Posted on April 9, 2020 by AdminUN

FEDS OVER 40 CATCH A BREAK

The Trump Administration tried to slash federal employee rights to fight age discrimination, but on April 6, 2020 the Supreme Court slapped them down hard. The Trumpetteers wanted to force feds to have to prove that age discrimination was the ONLY reason an agency took an adverse action or denied a fed a benefit.  The Court tossed that view in the dumpster and held that it is illegal discrimination if age played ANY role in the decision.  So, even if an agency can prove that a younger promotion candidate had a quality the over 40 employee did not, the selection would be illegal if age played a lesser role in the selection decision.

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Posted on March 30, 2020 by AdminUN

VITALLY IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT FSIP’S POWERS 

The statute establishing the Panel gives it the power to “take whatever action is necessary” to resolve an impasse. (5 USC 7119) However, often the Panel ignores the fact that there are a lot of limitations on those five words. Some deal with whether the Panel has the power to take jurisdiction at all over a dispute. Other limitations apply to the content of the final order the Panel can issue, and still others address the enforceability of a final order. Because the Panel tends to ignore these limitations, it is up to the harmed party to mount a proper challenge. Here is a quick review of all those limitations.  Continue reading →

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Posted on March 30, 2020 by AdminUN

ACCOMMODATING THE DISABLED ALMOST EVERY TIME IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH 

Not long ago the Dept. of Defense tried to defend itself against an allegation that it had failed to provide a deaf employee a reasonable accommodation by pointing out that it had done so 11 out of 15 times the employee asked during the period in question. But complying with the law 73% of the time is not a defense, and the EEOC told DOD to figure out how much of a check to give the employee as compensation for the harm done. Continue reading →

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Posted on March 25, 2020 by AdminUN

ARBITRATING EQUAL PAY ACT DISPUTES–EASY-PEASY

What can a Hispanic woman do if she is not getting the same salary as a man performing nearly identical duties? She can file a complaint with the EEOC claiming a violation of the Equal Pay Act (EPA), but she cannot file the same allegations in the grievance-arbitration forum because FLRA said so in DOL and AFGE, Local 12, 63 FLRA 216 (2009).  It claims that because the grievance would seek to have the person reclassified to a higher grade that violates the statutory prohibition against grieving classification matters. FLRA prefers to ignore the more basic nature of the grievance, i.e., a discrimination claim like any other that can be grieved and arbitrated. Moreover, even if an arbitrator ordered a person’s job upgraded law still permits the agency to immediately downgrade the job so long as it follows proper procedures. There is nothing “permanent” about any upgrade.  But how can unions ever get this changed if FLRA arbitration exception decisions on what is grievable are not reviewable in court?  EASY-PEASY! Continue reading →

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Posted on March 25, 2020 by AdminUN

TIME TO QUARANTINE CBP MANAGEMENT?

We have been watching CBP management for a while and it seems as if it is a diseased culture at the top of this vital agency.  EEOC has pointed out all too often that it finds CBP managers who take the stand and testify under oath just do not tell the truth.  That should be a removal offense for a law enforcement supervisor.  And the examples just keep coming. In yet another recent case, a manager filed an EEO complaint when she was not selected for the position of Supervisory Border Agent, National Frontline Recruitment Command, GS-15. Continue reading →

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Posted on March 21, 2020 by AdminUN

FSIP, DE FACTO NEGOTIABILITY DISPUTES & ULP’s

Agencies are obligated by executive order to refuse to negotiate over certain union proposals. So, what happens if a union makes proposals that directly clash with the provisions of Trump’s executive orders? One union has set out to find out with the following term agreement proposals: Continue reading →

Posted in Bargaining Negotiability, FSIP, Strategy/tactics | Tagged | 3 Comments

Posted on March 19, 2020 by AdminUN

EEOC ISSUES NEW GUIDANCE ADDRESSING THE ADA, REHABILITATION ACT AND COVID-19

Union reps need to stay abreast of information like this that will determine whether and how they can help their members.

Posted in Disability | Tagged | 1 Comment

Posted on March 16, 2020 by AdminUN

ARE YOU “GETTIN’ ENOUGH”— FROM GRIEVANCES?

One of the first mistakes a union can make when drafting a grievance is to not ask for enough of a remedy. Not only does the grievant potentially lose something she might have been entitled to, but the union misses a chance to raise management’s liabilities and risks. The FLRA has approved over three dozen different remedies arbitrators can impose.  Are you aware of each? Continue reading →

Posted in Grievance/Arbitration, Remedies | Tagged | Leave a comment

Posted on March 16, 2020 by AdminUN

MAKING NEW PROPOSALS AFTER BARGAINING BEGINS

There is a little-known court case that authorizes union negotiators to make totally new proposals in the middle of negotiations. Continue reading →

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Posted on March 12, 2020 by AdminUN

THE “GET OUT OF FSIP FREE” CARD     

FSIP is the center of the known labor relations universe these days.  Agency negotiators are busting vital organs trying to rush negotiation disputes there because they know the fix is in.  Unions, on the other hand, are digging their heels in ankle deep to avoid that union woodchipper. So, this is a good time to review the FSIP “piecemeal bargaining” jurisdictional objection. It has been around the fed sector forever, although rarely used.  But it just might be the key to changing the balance of power between employees and their managers. Continue reading →

Posted in Bargaining Impasse, Bargaining Law, Bargaining Tactics, FSIP | Tagged | 1 Comment