FederalDaily - May 12, 2005

USPS Considers Possible Cuts

With falling mail volume, increasing compensation costs and a more competitive marketplace, the need for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to increase efficiency and cut expenses is gaining importance, a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report says. According to USPS, one area where it can become more efficient is in its mail processing and distribution infrastructure. However, USPS faces challenges in eliminating excess capacity due to workforce rules and resistance to plant closings. GAO reported that USPS is exploring options such as closing annexes and consolidating operations, while at the same time attempting to increase efficiency by expanding automation, improving material-handling operations and introducing standardization programs.

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New Focus on Mediation for People with Disabilities

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the National Council on Disability and the Department of Justice jointly released two new publications addressing how to ensure that mediation of equal employment opportunity disputes is accessible to people with disabilities. The documents, available at www.eeoc.gov, address the obligations of all private and public sector mediation providers. They cover topics including:

• types of reasonable accommodations that may be necessary to make mediation accessible to people with disabilities;
• best practices for ensuring that mediation is accessible;
• the confidentiality of medical information disclosed during mediation; and
• recommended types of Americans with Disabilities Act training for mediators.

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How Federal Affirmative Employment Works

The Government Accountability Office recently reported on how affirmative employment works in the federal government.Federal agencies are required to carry out affirmative employment and minority recruitment programs. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) have primary responsibility for ensuring that the government’s policies for a fair and equitable workplace are carried out. EEOC oversees federal agencies’ EEO programs, including their affirmative employment programs. OPM is to assist agencies in carrying out their minority recruitment programs. EEOC and OPM review federal workforce demographic data; review reports from agencies on their progress in meeting program requirements; conduct on-site reviews at federal agencies; and provide technical assistance, training and guidance.

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Protecting Feds and Families Overseas from Terrorism

U.S. government officials working overseas and their family members are at risk from terrorist threats, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Since 1968, 32 embassy officials have been attacked—23 fatally—by terrorists outside the embassy. As the State Department continues to improve security at U.S. embassies, terrorist groups are likely to focus on “soft” targets— such as homes and schools, a new GAO report said. State has a number of programs to protect U.S. officials and their families outside the embassy, including security briefings, protection at schools and residences, and surveillance detection. However, three State-initiated investigations into terrorist attacks against U.S. officials outside of embassies found that the officials lacked the necessary hands-on training to help counter the attack—and the agency’s hands-on training course is still not required. GAO found that key embassy officials are not trained to implement State’s counterterrorism procedures.

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