Federal Daily - June 19, 2008

House Panel OKs Civilian Pay Hike

A key House Appropriations panel June 17 approved a 3.9 percent pay raise for federal civilian employees next year. The civilian pay raise rate approved by the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee would duplicate the rate approved for the military as part of the Defense Department authorization bill and is significantly higher than the 2.9 percent average raise President Bush had requested in his Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 budget proposal. Specifically, the Bush administration had sought a higher pay increase for the military than for civilians for FY 2009, but federal employees unions this year, as in others, argued for pay parity permitting civilian workforce salary raises that keep pace with those given to the military. To see more, go to: http://serrano.house.gov/PressRelease.aspx?NewsID=1567

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Bill Would Grant Paid Family Leave to Feds

Under a bill introduced in the Senate June 16, federal employees would be granted four weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child. The bill, the Paid Parental Leave Act (S 3140), sponsored by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., could be used, if enacted, as a recruitment tool by the federal government. “The legislation we introduced today is an issue of fairness for the working family,” Webb said. “Paid parental leave will improve recruitment and retention for federal agencies." There are approximately 2.7 million employees nationwide. Currently there is no federal law guaranteeing paid family leave. Under the Family and Medical Leave Act passed during the Clinton administration, federal workers are permitted up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave—but many cannot afford to take lengthy unpaid time off. Federally Employed Women (FEW), an advocacy group which supports female federal workers, endorsed Webb’s bill. “Quite simply, new parents should be with their children and enjoy one of the most important moments in their lives,” FEW said in a statement. To see more, go to: www.few.org.

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GAO: Manpower Shortages Threaten FPS Mission

Staffing shortages at the Federal Protective Service (FPS) threaten to undermine the agency’s mission of protecting the nation’s 9,000 federal government buildings, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report has found. For example, due to a decrease in staffing of about 20 percent since Fiscal Year (FY) 2004, the agency has cut down on some security measures at government buildings. FPS generally has eliminated proactive patrols at government buildings that would detect and prevent criminal incidents and terrorism-related activities, the report said. FPS also continues to struggle with managing its contract guard program and the implementation of key measures such as security cameras. With regard to the cameras, GAO found that many of those installed at multiple high-risk facilities were not working properly, preventing FPS investigators from identifying suspects. The report noted that the agency aims to improve security by transitioning toward an investigator-based workforce of more highly skilled employees. In recent years, FPS also has experienced funding problems. In FY 2005 and FY 2006, its parent agency—the Department of Homeland Security—had to transfer funds to make up a shortfall. However, in FY 2007 FPS was allowed to increase its security fees and cover its costs, and shows signs of maintaining that ability going forward. FPS has an annual budget of about $1 billion, 1,100 employees and 15,000 contract guards located throughout the country. The report, released June 18, can be viewed in full at: www.gao.gov.

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