FederalDaily - December 19, 2005
NLRB Dispute Resolution Pilot Program
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has created an alternative dispute
resolution (ADR) two-year pilot program that will assist in settling cases
pending before the board. Participation will be voluntary and participants
can withdraw at any time. For pending unfair labor practice cases, NLRB will
provide a neutral judge to provide confidential settlement discussions for
disputed decisions by NLRB administrative judges. The board’s processing
of any case can be stayed up to 60 days after the first ADR meeting to allow
a settlement to be reached. All parties can agree to an additional 60-day extension
if needed. ADR for labor practice disputes was initiated after witnessing the
success of dispute resolution in other federal agencies.
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White Collar Crime Might Cost Feds Their Benefits
Federal employees and Congress members who are convicted of white collar crimes
would forfeit their retirement benefits if the Public Trust and Accountability
Act is passed by Congress and signed into law. The bill, introduced by Rep.
Lee Terry, R-Neb., would amend Title 5 of the U.S. Code to strip government
employees of their retirement benefits if convicted of laws that violate the
public trust or fiduciary duties. That would include bribery, embezzlement
and perjury. Terry stated, “Without the trust of the people and accountability
for actions, the government cannot work.” Currently, Title 5 only denies
benefits to individuals convicted of violating national security laws, such
as treason.
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Chambers Suing for $2.2 Million
Teresa Chambers, the former chief of the U.S. Park Police, has filed a $2.2
million lawsuit against the National Park Service (NPS) for wrongful acts by
top agency officials, according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.
The suit claims that NPS destroyed documentation that could exonerate Chambers. “I
want and fully expect to be restored as Chief of the United States Park Police,” she
said. Chambers was fired two years ago after an interview with The Washington
Post, where she commented about a shortage of officers. She filed an appeal
with the Merit Systems Protection Board the following year—the board
dismissed two of the administrative charges against her, but the rest of the
case is still pending. Chambers has also filed a Privacy Act lawsuit demanding
the release of a documented positive performance review she received shortly
before her termination.
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EEOC Restructuring Could Affect Federal Employees
A restructuring of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) could
overburden EEOC offices with excessive workloads and downgrade the Baltimore,
Md., office, potentially costing federal jobs, according to Sens. Barbara Mikulski,
D-Md., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. In a letter to the EEOC, the senators noted
that the plan would move five counties in Maryland to a new jurisdiction already
unable to handle its current workload. There was particular concern that the
Baltimore-based office may be downgraded from a district office to a field
office. “We remain concerned that downgrading district offices impacts
the Commission’s ability to effectively enforce civil rights laws,” the
letter said. Both Mikulski and Kennedy pressed EEOC to provide more details
regarding the reorganization and have more open dialogue to discuss their concerns.
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