked to not be assigned to night shift or overtime work because his condition required that … Continue reading
HOW FAR BACK CAN A BACK PAY CLAIM GO? We are getting questions about how far back an arbitrator can order an agency to grant back pay as if there is some legal limit on it, e.g., do appropriation laws … Continue reading
NAMING GRIEVANTS: A SOURCE OF UNION POWER Two members come to you, the union steward, complaining that the manager is no longer following the agreement’s provision about how to distribute overtime and they want to grieve. After they leave, you … Continue reading
TWO ROOKIE MISTAKES A 2019 FLRA decision opens with these three sentences, “In this case, Arbitrator Anthony R. Orman, found that the Agency violated Article 21, Section 4 of the parties’ collective-bargaining agreement by failing to distribute overtime in a … Continue reading
RATING PANEL GRIEVANCES: WE HAVE SAID IT BEFORE AND HERE IT IS AGAIN Attacking the scores of a promotion rating panel is hard to do under traditional labor law. But, if you can find a reason to allege that there … Continue reading
SEXUAL HARASSMENT QUIZ: WHO STAYS AND WHO GOES? If one employee alleges that another employee in the same office is sexually harassing him, does the Agency have to move one to another workplace while it investigates the matter? If so, who … Continue reading
LOVE THIS PIP PROTECTION IDEA Being put on a PIP is often the beginning of the end for an employee. The manager uses it to focus the crosshairs on their target and all that remains is to pull the trigger. … Continue reading
GRIEVANCE QUIZ: ALMOST PERFECT EXCEPT FOR … Below is a hypothetical grievance inspired by one that actually went to arbitration and FLRA. The union lost on a technicality in both forums. See if you can spot the error before we … Continue reading
THE $5.97 TRAVEL CLAIM VICTORY A fed traveled for an agency to a Vegas conference, but before leaving he submitted a travel voucher for the projected cost of the trip. For some unknown reason the agency took over three months … Continue reading