American civil servants are hired, promoted, and (in theory) fired based on their merit, but that principle may be under fire, and ironically, the intrinsic motivations of those in its crosshairs–that is, civil servants themselves–many be its only hope.
Commentary
Ensuring the Accountability of the Federal Civil Service—An Urgent Call to Action
In a letter to the Chairs and Ranking Members of several key congressional committees (like the House and Senate Armed Services Committees), the five authors, all former senior leaders in national security (in alphabetical order, CIA Director Mike Hayden, DHS Deputy Secretary Jim Loy, Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell, Deputy Secretary of State AMB John Negroponte, and Navy Secretary Sean O’Keefe) argue that a resurrected Schedule F could harm our country, and they propose a ‘third way’ that can ensure greater accountability amongst civil servants, while still protecting them from partisan political influence.
Biden administration locks in plans aiming to block Schedule F for good
In an effort to prevent a Schedule F revival, OPM has published a final rule confirming workforce protections and appeals rights for career civil servants.
See Drew Friedman’s thoroughly researched and well written story on the infamous Schedule F on today’s Federal News Network newsfeed below. She interviewed me for the story, and I’m quoted in it (that’s clearly one of the reasons I like it so much😁), but more importantly, I worry that folks will read the piece and conclude that the battle is over. It’s NOT! There are too many things that a second Trump Administration could do to undo the OPM rule and resurrect Schedule F, including things that are borderline legal–and then let all this just play out in friendly courts, including SCOTUS. So IMHO, we should continue to raise the alarm–even at the risk of “crying wolf”–and I for one will continue to do so.
Why plugging leaks sometimes means protecting leakers
Congress needs to establish a form of amnesty that, where appropriate, provides an exit ramp for individuals who have unwittingly violated the terms of a security clearance and wish to come clean. Read more at NextGov/FCW’s news feed (https://www.nextgov.com/ideas/2024/04/why-plugging-leaks-sometimes-means-protecting-leakers/395378/)
Senior Executives Association Board of Directors Election
It’s been brought to my attention that not all my fellow SEA Board of Directors candidates have access to Linked In, so out of fairness and respect to them, I’ve taken down my ‘election campaign’ post on that social media platform. However, I would still encourage all SEA members who read this to go vote for the candidate(s) of your choice, as the Association remains the only independent voice of career federal execs—and those who aspire to be—and deserves our support. If you have any questions, feel free to reach me through Linked In or this Web site. The deleted post follows.
Today’s job seekers want things our current system cannot provide
Congress is considering legislation that will enable federal agencies to better compete in a labor market that no longer exists, with tools (and assumptions) rooted in an obsolete, tenure-based system that doesn’t address the needs and wants of many of today’s job applicants.
OPM aims to ‘clarify, reinforce’ protections against Schedule F, but some experts say it won’t be enough
With concerns growing around a possible return of Schedule F, the Biden administration is taking a step to try to safeguard career federal employees against its potential effects.
Agencies have a chance to propose new special salary rates, but budget uncertainty can cause hesitation
The Office of Personnel Management is making preparations ahead of a pending pay raise for civilian federal employees in 2024. Agencies have one month to submit any requests to OPM where they want to offer higher salaries for typically hard-to-fill federal positions.
The 3 duties of public servants
COMMENTARY | With all that’s going on in Washington these days, public officials have three fundamental duties that they cannot shirk.
Hillsborough County Schools Breached
Hillsborough County Schools system has reported a cybersecurity breach of its information systems but no further details are available. In a televised interview (https://www.fox13news.com/video/1274852), Ron Sanders, cybersecurity expert and former staff director for the Florida Center for Cybersecurity explains how and why such breaches occur, especially at the beginning of a school year.