Workforce

Social Security Employees Slated to Return to Offices in January

Restrictions on telework and confusing vaccine rules for visitors to SSA offices rankle union officials, who have demanded to bargain over employees’ reentry to their traditional worksites.

Management

Senate Panel Advances Labor Authority Nominees

President Biden’s picks to lead the agency that administers federal labor law were sent to the floor by a party-line vote Wednesday.

Workforce

Bill to Expand Union Rights for State and Local Workers Puts FLRA in Charge of Enforcement

It is unclear whether the Federal Labor Relations Authority would require additional resources to carry out its proposed new duties, as the agency faces an extensive existing case backlog and staffing crunch.

Workforce

Biden Admin. Suspends Immigration Judge Quotas, Prompting Similar Requests Elsewhere

Following news that the Justice Department will no longer enforce strict caseload quotas on immigration judges, administrative law judges at SSA called on the agency to suspend the requirement to schedule at least 50 disability cases per month.

Pay & Benefits

House Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Overhaul Federal Firefighter Pay, Benefits

Under a new bipartisan bill, federal wildland firefighters would make at least $20 per hour.

Workforce

Labor Authority Nominees Vow to Tackle Case Backlog That Flourished Under Trump

Unfair labor practice complaints stagnated for the last four years because the agency’s general counsel position sat vacant for the entirety of the previous administration.

Workforce

Federal Agencies to Inform New Hires of Union Eligibility, Rights

As part of the Biden administration’s initiative to promote collective bargaining in the federal government, agencies also will be expected to inform current employees of their union rights at least twice per year.

Workforce

TSA, Merit Board Reach Deal to Provide Appeal Rights to Airport Screeners

As the Biden administration moves to provide full civil service protections to the TSA workforce, lawmakers say Congress must codify screeners’ rights.

Workforce

Judges to Labor Authority: When Does a Contract End, Anyway?

Federal employee union's effort to challenge a controversial FLRA decision allowing agencies to unilaterally implement regulations may hinge on centuries-old common contract law.

Workforce

Will Federal Employee Unions Challenge Biden’s Vaccine Mandate in Court?

Several major labor groups said they won’t, but some are leaving open the possibility.

Workforce

Biden Mandates COVID-19 Vaccinations for All Feds

The executive order, removes exceptions that allowed federal workers and contractors to remain unvaccinated if they agreed to regular testing for COVID-19.

Workforce

Justice Dept. Continues to Insist Immigration Judges Union is ‘Defunct,’ Despite Moving to Nullify Decertification Decision

Although the Biden administration has asked to withdraw the prior administration’s petition to classify immigration judges as management officials, it has continued to aggressively defend against litigation over the union’s decertification.

Management

Federal Union Calls for Biden to Keep San Diego Detention Center Open

The union and a lawmaker are questioning the applicability of President Biden’s executive order to not renew contracts with private prisons.

Workforce

More Stringent Vaccine Mandates On the Way for Some Feds

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that with full FDA authorization of the Pfizer vaccine, more agencies could announce more stringent mandates than President Biden’s governmentwide policy.

Workforce

Biden Names New Impasses Panel Members

The Federal Service Impasses Panel, whose members do not require Senate confirmation, has sat vacant since President Biden ousted all 10 members in February.

Workforce

Judge Dismisses Most of Abuse Victims’ Lawsuit Against AFGE Officials

After describing claims against individual AFGE officials over their inaction to stop former President J. David Cox’s sexual abuse as not “viable,” a federal judge preserved only four claims against the union and Cox himself.

Workforce

HHS Agrees to Reset Labor Relations, While Education Heads to Administrative Trial

While HHS and NTEU said they will work to resolve long-running litigation, the Education Department and AFGE are set to head to trial over several unfair labor practice complaints.