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.

Posted on March 11, 2012 by AdminUN

SEXUAL HARASSMENT LEADS TO $168 MILLION JUDGMENT YIKES! We all know what can happen when a dispute goes to a jury, but when the jury in this case gave the employee $168 million in damages for the harassment she suffered, … Continue reading →

Posted in EEO/Discrimination | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Posted on March 7, 2012 by AdminUN

HOW NTEU DEALS WITH RECLASSIFICATIONS Assume that management wants to change the series classification from one series to another without any change in the employees’ grade, work, or location.  What can the union do about that given that it cannot … Continue reading →

Posted in Bargaining, FLRA, ULPs | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Posted on March 6, 2012 by AdminUN

RESIGNATION REGRET & PROBATIONERS What do you do for the probationary employee who calls you from home not only to tell that he resigned last week, but that he wants the union to get his job back? Extend your sympathies? … Continue reading →

Posted in MSPB, Probation Period | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Posted on March 6, 2012 by AdminUN

DOES AFGE OVERTIME WIN MEAN BACK PAY FOR YOU? The Authority has just upheld an arbitrator’s decision (AFGE, 66 FLRA No. 100) which could mean retroactive overtime pay for a lot of federal employees.  It all began when the Bureau … Continue reading →

Posted in FLSA/Overtime | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Posted on March 6, 2012 by AdminUN

FREEBIE FOR FMLA REPRESENTATIVES If you represent members in FMLA matters, check out the America Bar Association’s latest overview of FMLA legal developments.  It is free, very thorough, and likely leave to you with a deeper understanding of arguments to … Continue reading →

Posted in FMLA | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Posted on February 26, 2012 by AdminUN

ILLEGAL TELEWORK DEALS What do you call it when a bargaining unit employee asks her manager to allow her to telework, the manager agrees, and they work out the details of when, where, and under what conditions? “Illegal” is what … Continue reading →

Posted in Bargaining, Flexiplace, ULPs | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Posted on February 25, 2012 by AdminUN

A NEGOTIATOR’S THREE MAGIC WORDS Abracadabra won’t work; neither will hocus-pocus. But the phrase, “Management has determined” will open doors at a bargaining table.

Posted in Bargaining Negotiability, Bargaining Proposals | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Posted on February 23, 2012 by AdminUN

WATERBOARDING SELECTING OFFICIALS Ever wonder how to get selecting officials to tell you the real reason why you were not selected for a promotion?  Tens of thousands do each year.  Here is how.

Posted in Discipline/Adverse Action, Employee Rights, Promotion/Hiring | Tagged | 4 Comments

Posted on February 22, 2012 by AdminUN

TICKLE TORTURING PROMOTION RATING OFFICIALS “Tickle torturing” might be an option when rating officials will not explain their scoring system that denied you a promotion.  After all, unlike selecting officials whose vagueness and secrecy make you want to waterboard them for … Continue reading →

Posted in EEO/Discrimination, Grievance/Arbitration, Promotion/Hiring | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Posted on February 20, 2012 by AdminUN

HOW TO MINIMIZE CONTRACTING OUT While management has a right to contract out work, the union has a right to negotiate procedures making that decision a fair one and softening the impact on employees. Here is how.

Posted in A-76/Contracting | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment