Federal Daily - May 12, 2008

OPM Launches Initiatives to Improve Federal Hiring/Recruitment Process

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) plans to roll out a series of hiring and retention initiatives this fall that will streamline job announcements, eliminate “legalese” language and create job-advertising templates that agencies can adopt. OPM Deputy Associate Director for Talent and Capacity Policy Angela Bailey last week outlined the efforts in testimony before a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs panel. By September, OPM will issue a government-wide standard for the hiring process, along with a “how to” guide that includes successful practices, templates and scripts for communicating with applicants, Bailey said. “We have replaced the legalese and pages of extraneous information that were not necessary to announce a job,” said Bailey. “It also advertises upfront two of the most important issues of concern to new professionals—pay and benefits.” Pilot projects are also underway to attract seasoned executives into the Senior Executive Service (SES), Bailey said. “We are well aware the federal hiring system has evolved over many years into a cumbersome process and hiring takes far too long,” said Bailey. To see more, go to: www.opm.gov/news/opm-initiatives-will-improve-hiringrecruitment-process,1385.aspx.

:: Back to Top ::

AFGE Endorses Obama

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) on May 9 announced its endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for president. “Sen. Obama has proven himself to be a friend of labor, displaying a firm understanding of the critical importance of both a healthy labor movement and a strong federal work force,” said AFGE National President John Gage. AFGE, which represents 600,000 federal workers, said it polled members in the United States and overseas—and took a vote of its National Executive Council—before making the endorsement. In making its announcement, the union also said it retained “the utmost respect” for Democratic presidential contender Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y. Gage called Clinton “a stalwart champion of federal employees,” and said the union was “grateful for her support on issues ranging from collective bargaining rights to privatization to the need for additional federal protective officers who provide security at federal buildings.” Gage—a superdelegate in Maryland—at the same time also added his own endorsement of Obama. To see more, go to: http://www.afge.org/Index.cfm?Page=PressReleases&PressReleaseID=849.

:: Back to Top ::

NTEU Criticizes Federal Career Intern Program

The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) criticized the Federal Career Intern Program (FCIP), saying it narrows the work force applicant pool and undermines the federal competitive hiring process. FCIP is an example of how agencies are departing from statutorily-mandated federal civil service competitive examination and selection requirements, NTEU President Colleen Kelley told lawmakers at a Senate subcommittee hearing May 8. According to the Merit Systems Protection Board, between 2001 and 2004, competitive examining was used for only 29 percent of total federal hires, Kelley noted. “Far from being a limited special-focus hiring tool, aimed at providing structured, two-year training and development ‘internships,’ FCIP is now the tool of choice to circumvent fair hiring practices,” Kelley said. For example, Customs and Border Protection has used it to fill all entry-level officer positions; and other agencies, like the Internal Revenue Service, employ the program to fill many entry-level openings, she said. She urged Congress to encourage agencies into greater use of existing hiring flexibilities—such as monetary bonuses, relocation assistance and flex-time options—that offer more versatility when competing for employees against the private sector. To see more, go to: www.nteu.org/PressKits/PressRelease/PressRelease.aspx?ID=1268.

:: Back to Top ::

DOJ Announces Creation of 43 New AUSA Positions

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced last week the creation of 43 new Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) positions across the nation to prosecute technology-driven sexual exploitation crimes against children. The $5 million hiring effort is part of DOJ’s Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Under PSC, the number of federal child exploitation prosecutions has increased significantly, along with the number of federal, state, and local investigations and convictions, DOJ said in a statement. “Anyone who uses the Internet to prey on children will become the primary target of law enforcement. These additional resources back up this commitment,” said Deputy Attorney General Mark Filip. To see more, go to: www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2008/May/08_opa_383.html.

:: Back to Top ::