FederalDaily - April 4, 2006

Government Needs More SSN Safeguards

Government agencies at all levels do not do enough to ensure proper handling and protection of Social Security numbers (SSNs), a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report says. Congress is considering proposals to restrict use and display of SSNs. GAO said there is a “lack of uniformity at all levels of government to assure the security of the SSN.” GAO also found inconsistencies in laws concerning sharing SSNs with contractors. GAO made the following recommendations to Congress:

• close gaps in laws regarding SSN handling by contractors; and
• direct the Office of Management and Budget to devise a government-wide policy for agencies that require the display of SSNs.

To read the report, go to www.gao.gov/new.items/d06586t.pdf.

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Federal Judge Compensation Reform Proposed

A new bill—the Federal Judicial Fairness Act of 2006—could help resolve pay inequities and increase retention among federal judges, according to Rep. Judy Biggert, R-Ill. Biggert and Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., proposed the legislation to “reform the outdated compensation system for federal judges.” Biggert said current federal judge salaries are tied to Congress’ salaries. In five of the last 13 years, Congress has refused a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), leaving federal judge pay lagging behind and causing some judges to leave their positions. Biggert noted previous studies recommending that judge salaries be determined separately from Congress to improve recruitment and retention. Among other things, the proposed act would:

• remove the link between judges’ and Congress’ pay;
• give federal judges a one-time 16.5 percent raise; and
• tie judge COLAs to the Employee Cost Index, which is already used for federal employee salaries.

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Military Disability System Needs Improved Oversight

Active duty and reserve servicemembers may not get timely decisions on disability cases because of a lack of oversight by the Department of Defense (DoD), according to a March 31 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. DoD allows each separate service to set up its own process for handling disability cases. However, GAO found, DoD does not review consistency or timeliness of disability decision making. Compounding the problem, the report noted that DoD does not oversee training for personnel handling the disability system. GAO recommended, and DoD agreed, that the department improve oversight of the disability system and provide military services with guidance to ensure consistency. To read the report, go to www.gao.gov/new.items/d06362.pdf.

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FAA/Union Negotiations Heat Up

Contract negotiations between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) took a strange turn last week. NATCA accused the FAA of stalling and turning down a compromise, while the administration says it never received a proposal from the union. Under current regulations, if the contract is not agreed to, the issue is brought before Congress. The FAA can unilaterally impose an agreement if there is no congressional action. In January, Sen. Barrack Obama, D-Ill., along with 26 co-sponsors, introduced the FAA Fair Labor Management Dispute Resolution Act, which would provide neutral, binding arbitration for unresolved FAA-NATCA negotiations. Commenting on the recent negotiation breakdown, Obama stated, “…I call on both sides to come back to the bargaining table immediately and work towards a mutually acceptable contract…”

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