FederalDaily - October 10, 2006
EEOC Launches LEAD Web Site
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) launched a Web site it hopes will attract more
people with severe physical and mental disabilities into becoming part of the federal workforce—turning
around a longtime trend. EEOC said on Oct. 4 it launched the Web site in support of its Leadership
for the Employment of Americans with Disabilities—or LEAD—Initiative, started in June.
According to the latest EEOC figures, the proportion of people with targeted disabilities—such
as blindness, deafness, partial paralysis, complete paralysis or mental illness—has dropped to
less than 1 percent of the federal workforce. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that federal
agencies take steps to provide equal employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Also,
the EEOC is attempting to broaden employment opportunities for the disabled through President Bush’s
New Freedom Initiative and the agency’s Freedom to Compete Initiative—a national outreach,
education and coalition-building campaign. To see more, go to: www.eeoc.gov/initiatives/lead/index.html.
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DoD Alternate Labor Board Illegal, NTEU Says
The Department of Defense’s (DoD) proposed alternate labor relations board is illegal and should
be struck down—just as an appeals court overturned a Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
proposal contained in a new personnel system for civilian employees—a labor union says. The National
Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) said on Oct. 5 it had filed an amicus brief challenging the DoD’s
proposed National Security Labor Relations Board (NSLRB). The internal board would be appointed by
the Secretary of Defense and act as a replacement for the Federal Labor Relations Authority in handling
disputes between labor and management. “The board envisioned by DoD is essentially identical
to the labor relations board dreamt up by DHS,” said NTEU President Colleen Kelley. “Both
would effectively insulate management decisions from outside review and both, therefore, are illegal.” The
DHS board has been blocked by an injunction NTEU won declaring aspects of the DHS regulations invalid.
To see more, go to: www.nteu.org/PressKits/PressRelease/PressRelease.aspx?ID=976
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Let’s Get Healthy, Says OPM
Federal employees are invited to join a “get healthy” campaign sponsored by the Office
of Personnel Management (OPM) along with the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS).
They will host a HealthierFeds Physical Activity Challenge scheduled for Jan. 22-March 18. All federal
employees and their families, as well as federal retirees and contractors, are eligible. Participants
can choose from about 100 activities to earn points, and OPM will rank agencies according to the levels
of employee participation. Departments and agencies making special achievements will be recognized
by OPM and the PCPFS. To see more, go to: www.chcoc.gov/transmittal_detail.cfm?ID=797.
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