MSPB: Perceptions of prohibited personnel actions hit 18-year low

Federal employees' perceptions of discrimination, retaliation and nepotism have declined since 1992, but prohibited personnel practices could continue to affect employee engagement, according to a new report.

A Merit Systems Protection Board study, released Wednesday, found that federal workers reported that they observed or experienced the 12 prohibited personnel practices less frequently than at any point during the last 18 years. In a survey of more than 42,000 employees, 8 percent said they had been affected by one prohibited practice, while 1.3 percent said they had experienced more than three.

Perceptions of discrimination based on age, race, disability and other factors have steadily declined since 1992, the report found. Experiences of coercion related to political activity were slightly more common than 18 years ago but still were rare at just 0.7 percent. Nearly 7 percent of employees reported perceptions that management had granted an unfair advantage during the recruitment or promotion process, higher than other practices studied but lower than in previous years.

Personnel actions based on subjective decisions, such as those in hiring and promotion, are especially vulnerable to perceptions of inappropriate practices and may never be fully eliminated, according to MSPB. In addition, though reports of prohibited activities have dropped dramatically, employees who observe or personally experience these practices could grow less engaged in their work, the report found.

"An employee does not need to be personally affected by the outcome of a PPP to be affected by an official's decision to commit a PPP," said MSPB Chairman Susan Tsui Grundmann. "This report shows that when employees believe that their managers are basing personnel decisions on prohibited criteria, it has real consequences for the agency's ability to have a productive and engaged workforce."

According to MSPB, managers -- and new political appointees in particular -- should receive information about unacceptable actions and what is considered a violation of these policies. Agencies also should promptly investigate reported violations, take necessary disciplinary action and better communicate with employees the reasons behind management decisions, the study found.

"Agencies should make an effort to ensure that decisions are based on the best information available and are grounded in merit-based reasons," MSPB wrote. "Awareness that this transparency will occur may also dissuade officials from knowingly attempting to take an improper action. Sunlight is the merit system's best ally."