Federal Regulation Freeze

[LostintheOzone]

The main problem with Feds is their unwillingness to do the work of firing unproductive or insubordinate employees. It can indeed be done, but involves work for management.

About 1-2 years was the norm where I worked. It's an administrative nightmare that usually ends with a lawsuit and a settlement. It costs the gov't a lot of time and it's never cheap.

The last private company I worked for went bankrupt and they changed the locks on a weekend. That was our first clue.

 

[johngalt]

About 1-2 years was the norm where I worked. It's an administrative nightmare that usually ends with a lawsuit and a settlement. It costs the gov't a lot of time and it's never cheap.

The last private company I worked for went bankrupt and they changed the locks on a weekend. That was our first clue.

My boss has fired employees who couldn't perform, it didn't take 1-2 years.

 

[biku324]

You forgot to mention 4 to 12 months to hire a replacement. It's still the right thing to do - the 'word' gets around.

 

[LostintheOzone]

Looks like Trump wants a few different agencies to evaluate positions. It would be nice if they'd eliminate promotions based on the "Good 'ole boy" system and DIE. Both are equally unfair to employees and the taxpayers.
How Long Will The Federal Hiring Freeze Last? Implications For Government Employees

The DEI and GOB promotions ended around 2010 in the agency where I worked. Many who thought they were entitled to promotions based on seniority, diversity, LGBT or some other claim were usually disappointed. They just never prepared themselves to compete in a tight job market. The people who did get promoted were constantly building their resumes, usually by getting professional licenses or degrees. If they couldn't advance where they were they usually found a better deal someplace else.

 

[BE Mike]

There seems to be a lot of incorrect assertions floating around about federal employment.

Competitive promotions require you to compete - They aren't automatic. The last one I competed for didn't have any DEI check boxes. They prohibit discrimination based on a whole lot of classes, and they are serious about it. It was strictly on merit. I had to prove (as in supply evidence of performance) that I was capable of performing at the higher level of responsibility and skill, and do it better than everyone else who applied for the promotion slot.

The covid era work at home policies ended 3 years ago. We have been operating under telework rules that have been in place long before covid and require good performance ratings to be eligible.

In my experience, in house hiring involves the positions not being announced unless they already have a person in mind to fill it. This was even evident in lateral transfers. I also observed special considerations (ignoring standards) to those minorities that the agency wanted. All of this still goes on, according to the relatives that I have who are current federal employees.

 

[Terry G]

Don't forget the phrase "common sense".

Agree. When you see that you are about to lose something.

 

[Terry G]

They want to make working for the feds so unpleasant that everyone quits.

There were a couple of thousand new hires scheduled to start next week in the VA and other's. Now they have no jobs or income. The VA is chronically under staffed.

 

[dockmurgw]

There seems to be a lot of incorrect assertions floating around about federal employment.

Competitive promotions require you to compete - They aren't automatic. The last one I competed for didn't have any DEI check boxes. They prohibit discrimination based on a whole lot of classes, and they are serious about it. It was strictly on merit. I had to prove (as in supply evidence of performance) that I was capable of performing at the higher level of responsibility and skill, and do it better than everyone else who applied for the promotion slot.

The covid era work at home policies ended 3 years ago. We have been operating under telework rules that have been in place long before covid and require good performance ratings to be eligible.

Then the executive orders will not affect anyone. So I wonder...why all the fuss, and why did the POTUS waste his sharpie ink signing something that will end what doesn't exist?

 

[LVSteve]

About 1-2 years was the norm where I worked. It's an administrative nightmare that usually ends with a lawsuit and a settlement. It costs the gov't a lot of time and it's never cheap.

The last private company I worked for went bankrupt and they changed the locks on a weekend. That was our first clue.

When I was doing some consultancy work for .gov there came the day there were all kinds of little whispered gatherings with hushed "Wows!" every so often. Not being part of the club I wasn't privy to the reason. A couple of days later somebody coughed (patience paid off ) that the GS-15 (or possibly higher) in overall charge of where I was working had been deep-sixed in a matter of days.

 

[biku324]

Then he/she got squarely caught doing something verboten, an incident of misconduct, rather than just poor performance. Good for Uncle Sugar.

 

[johngalt]

In my experience, in house hiring involves the positions not being announced unless they already have a person in mind to fill it. This was even evident in lateral transfers. I also observed special considerations (ignoring standards) to those minorities that the agency wanted. All of this still goes on, according to the relatives that I have who are current federal employees.

These days, ALL competitive promotions are announced on usajobs.gov. The job description may be written to a specific person who they want, and is especially obvious if window is open for only 1 day, but it is still announced on usajobs and is available to everyone to apply.

Can't speak to the favoring certain groups thing. I know that didn't happen with my position.

 

[johngalt]

There were a couple of thousand new hires scheduled to start next week in the VA and other's. Now they have no jobs or income. The VA is chronically under staffed.

One guy was staffing up a dept for a long term project. The people had accepted job offers, gave notice at their old jobs, then the offers were rescinded. The manager is forbidden to talk to them and tell them what is going on. Pretty lousy.

 

[biku324]

Our neighbor is sn Army Reserve E-6 with AF service; she had a DoD civilian offer to start next pay period. Rescinded.

 

[johngalt]

Then the executive orders will not affect anyone. So I wonder...why all the fuss, and why did the POTUS waste his sharpie ink signing something that will end what doesn't exist?

I can only talk about my group. We are very technical group - engineers and scientists. There is no room for people who can't perform.

 

[LostintheOzone]

In my experience, in house hiring involves the positions not being announced unless they already have a person in mind to fill it. This was even evident in lateral transfers. I also observed special considerations (ignoring standards) to those minorities that the agency wanted. All of this still goes on, according to the relatives that I have who are current federal employees.

My agency stopped in-house-only eligibility for new positions about 20 years ago. Probably because agencies receiving federal funds had to be all inclusive in their hiring and practices (DEI). We ended up with people who couldn't even speak conversational English, believe it or not.

I was part of the new hire process and I saw how the sausage was made. HR had the final say. All we did was make recommendations which were sometimes ignored.

Promotions were different. Those weren't new positions. They were existing positions and were not posted outside of the agency, which is common. On the other hand those were also channeled through HR, who had no skin in the game. They didn't know the applicants personally but reviewed applications and interviewed them. I never knew anyone personally that worked in HR and I was in the agency for 30 years, although I knew almost everyone in our dept including the director. Only directors and the union president had access to HR. I didn't.

I know this because I was a union official in our dept for about 5 years.

I'm not saying all federal agencies are like that but public agencies have the same federal guidelines we had.