Author Archives: AdminUN

About AdminUN

FEDSMILL staff has over 40 years of federal sector labor relations experience on the union as well as management side of the table and even some time as a neutral.

SEQUESTER BARGAINING STRATEGY Once management announces that a furlough is reasonably foreseeable (or any impact on unit employees is likely from sequester), the union has a right to bargain. We already shared our thoughts on some proposals to make in … Continue reading

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BARGAINING FOR BACK PAY Generally, there is only one way to get back pay. You have to file a grievance, charge or some other allegation against management and, absent settlement, get an authorized neutral, such as an arbitrator, to order … Continue reading

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ON-LINE TRAINING IN TRAVEL REGS If your local has numerous disputes over travel, per diem, and other reimbursement matters, you might want to sign up for the on-line training course GSA offers in the Federal Travel Regs that you can … Continue reading

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BARGAINING OVER SEQUESTRATION’S IMPACT If your union has not demanded to bargain over the impact of the pending sequestration, do not wait much longer.  The odds of it happening are so high that the union should put in its demand … Continue reading

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TEST YOURSELF- The Correct OT Remedy Let’s assume that you find management has incorrectly told some employees over the last nine months that they may only be compensated with comp time to work extra hours, not time-and-one-half overtime pay.  Then, … Continue reading

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WHEN DECIDING OFFICIALS GO EX PARTE The Federal Circuit Court of Appeals just administered a major smack down to HUD when it let a deciding official (DO) talk to witnesses after management had issued its proposed termination letter. (See Rayland … Continue reading

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FMLA & SICK LEAVE RECORD RULES EEOC has very specific rules about where employee FMLA and sick leave medical documents can be stored. If the agency violates them, they may owe the employee money damages—as a recent Dept. of Justice … Continue reading

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BRAVO, FLRA, YOU HAVE COME A LONG WAY!!! We just took a look at the latest version of the Authority’s annual report and what a difference it shows between how well the FLRA is managed today under Carol Waller Pope … Continue reading

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THE “COVERED-BY” DEFENSE MUTATES Those of you who have to deal with the “covered-by” defense to a bargaining demand should take a look at the most recent private sector decision.    It creates a third version of the doctrine that you … Continue reading

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LOOK AT WHAT THE NLRB JUST DID TO BARGAINING LAW Although only FLRA sets legal policy for federal sector bargaining, it tends to follow what the NLRB does for private sector employees.  Consequently, a recent Board decision might mean substantial … Continue reading

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