Federal Manager's Daily Report: Friday, December 3, 2004 FEDweek is the largest information resource in the federal government with now over one million weekly readers. To Subscribe, Go to http://www.fedweek.com/subscribepopup.htm *********************************************************** Valued Added Service to Our Readers:
Federal Job Search http://www.fedweek.com/Jobs/default.asp Job Bulletin Board http://www.fedweek.com/Jobs/default.asp Unlimited Internet Access for as low as $10.90 http://fedweeknet.com Our Readers Will Get Special Discounted Travel Rates Including, Airfare, Hotels, RV's, Car Rentals, and Special Weekend Getaways--Anywhere in the world http://www.fedweek.com/images/adart/travel_redirect.htm ********************************************************** In This Week's Issue 1. MSPB Lauds Recruitment at NASA, Cites Leadership Commitment 2. Report: Amtrak Management Must Move Away From Operating Subsidies http://www.oig.dot.gov/show_txt.php?id=1441 4. Brand New Federal Employees Legal Survival Guide Just *********************************************************** 1. MSPB Lauds Recruitment at NASA, Cites Leadership Commitment Support from leadership is one of the more important elements of a successful recruitment program, as "it drives all recruitment activities," according to a report from the Merit Systems Protection board on federal hiring that cited Sean O'Keefe, administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as the force behind many of the agency's human capital initiatives. MSPB said he brought to NASA a commitment to sustaining a high quality workforce that together with the NASA Flexibility Act of 2004 enabled the agency to move forward with innovative approaches to human capital management, particularly regarding recruitment. A number of agencies MSPB talked to in its study indicated that involving top management in recruitment furthers it significantly, as it impresses candidates as well as gets managers invested in the process, said the report. It emphasized that recruitment is increasingly a management function, not just an HR responsibility, and cited NASA's competency management system for enabling "managers to compare future competency demands with the current knowledge base." The competency management system ties skill gaps to human capital initiatives such as training, diversity and education, according to the report: http://www.mspb.gov/whatsnew/pressreleases/11-18-04_fedrecruit.html 2. Report: Amtrak Management Must Move Away From Operating Subsidies A report from the Department of Transportation Inspector General has warned of the "critical state of infrastructure renewal at Amtrak," and called on management to "reduce its need for operating subsidies and set better priorities for its capital dollars." The report - based on an assessment of Amtrak's 2003 and 2004 financial performance and requirements -- said that the pseudo-government agency's strategy of maintaining and rebuilding the existing system will continue to require the deferral of needed capital investment, because of insufficient passenger revenue, state contributions and federal subsidies. Short-term investment deferral made sense in 2002 when the new management strategy was launched, but Amtrak has struggled in its fiscal 2004 appropriation of $1.2 billion and faces a House proposed cut of about $300 million for fiscal 2005, though it could make that up in tax subsidies, according to the California Institute for Federal Policy Research. "Unsustainably large operating losses, poor on-time performance, and increasing levels of deferred infrastructure and fleet investment are a clarion call to the need for significant changes in Amtrak's strategy," said the IG report, adding that, "continued deferral brings Amtrak closer to a major point of failure on the system but no one knows where or when such a failure will occur." 3. Congress May Need to Step In The report was critical of Amtrak for misapplying scarce resources to fix sleeper cars rather than dilapidated bridges, for example, and called on Congress to provide "clear direction for Amtrak's operating and capital investment priorities as well as federal funding levels in reauthorization legislation." That direction should include requirements to focus development on passenger corridors that make economic sense, to decrease funding and eliminate certain operations, and increase funding for further development or maintenance of the existing system, said the report. It called on the Amtrak board of directors to "exert its prerogatives and direct management to reduce its reliance on operating subsidies and minimize further deferral of critical capital investment," and said management should look forward to federal funding at or below current levels for fiscal 2005 to avoid funding shortfalls. The report said DoT should impose conditions designed to strengthen financial accountability by requiring DoT to approve detailed operating and capital plans for awarding fiscal 2005 operating and capital grants if the board's actions are unsuccessful. The full report is available here: http://www.oig.dot.gov/show_txt.php?id=1441 4. Brand New Federal Employees Legal Survival Guide Just Published New Publication Announcement: The Federal Employees Legal Survival Guide http://www.fedweek.com/pub/index.php Passman & Kaplan announces the October 2004 publication of the SECOND EDITION of the Federal Employees Legal Survival Guide. This comprehensive book, first published by Passman & Kaplan in 1999, has been called the definitive how-to guide for enforcing the rights of federal employees. The second edition of the Guide includes 100 PAGES OF ADDITIONAL NEW MATERIAL (now 616 total pages) and useful advice. New features include information on internet legal research, preparing for and conducting a hearing, sample discovery requests, and up-to-date contact information for federal personnel agencies. The Guide also includes a listing of frequently used civil service acronyms and practical appendices of sample forms, charts illustrating appeal rights, and commonly-needed deadlines. As with the first edition of the Guide, Passman & Kaplan has attempted to move away from the "legalese" which so often complicates an already-bewildering array of regulations and policies. Although the Federal Employees Legal Survival Guide, Second Edition is clearly an invaluable resource for practioners, Passman & Kaplan has maintained its commitment to target the book to the average federal employee. ********************************************************** To place your order for The Federal Employees Legal Survival Guide just go to http://www.fedweek.com/pub/index.php and place your secure order online. The cost of this publication is only $49.95 Plus $6 s&h--Remember, this is a 616 page reference that is chalked full of invaluable information that every federal manager must have! Or you can mail your order with payment of $55.95 to FEDweek, PO Box 5519, Glen Allen, VA 23058. This is a one of a kind book you can't afford to be without! Published by FEDweek 11541 Nuckols Rd. 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