Federal Daily - February 20, 2009

Most NSPS Employees Got Raises

Almost all of the DoD employees covered by the National Security Personnel System (NSPS) earned performance ratings high enough to be rewarded with pay raises in 2009, according to new information posted on the NSPS Web site. Of the approximately 170,000 employees assigned to NSPS pay pools, 98 percent received a rating of 3 or above. Less than 2 percent of employees were rated at the “Unacceptable” and “Fair” levels, while 4.7 percent were rated at the highest level, “Role Model.” The overall average rating was 3.46 on a 5-point scale. Employees who received a final rating of level 3 (Valued Performer) or higher were eligible for “shares” of the pay pool. This year, the average value of a share was 2.23 percent of base salary, according to NSPS. These shares were paid out in the form of a performance-based salary increase or cash bonus, or a combination of the two. The average performance payout for this cycle was 5.61 percent (3.67 percent of salary and 1.94 percent bonus). NSPS employees also receive local market supplements based on the General Schedule (GS) locality pay rates. The increases to these local market supplements track the GS locality increases and are paid to employees with a performance rating of 2 or higher. For 2009, the overall average increase to GS locality rates is 1 percent, but an employee’s actual increase depends on his or her duty location, NSPS noted. To see more, go to: www.cpms.osd.mil/nsps/2009payouts.html.

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GAO: Nation Facing Federal Veterinarian Shortage

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued expedited direct hire authority for veterinarian medical officer positions in the wake of a Government Accountability Office report showing that veterinarian positions across the federal government are dramatically understaffed. GAO said government veterinarians are essential for controlling zoonotic diseases—those that spread between animals and humans, such as avian influenza—and form the first line of defense against the intentional cross-border introduction of foreign animal disease. GAO looked at 24 federal entities. Ten of the 17 agencies that auditors surveyed have not assessed their own veterinarian workforce’s response to individual outbreaks. The Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service in Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 fell short of its veterinarian employment goal, filling only 57 out of 65 vacancies. In FY 2008, the Army was 12 percent short in its veterinarian reserve positions. And USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) officials told GAO they have never been fully staffed with veterinarians. FSIS currently has a goal of hiring 1,134 employees to carry out its mission of ensuring the safety of meat and poultry products. As of the end of FY 2008, it had hired 968 veterinarians, but still was experiencing a 15 percent shortage, the report said. “Veterinarians play a vital role in the defense against animal diseases—whether naturally or intentionally introduced—and these diseases can cause serious harm to human health and the economy,” said the report, released Feb. 18. “However, there is a growing shortage of veterinarians nationwide.” To see more, go to: www.gao.gov/highlights/d09178high.pdf or www.chcoc.gov/Transmittals/TransmittalDetails.aspx?TransmittalId=2005.

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AFGE Wins $7.6 Million SBA Class Action Settlement

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) on Feb. 18 announced it had reached a $7.6 million settlement on behalf of current and former Small Business Administration (SBA) employees who alleged SBA had violated the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The grievance, filed by AFGE Council 228, covered an estimated 1,200 current and former SBA employees dating back to 2003. The grievance alleged that SBA misclassified employees as FLSA-exempt and that employees were denied compensatory and overtime pay for “off the clock” work. The grievance was initially filed by Elaine Powell-Belnavis, president of Council 228, against SBA in 2006. The settlement agreement was signed by an arbitrator and both parties earlier this month after two years of legal wrangling, AFGE said. “We are very proud of the diligence with which our activists have pursued justice for their fellow employees,” said John Gage, AFGE president. “This settlement will ensure that going forward the agency will comply with FLSA regulations.” To see more, go to: www.afge.org/Index.cfm?Page=PressReleases&PressReleaseID=945.

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