MSPB in the Big Time

Last Sunday, 60 Minutes aired a story called “Three Empty Chairs,” about the lack of members at the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board. Our world of Federal employment law is relatively small, so when we hit the mainstream media it’s something exciting.

If you didn’t catch the original broadcast, check it out here.

As of last week, there were 2,900-plus individuals waiting for a quorum so their cases could be decided. That’s 2,900-plus people hoping to get their jobs back, or their whistleblower reprisal claims remedied, and agencies waiting for a final answer in 2,900-plus separate actions. And the longer this goes, the more taxpayer money is needlessly wasted, and the longer peoples’ lives are put on hold.

There’s no reason things should be this way, so I urge you to call your U.S. Senators and ask them to push for a vote on these potential appointees, some of whom were nominated more than two years ago. Let’s start to see some action, and some justice, at the MSPB.

In this month’s newsletter, we continue to provide guidance on COVID-related workplace issues, as well as the confusion with performance monikers, why agencies should fire bad LEOs, timing in reasonable accommodation cases, and more.

Take care,

Deborah J. Hopkins, FELTG President

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