Read the published version of this piece here. A coalition of 18 state attorneys general and the attorney general for the District of Columbia have called on President Donald Trump to withdrawal his September executive order banning “divisive concepts” in diversity training unless guidance on the order is updated to permit implicit bias and unconscious bias trainings. The group cited a concern that the language … Continue reading 18 state AGs call to end Trump’s crackdown on diversity training

Read the published version of this piece here. Immigration judges will no longer be eligible for union representation, per a decision made by the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) on Monday, Nov. 2. The 2-1 decision vacated precedent to find that immigration judges are management officials, a type of employee not granted union representation under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute. The law defines management … Continue reading Immigration judges union decertified in FLRA ruling

Read the published version of this here. The Office of the Inspector General in the Department of Defense has halted an audit meant to assess whether military personnel are given adequate diversity training in order to focus its resources on a new review assessing DOD’s compliance with the Trump administration’s executive order that targeted “anti-American propaganda” in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training. “Our focus is to ensure the … Continue reading DOD IG kicks off compliance review for diversity executive order

Three civil rights groups are suing the Trump administration in federal court to block the implementation of an executive order that cracked down on “divisive concepts” in federal and contractor diversity and inclusion training. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund, National Urban League and the National Fair Housing Alliance are requesting an injunction to block the order from taking effect. The NUL and NFHA are suing in their … Continue reading Civil rights groups sue to block diversity training order

More than 30 House Democrats are calling for an immediate halt to the implementation of President Trump recent executive order to reclassify elements of the civil service as at-will employees. Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), chairwoman of the Committee of Oversight and Reform, and Gerry Connolly (D-Md.), chairman of the Subcommittee on Government and Operations, led Committee Democrats in a letter addressed to Michael Rigas, the acting director … Continue reading House Dems press OPM to block Trump’s civil service overhaul

An investigation by the Office of Inspector General in the U.S. Department of the Interior substantiated an allegation of whistleblower retaliation by James Reilly, Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, according to a report released Oct. 29. The original complaint was submitted by a USGS employee to the Office of Inspector General. Less than a year after Reilly learned that this employee had done so, he had … Continue reading Interior IG: USGS director retaliated against whistleblower

A group of House Democrats introduced legislation to block President Donald Trump’s recent executive order to reclassify elements of the civil service to make it easier to hire and fire federal employees. The Saving the Civil Service Act from Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), blocks last week’s executive order creating “schedule F,” a new classification of career … Continue reading New House bill aims to halt Trump’s civil service revamp

Michael Rigas, the acting director of the Office of Personnel Management, told agencies they could look outside the boundaries of a recent executive order for jobs to reclassify, but that OPM would make final determinations. The memo, issued last Friday, is designed to help agencies implement the new “schedule F” workforce classification, under which formerly competitive service jobs are being reclassified essentially as at-will employment, with … Continue reading OPM directs agencies on civil service overhaul

By Natalie Alms and Adam Mazmanian The Federal Acquisition Council is working on a “deviation clause” to implement President Donald Trump’s executive order cracking down on diversity and inclusion training for federal contractors. Officials in the White House-based Office of Federal Procurement Policy told contractors and trade association representatives about the planned approach on a Oct. 22 conference call. OFPP executives said the deviation clause … Continue reading White House plans to fast-track restrictions on contractor diversity training

The Trump administration created a new category of civil servant dubbed “Schedule F” in an Oct. 21 executive order that establishes new hiring and firing flexibilities for agencies across a range of policymaking positions. The new classification will include employees in “confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character,” according to the executive order, which are “not normally subject to change as the result of a presidential transition.” Under … Continue reading Trump order creates Schedule F, to speed hiring and firing in key positions