FedUpward Podcast - Tips for Federal Government Employees (Love Rutledge)

Y'all - We're all rule followers, right? But sometimes circumstances beyond our control put feds on the hot seat. The government doesn't necessarily stand by you if you're testifying on the Hill based on someone else's misconduct, if you're accused of wrongdoing in some way or you someone files a complaint against you. Professional liability insurance allows you to access legal advice in a time of crisis. And unfortunately, we seem to find ourselves working through so many crises lately. I interviewed founder and CEO of FEDS Protection, Tony Vergnetti in this week's episode, and he gives you all the info you need to make an informed decision about insurance. This episode is sponsored by FEDS Protection.

FEDS Protection website

Chris Kowalik knows Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) and she's here to help you navigate through this year's open season, which starts November 9th and ends December 14th. Chris helps feds via courses she teaches and she trains financial planners to help folks like us, too. In this episode, she talks about how to compare plans and what you should consider before you make a change. She also discusses the number one mistake she sees in folks close to retirement.

The bonus PDF for this episode was offered as a non-proprietary support document at my department. I hope you find it helpful.

https://fedimpact.com/

https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/open-season

Consumers' Checkbook, a non-profit organization that helps youi make better financial decisions, offers a fantastic tool to compare FEHB plans. With open season coming mid-November, you should explore changes to your current plan, what other plans offer, and how much premiums are changing (spoiler - rate increases are NOT uniform across plans). Kevin Moss explains how you can leverage the tool and save a few dollars using a code available only to FedUpward listeners. The comparison tool will be available in the next week. Right now, you can check out the website and sign up to use it as soon as it's available.

https://www.checkbook.org/newhig2/year20/advice/how-can-checkbooks-guide-to-health-plans-for-federal-employees-help-me

Kevin Moss of Consumer Checkbook is back on the podcast to help you make sense of all the choices available during open season. Use code fedupward and get 20% off the already VERY reasonable priced tool Kevin and team built. 

https://www.checkbook.org/newhig2/year24/membership/orderonline.cfm?type=online

No one knows more about FEHB plans than Kevin! He outlines major changes, things ot consider, and which plans now offer the best fertility treatment coverage.

Anxious about the potential government shutdown? This episode outlines resources, news sources and discounts for feds. Here are the links you need to get educated and stay that way.

OPM guidance and Agency/Dept Shutdown Plans:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/furlough-guidance/#url=Shutdown-Furlough

Washington Posts's Shutdown Guide

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/09/27/federal-workers-government-shutdown-guide/

Sites Offering Federal Shutdown News Without Much Partisan Spin:

https://www.fedfam.org/copy-of-connections-1

https://www.facebook.com/groups/fedfam

https://www.govexec.com/federal-news/?oref=ge-nav

https://federalnewsnetwork.com/

https://www.fedweek.com/reports/shutdowns-furloughs-what-you-need-to-know/

Businesses Offfering Support:

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230926338205/en/Navy-Federal-to-Offer-Paycheck-Relief-to-Members-Impacted-by-Government-Shutdown

https://www.usaa.com/inet/wc/ent-gov-shutdown-assistance-landing-mkt?akredirect=true

https://www.capitolhillbooks-dc.com/

Meet Sean Michael Newhouse. He's a reporter for GovExec and put out videos recently about the Hatch Act that are far more entertaining than our normal annual training. You can catch that content here. In this episode, he explains the basics of the Hatch Act and what it's like working for GovExec.

Learn more about his GovExec work at this link. And here's his latest story.

Rob Seidner of the Office of Management and Budget's Federal Human Capital Team explains what stinks about civil service rules and why... and what you can do to ensure you make the most of it. Rob's worked at the Office of Personnel Management, and currently works as OMB's Senior Career Staffer on federal human capital policy.

Sunayna Tuteja, the first ever Chief Innovation Officer at the Federal Reserve System, isn't your typical civil servant. She spent most of her career in fintech working on emerging technologies (think crypto currency). She laughed when a recruiter claled her about taking on the role of innovation officer at the Fed. But her outsider status made her exactly the right person to take the job. In this episode, she outlines how she came to government service, what it's like to be the first in a role, and gives career civil servants advice on how to deal with newbies like her who can bring SO much to an organization.

I had the plesure of hearing her speak at a conference and knew immediately I had to have her on the show. She's a fast talker, so buckle up. You won't want to miss a word.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunaynatuteja/

I sat down with Lindy Kyzer of ClearanceJobs.com to talk about the impact participation in the chaos of January 6th could have real implications for your security clearance adjudication. While we try to steer clear of over political discussions (which is hard at this point), I want to be clear that I in NO WAY endorse or support feds who participated in acts of violence on January 6th. I wanted to have this discussion to remind all of us who took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States that we need to understand the consequences of certain physical and online activities. 

In this episode, I read from the article below:

https://news.clearancejobs.com/2011/01/19/allegiance-to-the-united-states-and-security-clearances/

What can powerful coaching do for your organization? For you? Well, a lot. Sandi Stewart, an experienced and respected executive coach lays out what coaching is, how feds can benefit from coaching, and explains how creating a coaching practice within your agency or department might be the spark you need to reignite motivation and improve performance. 

Buy Sandi's book here.

----------------

SLS Coaching Website: https://www.slscoach.com/

The Chief Human Capital Officers' Council memo on coaching:

https://chcoc.gov/content/coaching-federal-government

In the episode, I referred to the ICF as the International Coach Federation ... it's Coach-ING Federation. You can get details here on ICF:

https://coachingfederation.org/

Department of Interior coaching program (it's a good example to look at if you're setting up a program):

https://doiu.doi.gov/fictp/

https://allianceforcongress.org/

Meet Jeff McNichols, the lead for the Partnership for Public Service's new Alliance for Congress.

The Alliance for Congress supports a more effective Congress that better meets the country’s diverse needs and interests. The Alliance will build on the Partnership’s two decades of experience working with the federal workforce and government agencies to increase collaboration, accountability, efficiency and innovation. In working with Congress, the Alliance will promote the importance of public service and stewardship, and champion common sense, nonpartisan improvements to make Congress a more capable and effective institution. This means professionalizing and maintaining a competent, diverse workforce on the Hill supporting our elected leaders. It also means fixing problems, working through the daily issues facing professional staff.

Working collaboratively with individuals and organizations, the Alliance will offer insights into why a well-functioning Congress matters, recognize what it does well, elevate new and diverse voices and provide critical resources to lawmakers and staff to help them build an institution that can more fully represent and serve the interests of our nation.

Dr. Russell Robinson, long-time federal employee, and founder of Amplified Research, discussed what employee engagement is and why it matters. Understanding DEEPLY why and how your employees in government are motivated (or not) should shape actions you take to get the best work from them and create a rewarding, positive workplace culture. His experience and candor help unravel what's good and what could be better about the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, and why the stories behind the data matter most.

Dr. Russ' work encompasses conducting research and providing solutions to employee engagement, employee voice and change management challenges.  Additionally, Russell is a United States-based civil servant, who works with public sector leaders on being strong and inspiring, selecting and developing talent, and creating an open and safe culture.  As a passionate champion of employee engagement and employee voice, Russell has spoken at several domestic and international conferences focusing on aspects that improve the workforce experience for civil servants. 

Russell holds a Doctor of Education degree in Higher Organizational Learning from George Washington University.  He received his Master’s in Public Administration degree from American University and his Bachelor of Science in Business degree from the University of Dayton.

https://iabpia.org

I love connecting listeners with professional organizations literally made for them! Enter Black Professionals in International Affairs! President Alexandria Maloney discusses membership, upcoming events, mission and how you can get involved in this episode. 

BPIA upcoming events: https://iabpia.org/events

Alexandria Maloney's site: https://www.alexandriamaloney.com/

Are you using LinkedIn to your advantage? Expert Jena Viviano provides tips for you (yes, even feds can leverage this platform to find open jobs and mentors.among other things). 

Jena's Freebies

Jena's LinkedIn profile

Jena's website

You can find resources and training here:

https://asmconline.org/

https://www.agacgfm.org/Membership.aspx

https://www.usa.gov/budget

Are you a student looking for paths into federal service? Or have you been in government for years and get asked all the time by your neighbor/friend/relative how to get a federal job? The Gov Geeks, Javier and Karen Lopez, have answers for you. They offer coaching and training services to public servants and in this episode, they outline three main avenues to federal employment. you can find them at the link below:

https://www.thegovgeeks.com/

https://www.thegovgeeks.com/podcast/episode/c0d362fa/federal-career-paths-for-students

https://www.gsa.gov/shared-services

Here's Dept of State's site on the Pathways Intern Program:

https://careers.state.gov/interns-fellows/pathways/

Have you checked out the resources Blacks in Government offers its members? As Alesia Smith discusses, BIG offers opportunities for mentoring, networking, and leadership. Learn how this organization can help you move up and around in your career. Ms. Smith is a motivated young professional looking to help her peers find the right resources to enhance their government careers.

http://www.bignet.org/

On Thursday, September 9, 2021, the President issued an executive order mandating vaccines for feds...and more. You can read it for yourself here.

But what can federal employees expect in terms of implementation? What does it actually mean? Who does it impact? Deborah Hopkins and Katie Atkinson of the Federal Employment Law Training Group dish answers in this episode. They hopped on a Zoom call on the evening of the 10th to hash this out for us and I couldn't be more thankful!

How you gonna win when you ain't right within? Lauryn Hill knew. And so does Dr. Patrick Malone at American University. If you don't have yourself straight, you can't lead. You can't win. 

How many of us have worked for a boss who got promoted based on his or her technical skills, but that person can't lead, isn't empathetic, and wants to stay in the weeds instead of think strategically? We've all been there. Dr. Malone helps us avoid being that guy by offering tips and reading suggestions to get us thinking and acting like a leader.

Find Dr. Malone and the AU programs here:

https://www.american.edu/spa/key/

https://www.american.edu/spa/faculty/pmalone.cfmhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEI7n99gsyk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEI7n99gsyk

In March, GAO published a report on talent management (key takeaways/recommendations are listed below). I sat down with Robert Goldenkoff and Shelby Kain at GAO to discuss their findings. Spoiler alert: this report basically calls the gov a Dorothy - the power was within us all along just like in the WIzard of Oz. We ALREADY have the flexibilities and resources to be SO much better. But we don't use them. Ugh.

Link to the report:

https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-19-181

Here are the recommendation (no surprises here):

Align human capital strategy with current and future mission requirements. With shifting attitudes toward work, technological advances, and increased reliance on nonfederal partners, agencies need to identify the knowledge and skills necessary to respond to current and future demands. Key practices include identifying and assessing existing skills, competencies, and skills gaps. Acquire and assign talent. To ensure agencies have the talent capacity to address evolving mission requirements and negative perceptions of federal work (e.g., that it is too bureaucratic), agencies can cultivate a diverse talent pipeline, highlight their respective missions, recruit early in the school year, support rotations, and assign talent where needed. Incentivize and compensate employees. While federal agencies may struggle to offer competitive pay in certain labor markets, they can leverage existing incentives that appeal to workers’ desire to set a schedule and to work in locations that provide work-life balance. Engage employees. Engaged employees are more productive and less likely to leave, according to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Agencies can better ensure their workforces are engaged by managing employee performance, involving employees in decisions, and developing employees.

There's a Facebook Group for that - Trailing Houses. Trailing DoS spouse Ed Dyer maintains a super helpful group to answer questions and provide support for feds and their families living overseas. Listen for tips he has for protecting your household goods and your sanity.

Have you heard of Young Government Leaders? Don't be fooled by the name. You can be any age and anywhere on the payscale and get benefit from YGL. This organization services federal, state and local/tribal government employees and helps them build skills, network, and volunteer. Learn more and join today at the link above.

In this solo episode, I express my personal concerns about how we're all handling the childcare and school situation over the summer and in the fall. I'm personally at a loss. How about you? And have you ever heard about the childcare subsidy some federal agencies offer? Yep, it exists. It's rare to find it and it's aimed at lower income feds who need it most.

Joint the conversation with other feds in my new Facebook group called FedUpward Parents. Click here to join.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/778086752998093/

Confused about the payroll tax deferral? Don't understand how FERS retirement works? Need explanations about TSP match and life insurance? Meet Brian.

Brian Sigwart is a Certified financial planner with Cummins and Associates Financial Group. He focuses his practice on educating federal employees how their benefits work. He has been providing financial wellness classes for over a decade at over 25 federal agencies in the DELMARVA area.

https://www.caafg.com/Brian--Sigwart,-CFPsup-sup--RICPsup-sup.e637559.htm

Heard of the Senior Executives Association (SEA)? Did you know you can join as a GS-12 and work on some of the biggest challenges across government with high level executives?

Mr. Marcus Hill, the highly respected SEA member and former senior advisor to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, chatted with me about what the organization does, upcoming events, networking opportunities and how to join. 

https://seniorexecs.org/

Mr. Hill also mentioned several resources he recommended.

School of Greatness Podcast

The Effective Executive

Leadership on the Line

A Sense of Urgency

Quiet Strength

The Laws of Success

Words of Life

Jen Choi and Dan Ward of MITRE explain what MITRE is (an operator of FFRDCs...and what FFRDCs are...and give us insight into the free resource they created for feds. It's a suite of tools to spark innovation - no training required. You can find them here:

https://itk.mitre.org/

• ITK intro video: https://youtu.be/J9zut1ZORb0
• Sample ITK tool: Lotus Blossom
• About MITRE: https://www.mitre.org/about/corporate-overview

This episode is more rant than anything else. And it's self-directed. I need reminders from my husband to just take my leave. This episode is your permission to take YOUR leave and learn a little about how much you earn in pleasant and not so pleasant circumstances you might encounter during your federal career. Please excuse my repeated whining about parental leave coming online after I had both of my kiddos.

I referenced Government Worker Fi's article on leave. Here's the link:

https://governmentworkerfi.com/federal-employee-vacation-time/

And here's the OPM website:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/leave-administration/fact-sheets/annual-leave/

Longtime listeners probably remember episode 131 - https://www.fedupwardcoaching.com/podcast/episode/3675202c/131-what-i-learned-from-my-failed-ses-application

Well, I kept at it and got through the SES process successfully! In this episode I walk through the lessons I learned and things that surprised me about the process this time. 

For the basics on executive core qualitification, head here.

I welcomed Jason Briefel back to the show for a frank talk about pay compression for federal employees. He's one of the few people you'll hear speaking publicly on behalf of feds about this issue. Think about it - how do we attract talent to federal service if pay in high cost areas doesn't come close to keeping pace with private industry,;political appointees often have HUGE responsibility. but make less than their subordinates; getting promoted to senior executive service means tons more hours and work but no more pay ...????? None of this makes sense, y'all.  Jason discusses the problems pay compression causes and how you can advocate inside and outside your organization to spark action on this.

Get educated here:

Start with the actual pay tables --

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/

Then move to discussions of why have people cap out early on pay ain't great:

https://www.govexec.com/pay-benefits/2023/03/pay-caps-fed-exec-lobby-group-reform-past-due/384254/

https://federalnewsnetwork.com/pay/2023/03/biden-plans-federal-pay-compression-fix-streamlined-hiring-in-fy-24-budget/

https://www.fedsmith.com/2023/01/04/pay-compression-pay-caps-impacting-federal-employees-frozen-at-183500/

https://www.federaltimes.com/management/pay-benefits/2022/11/03/white-house-urged-to-fix-pay-compression-at-federal-agencies/

https://fedmanager.com/news/fma-applauds-nortons-leadership-on-salary-compression

https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/poverty/3858204-lawmakers-push-for-higher-pay-for-federal-employees/

This isn't new...

https://www.gao.gov/assets/fpcd-80-72.pdf

https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/108th-congress/house-report/586/1

The FedUpward Podcast - a place for federal employees, civil servants and the private industry partners who support us to get tips and strategies for navigating day-to-day problems in the government. This one's for the working level folks who want to level up, share information and get better. 

Want more information? Interested in connecting with other feds? Sign up for the mailing list here:

http://mailchi.mp/7c8e39718241/aacoe5bi8c

or find me on Instagram @fedupwardpodcast

Tony Zerante, Chief Strategy Officer, and Stephanie Baker, Chief Experience Officer, at WAEPA, joined me to discuss short term disability insurance and why you might need it. They walk us through the product WAEPA offers and how to learn more. WAEPA is a proud sponsor of the FedUpward Podcast.

To learn more about WAEPA and the products they offer public servants, head to https://www.waepa.org/resources/calculators/

You can get a quick esitmate on how much you'd pay for life insurance or short term disabilty insurance. (Spoiler alert: WAEPA's life insurance rates beat FEGLI for many feds.)

ATD's Government Workforce Conference is coming! On September 8th, the Association for Talent Development (ATD) is hosting a conference to help connect training and development industry leaders with you.  Dr. JJ Walcott and Mr. Reese Madsen, government training experts, explain why this event will be helpful and productive for you and your teams.

Click here to register.

How MindfulFED is Creating Connection Amid Changes

Change is hard. And right now, the federal workforce is undergoing a major shift. But one government-wide community is offering an anchor in the storm. Longtime federal employee, writer, and meditation facilitator Alex Snider joins the show to share more about MindfulFED, the first-ever government-wide mindfulness community he co-created. 

00:00 Intro

01:22 Origins of Mindful FED

03:22 Sign up by emailing subscribe@mindfulfed.com

04:22 Alex Snider’s Recent Psychology Today Article

05:45 Coping with Constant Change

07:45 Power of Positivity

If you’re a federal employee, join MindfulFED by emailing subscribe@mindfulfed.com for their weekly newsletter and meditation session. To learn more about Alex and read his publications, visit the links below.

Join Alex and other feds on March 12th in person for mindful support. Register at this link:

Helpful Resources:

• slowmindfulness.com

• Human Bureaucracy | Alex Snider | Substack

• Human Bureaucracy | Psychology Today

• www.fedupwardcoaching.com 

Connect with Love:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/love-rutledge

• Instagram: Love (@fedupwardpodcast) 

• Facebook: facebook.com/fedupward

We all HOPE we never face a situation as a federal employee that requires us to blow the whistle on behavior that is illegal or just plan wrong. But many feds do end up in that situation and have no idea where to go. The hour long yearly training most of us get doesn't explain the expense, emotional toll and time suck that these cases generally become. Jackie Garrick knows just how taxing the process has been - she recently won her case before the Merit Systems Protection Board. After all she went through, she founded Whistleblowers of America to help others. Find more info here:

https://whistleblowersofamerica.org/

Meet Bill Eggers, executive director of Deloitte’s Center for Government Insights, where he is responsible for the firm’s public sector thought leadership. He and public administration stcholar Dr. Don Kettl recently published a book on building bridges:  https://www.amazon.com/Bridgebuilders-Government-Transcend-Boundaries-Problems-ebook/dp/B0B5Y8XZKR

in this podcast, he highlights a few strategies you can use to overcome obstacles in your day to day work as a federal employee.

To learn more about the Center for Government insights, head to this site:

https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/public-sector/topics/center-for-government-insights.html

Listen to great info from Lindy Kyzer of ClearanceJobs - the largest security-cleared career network specializing in defense and intelligence jobs for professionals with security clearance. Candidates post their resumes and search our job listings. Recruiters post jobs and search our database of cleared candidates. They've got great resources for feds with clearances - answers to questions about getting your clearance, renewals, etc. Their podcast, ClearCast, has tips for you, too. 

https://www.clearancejobs.com/?

Terry Gerton, President and CEO of the National Academy of Public Administration, outlines the grand challenges in PA identified by her organization and what resources the NAPA has to offer feds.

Check out the NAPA website here.

Your TSP statement making you cry? I talked to certified financial planner Brian Sigwart about the long-term outlook and new funds available for us to choose.

Need personalized advice? You can contact Brian here:

Brian Sigwart CFP^® , RICP ®

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional

Financial Services Representative

 11350 McCormick Road,

Executive Plaza IV, Suite 200      

  Hunt Valley, MD  21031

|  T: (410) 937-9098  |  F: (410) 785-7655

Bsigwart@financialguide.com

http://www.caafg.com/

(410) 773-4451

Jamie Jones Miller, former federal employee in the executive and legislative brances, joined me on the show to discuss her new role as the dean and CEO of Northeastern University's new Arlington, VA campus. They're open for business and offering degree and certificate programs specifically for federal employees and the contractors who support them.

Northeastern hopes to fill critical skills gaps for federal agencies and departments with programs on Blockchain, software enginerring systems, and information systems - think STEM with a public service flavor. 

Learn more here: https://arlington.northeastern.edu/

The Partnership for Public Service has an amazing conference planned for federal human resources professionals. Michelle Amante, the VP for Federal Workforce Programs at the Partnership, discusses what this first of its kind conference will deliver and why you should register ASAP.  Click the link below for more details:

https://ourpublicservice.org/event/2024-federal-human-capital-conference/

I hope I see you there - in person or virtually. 

Katie Atkinson, who defends federal employees and teaches classes through the Federal Employment Law Training Group (FELTG), walks us through recent guidelines issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. 

You need to understand your rights as an employee and/or supervisor as federal agencies and departments set rules for returning the physical office.

Most of the problems we face as feds aren't new and there are tons of orgs out there doing great work we should leverage. Think tanks are one of the main producers of research products we can use - and you should understand what's out there in your area of expertise.

The amazing Benjamin Wittes joined me to discus what think tanks are and how you can use their output to work smarter, not harder. I connected with him via the fantastic organization, #NatSecGirlSquad. (Not gonna lie - was totally fan-girling while recording this interview. If there was a pantheon of wonk gods, Benjamin Wittes would be in it.)

You can find Mr. Wittes' work in lots of places, but I recommend starting with these links:

https://benjaminwittes.com/

https://www.lawfareblog.com/contributors/bwittes 

https://www.brookings.edu/experts/benjamin-wittes/

https://www.amazon.com/Unmaking-Presidency-Donald-Trumps-Powerful/dp/0374175365

I've joined forces with Jason Coleman of the FedFam group to bring you a new resource! We've created FedFam.org, a membership site for federal employees only. We bring tons of standard operating procedures, info and advice and we're adding more every week. In this episode you'll hear from us what you'll get as a member. We're offering this tailored info for only $2.99/month. Join us today at fedfam.org

Ever considered hiring a company to write your SES package? There are pros and cons. Lee Kelley of Career Pro Global walks you through the process and what boards are actually looking f or. 

https://try.careerproplus.com/

Joint the FedUpward mailing list here: 

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5e5da1e45fc9a50026db6d8aNe

If you like the podcast, consider supporting me here:

patreon.com/fedupward

The Leadership Council for Women in National Security improves national security by ensuring that women, in all their diversity, have equal space at the policy-making table. LCWINS is an organization of women and allies from across the political spectrum working to advance gender inclusion at the highest levels of the U.S. national security and foreign policy workforce.

Gina talks us through the LCWINS mission and how you can get involved as a senior leader OR a future senior leader in national security.

https://www.lcwins.org/

Most of us are stuck in cubicles (at least when we're physically in the office these days). Workplace expert Mary Abbajay delves into the rules of engagement for surviving cubicle culture. 

Mary is the co-host of the podcast, Cubicle Confidential, which you can find here. I found this podcast and really appreciated the kind, yet firm advice Mary and her co-host deliver to solve everyday problems, which y'all know I'm all about.

She also authored a book, Managing Up, available wherever books are sold. Get your copy here.

Join Love on this episode of the FedUpward podcast as she chats with Shawn Welsh, Founder and Co-Host of the VET S.O.S. podcast. A retired Army veteran with over 20 years of intelligence experience, Shawn shares his journey from military service to content creation and the founding of VET S.O.S.

Shawn and his team are dedicated to connecting veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses with critical support organizations and resources. With advanced leadership expertise and a passion for helping others, Shawn’s mission is to empower the veteran community and their families. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation!

https://vetsospodcast.com/

Shawn's a prolific LinkedIn poster, so follow him there!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnwelsh00/

The Federal Vacancies Reform Act impacts all federal employees - some more than others. Stanford Law faculty member and federal bureaucracy expert Anne Joseph O'Connell outlines what the Act is and why we should care, as well as how it impacts us. 

Her bio:

https://law.stanford.edu/directory/anne-joseph-oconnell/

A summary of the Act:

https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R44997.pdf

Ms. Evanna Hu,  CEO of Omelas and nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council,  explains the mission and work of the Asian American Employees for Nondiscrimination. She wrote a pwoerful article last year describing the driscrimination federal employees of Asian or Pacific Islander descent face. You can find her aricle here.

To join and support the work of AAFEN to help ensure ALL federal employees can do their jobs without fear of discrimination, head to their webiste.

More about the organization, in the founders' words:

Asian American Federal Employees for Nondiscrimination (AAFEN) is an advocacy group that seeks fair and equal treatment and inclusive representation of Asian Americans in the federal government.  AAFEN membership is open to former and current federal government employees, contractors, armed service personnel and grant recipients, as well as interested stakeholders.   AAFEN members have honorably served in the U.S. armed services, worked in national security, represented U.S. interests abroad as diplomats and advanced U.S. research in STEM fields.  AAFEN was founded in January 2020.   

Our Mission

Asian American Federal Employees for Nondiscrimination (AAFEN) addresses discrimination within the federal government under circumstances where Asian American employees, contractors, service members and fund recipients come under suspicion as national security risks due to their ethnicities or national origins.  AAFEN provides affected parties with resources, as well as opportunities to share their stories with policymakers, the media and the public.

Our Vision

We envision a federal government workforce that represents the broad diversity of the American people.  Race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender and sexual orientation should not be barriers to entry into federal service, nor should they hinder assignment or promotion within the U.S. government.  Diversity is the strength of our nation, not its weakness. 

We envision a federal government that recognizes that those who have a relatively recent immigration history, such as Asian Americans, are no less American than the immigrants who arrived during earlier eras.

We envision a federal government that honors and celebrates any government employee’s commitment to American ideals. We envision a federal government that recognizes any employee’s willingness to serve as a fair measure of loyalty, and understands that ties to a country of origin by an employee, their parents or grandparents does not automatically constitute a national security threat. We envision a federal government wherein targeted monitoring programs that scrutinize employees based on race or national origin are eliminated. We envision a federal government’s wherein trust in federal employees is not unmoored by the changing tides of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and other nations.  We envision a workforce of federal employees who are treated equally in all employment actions. 

We envision a federal government that incorporates diversity, equity and inclusion practices throughout its operations.  We envision a federal government wherein government representatives cannot take shelter behind governmental immunity when they intentionally discriminate. We envision a federal government wherein government senior officials are bound to safeguard protected classes against disparate impact from policies, practices and regulations.  We foresee a federal government where Asian Americans build long-lasting careers, rise to top-level, decision-making roles, reinforce a positive work climate and mentor emerging professionals. We foresee a federal government that receives a return on its investment, and agencies achieve higher levels of cultural competency to serve the American population, which is undergoing rapid demographic changes.

We envision a federal government wherein employees whose jobs depend on security clearances, or access to classified materials, are evaluated via clear adjudicative guidelines, especially with respect to “foreign influence” and “foreign preference,” by agents whose decisions are subject to independent oversight by a body outside of the national security enterprise. We foresee a government wherein employees whose security clearances are under review have timely access to information to enable them to represent their positions and to preserve appeal rights, as well as to preserve their future employment in the federal government while their cases are pending.

We are committed to forging a federal government workforce which, during times of heightened national security concerns, does not compromise the civil rights and civil liberties of its citizens. We are committed to creating a federal government that is trusted by all communities it serves.  

Recommendations

• Security clearance reform
• Data transparency
• Independent and timely appeals process
• Diversity hiring, promotion and retention
• Diversity, equity and inclusion practices

Lindy Kyzer of Clearance Jobs joined me on the podcast to talk about the current state of the job market for clearance holders and what CJ has to offer. Join us at the Clearance Jobs Connect 2024 event on October 3rd. Listen for details and click below to register now!

 https://about.clearancejobs.com/employers/events/clearancejobs-connect-2024

Govvies can take $100 off the ticket price by using this code at registration:  GOVSQUIRREL

Lindy and I discussed topics that come up often on the CJ site, and here's one you might want to take a look at:

https://www.clearancejobsblog.com/two-illegal-drug-use-cases-one-clearance-granted-and-one-not/

Feds - do you have a stressful job of importance and need to take a few minutes to practice mindfulness? The Mindful Fed community is exactly what you're looking for. NOAA employee Garth Smelser runs an amazing group that you can sign up for FOR FREE to help you stay focused and balanced. And if you happen to work at an organization that can help Garth find a permanent home for the program which he runs on an ad hoc basis in addition to his full time federal job, PLEASE reach out to him to keep this great program running and thriving!

To join the iMindful Fed community or learn more, email Garth at garth.smelser@noaa.gov.

Federal employees can send a blank email HERE -- Mindful-FED-subscribe-request@listserv.gsa.gov -- to receive community email invitations and stay tuned for expanding services.

If you haven't joined the FedFam Facebook group, you should. I know, I'm not a huge FB fan either, but this group is SO helpful, supportive and just what you need as a federal employee in need of info. I sat down with Jason Coleman, founder of the group/non-profit, and current federal employee who wants to ensure you have a safe space to ask your toughest questions.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/236110660657869/

Colonel Candice Frost provides advice on dealing with toxic bosses, how to manage up and keep your sanity. She's also an expert on finding mentors and providing effective mentorship. Listen to her tips here and in her new podcast, Candid Leadership at the link below.

https://colonelcandid.com/

Candice truly leads by example. She's known for lifting others up, amplifying the voices of those under her command and in her circle, and always makes time to offer advice to the next generation of feds.

If you've ever thought about making the jump from GS to SES or you're wondering why more talented people don't consider it themselves, listen up. There are many unexpected downsides to getting promoted to the SES corps that are, frankly, counterintuitive. Our system isn't set up to financially incentivize those of us already working in high cost areas. 

If you're new to government service, listen up. Planning your future should include careful consideration of the issues I highlight in this episode.

Meet Laura Maristany of the Democracy Fund, whose mission includes increasing inclusivity in the offices of folks who represent us on the Hill. She and others created Capitol Strong, a network of organizations offering support to staff members on Capitol Hill to work through issues resulting from the events of January 6th. HR support in congressional offices differs from one office to the next. Laura and team are working to ensure all staffers on the Hill get the support and resources they deserve.

https://capitolstrong.org/

Democracy Fund is an independent and nonpartisan, private foundation that confronts deep-rooted challenges in American democracy while defending against new threats. Since 2014, the org  has made grants of more than $150 million in support of those working to strengthen our democracy through the pursuit of a vibrant and diverse public square, free and fair elections, effective and accountable government, and a just and inclusive society.

https://democracyfund.org/

Constructive Politics Link

Meet Razi Hashmi and Rabeah Sabri, the co-founders of Mosaic - the Muslim Federal Employee Association. They launched this week (May 2021) and want to support you in your career.

The mission of Mosaic is to establish a professional network of American Muslims in the federal government dedicated to career advancement, leadership development, and diversity and inclusion. Mosaic advances their mission by:

• Promoting professional development and leadership training;

• Serving as a gateway for the recruitment of American Muslims into the federal space; 

• Serving as an advocate of equal opportunity for Muslim federal employees;

• Gathering and disseminating information to Muslims in the federal government;

• Providing a nonpartisan platform on major issues of local, regional, and national significance that affect American Muslims in the federal government; and

• Serving as a venue to grow a greater sense of community among American Muslims in the federal government.

Find them and join here: https://www.mosaicfeds.org/about

2. Don't expect the status of ANYTHING to change in USAJOBS during the process.

3. Thank everyone involved, including the people who helped you schedule.

4. I had several people cheering me on, which was really cool.

5. i didn't die when I didn't get the job. Seriously, not a big deal. So put yourself out there and apply!

During the last long furlough, Jason Coleman, a federal employee, decided he wanted to take the disparate resources that kept popping up with different offers of help for feds and make them available to a broader audience. He created FedFam Inc. They have a 17,000+ member Facebook group where you can get just about any question answered. There are also state level Facebook groups that can offer geographically specific info. I've found it super helpful. 

During our interview, Jason describes his journey creating the group and the surprising realization that many furloughed feds were not only missing their paychecks, but also the socialization that goes along with work and belonging to a team. 

Check out his webiste https://www.fedfam.org/ and definitely join the Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/236110660657869/

As feds, we're lucky to have Jason as an advocate who cares deeply about our ability to connect with each other and send positive messages into the community about the work we do.

Dr. Theresa Horne - Army veteran, former federal civilian employee, leader, coach, talent management professional - explains how you can get started with a succession plan and what diversity, equity and inclusion factors to consider moving forward. She offers strategies and resources to help you start thinking about how to set your team up for success as it grows and changes.

Dr. Horne will speak to these issues and more at the ATD Government Workforce conference May 25-27, 2021. Learn more and register for the event at the link below.

https://governmentworkforce.td.org/speakers

GovExec posted an article last week that started the conversation about protesting and what federal employees should keep in mind if they engage in political activity or support to causes. This interview goes one step deeper to answer your questions about what you can and cannot do as a fed.

GovExec Article on protesting rights for feds

Michael L. Vogelsang, Jr., is a principal at The Employment Law Group® law firm, where he frequently handles cases that involve whistleblower retaliation, employment discrimination, wrongful termination, and other workplace claims. He has been with the firm since 2007. He answered a few of my questions about how and when you might need a lawyer.

.https://www.employmentlawgroup.com/our-team/attorneys-staff/attorneys/michael-vogelsang/

https://execwomeningov.org/

Founded in 1973, Executive Women in Government is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization comprised of Federal Government women executives. Members prepare, promote, and support women for senior leadership positions in the Federal Government and the military through networking, shared knowledge and experience, and mentoring.

On May 19th, 2022, the EWG will host its annual summit. You can learn more and register here. 

I'll see you there!

If you listen to this episode on April 25th, 2022, head over to this link and get to EWG's event TODAY. They're working with the Partnership for Public Service, creating a focus group to discusss what programming would help women in govenrment succeed.

What's ok to view on your work computer? Is the government REALLY monitoring your every online move? 

Dr. Kelly Fletcher answers these questions and more in this episode. She's a career member of the Senior Executive Service and at the time of this recording, she was Performing the Duties of the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Defense. In this capacity, she serves as the primary advisor to the Secretary of Defense for information technology (IT); information assurance; satellite communications; spectrum; and position, navigation and timing programs.

Dr. Fletcher has a serious job, but doesn't take herself too seriously. She delivers no-nonsense advice for federal employees on government computer and network usage in a way we can all understand. 

If you're looking for guidance on how to ensure you're doing all the right things to secure your network/work computer/phone, click here.

https://www.nsa.gov/Press-Room/Telework-and-Mobile-Security-Guidance/.

Tony Zerante, Chief Strategy Officer at WAEPA (Worldwide Assurance for Employees of Public Agencies), joins Love to discuss the life and disability insurance benefits exclusively offered to current and former Civilian Federal Employees. Hear the updates on their products, giveback program, and the history behind this legacy non-profit organization.

To learn more about WAEPA and its partnership with Ernst & Young, visit the links below.

WAEPA Main Site

https://www.waepa.org/resources/financial-wellness-for-federal-employees/

Join Sasha O'Connell, a former FBI executive and director of public sector strategy at Guidehouse, and Love Rutledge of the FedUpward Podcast, along with expert guests as they discuss how young professionals and students should best position themselves for success in the National Security Sector.management and executive leadership. The Mission Is Possible podcast series offers real advice and experiences from some of the top experts in federal law enforcement. This episode is brought to you by a partnership between Guidehouse, American University School of Public Affairs and the FedUpward Podcast. The team conducted a webinar and followed up with a podcast about job hunting while faced with pandemic-related challenges.

For more information about the Mission is Possible series, click here:

https://lnkd.in/dyxiMVE

https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/guidehouse-and-american-university-school-of-public-affairs/mission-is-possible

Dr. Chaveso (Chevy) Cook, co-founder and executive director of Military Mentors, Army Officer, and mentor to many, joins us on the podcast to offer tips to make mentoring relationships better. His tips apply to military and civilians - anyone interested in getting the most benefit and connection possible from mentoring.

Military Mentors, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) and was founded in 2015 to improve the quality of leadership in the military. Military Mentors connects its members and gives them the best tools possible to develop themselves and each other into engaged and self-aware leaders. With Military Mentors, you can safely and privately connect to other service members who share your interest in leadership development. Military Mentors is not simply an internet forum or a message board, but rather a living community of people who care about personal growth.

If you haven't already heard of the Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund, you should listen to this episode with Joyce Warner and then head to:

https://feea.org/

Don't miss out on the opportunity to apply for scholarship money. Click the link below for application instructions.The deadline to apply is Thursday, March 25, 2021, at 3:00pm Eastern Daylight Time

https://feea.org/our-programs/scholarships/

Matisha Montgomery serves as the Chief Learning Officer (CLO) at HUD. In this episode, she explains what a CLO does, what you should know about learning and development in general, and gives tips on establishing your individual development plan. You can find her here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matisha-montgomery-b214412/

She mentions the IDP templates on the OPM website. You can find them here.

Jason Coleman of FedFam joined me on the show to talk about discounts FedFam negotiated just for you! FedRooms is shutting down and FedFam is stepping in. Learn more about the first great rates here:

https://www.fedfam.org/landing-page

Tinisha Agramonte started her career in public service as an Air Force spouse working drug demand reduction programs (or, in her words "Pee Queen") to SES as the Director of the Office of Civil Rights at Dept of Commerce. She is an eloquent advocate for first generation professionals in federal service, people like her who are the first in a family to work an office  job or attend college. Many of us entering the workforce don't have insight into social norms of the workplace or resume writing if we come from a socioeconomic background devoid of examples we can follow. She created the First Generation Professionals Initiative for that group of people to ensure the nation gets the diverse, savvy, hard-working public servants it deserves, people who truly represent the full spectrum of our population. If you are curious about her work or setting up a program like this in your department or agency, listen now. I hope you have as much fun listening to this episode as I did recording it with TInisha. 

https://www.commerce.gov/cr/programs-and-services/first-generation-professionals-initiative

Dr. Jean Kanokogi, PhD, Director of Mental Health & Peer Support Services at the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, and a current federal employee, joined me to talk about her work to support feds' mental health. She supports federal law enforcement officer resiliency and creates resources to support their mental health. Learn more about the legislation she's currently championing and her work for FLEOA here: https://www.fleoa.org/member.aspx?id=9940

You can find her recently published book at the link below. Her book, Get Up and Fight, honors her mother, Rusty Kanokogi, who's known as the mother of women's judo.

https://www.rustykanokogi.com/product-page/get-up-fight-the-memoir-of-rusty-kanokogi-special-edition-40th-anniversary

Mark Sachs is an organizational development expert and coach who works to bring out the best in his clients, many of whom are feds like us. In this episode, he delivers tips for setting boundaries in our professional lives. 

You can find his website here.

The Federal Training Academy, a company dedicated to your learning, offers tailored training, consulting, and coaching to federal agencies and departments. Angela Kochuba, the founder and managing director, created the organization in 1999 and never looked back. Grounded in public service, she offers a long list of services that can help you and your team. Their offerings are specifically tailored for government employees. 

Listen for more info and click on the link below:

https://federaltrainingacademy.com/

#notanad

The friendly folks from Consumers Checkbook, a nonprofit that rates local service providers, talk us through their benefits calculator. For some agencies, access is provided for free. If  you don't work for a part of the federal government that offers it, you want to sign up, you can save 20% by using the code "fedupward." For less than $20, you can take the  pain out of deciding which healthcare plan suits your family's needs. Open season starts November 8th. Be ready! Sign up here: https://www.checkbook.org/newhig2/hig.cfm

This is NOT an ad. Consumers Checkbook didn't pay me to have them on the podcast. I heard great things about the site and asked them to talk about it so you can take advantage of this tool. 

Under investigation? Just filed a complaint? 

Guest Kevin Shehan of Shehan Legal explains when you might want to contact an attorney to set you off on the right path. Kevin worked as a federal employee and now helps them with EEO and other issues. He's seen both sides of federal employee issues and offers tips to help when you're in sticky situations (labor and employment issues, litigation, general counsel needs).

Want to learn more about Kevin and his practice? Click here: https://www.shehanlegal.com/about

Interesting in understanding what joining a professional network can do for you? I spoke with Rachel McCaffrey of the National Defense Industrial Association about the value organizations like hers can bring and why you should consider membership. NDIA drives strategic dialogue in national security by identifying key issues and leveraging the knowledge and experience of its military, government, industry, and academic members to address them.NDIA, comprised of its 1,700 corporate and 70,000 individual members, is a non-partisan, non-profit, educational association that has been designated by the IRS as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization - not a lobby firm - and was founded to educate its constituencies on all aspects of national security.

NDIA

Women in Defense

Click here to find the events Rachel mentioned.

Did you know that as a federal employee you have access to free services supporting your mental, emotional and physical well-being? If you haven't heard about your agency or department's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) resources, you need to reach out to your HR rep today.

Elizabeth Bradley, Senior Director of Federal Programs and Magellan Healthcare (one of the major providers of EAP services for feds) explains what EAPs are, why they got started, and what you can expect when you call for help. 

https://www.magellanfederal.com/

Magellan Healthcare

Meet Brian Wilson, organizational change manager at the Security and Echange Commission. Cool title, right? He walks us through how he approaches change and what you need to know if you're working on a major org change.

You can find him on LinkedIn here.

Brian mentioned a change management certification in this episode. You can find it here.

https://www.eeoc.gov/wysk/what-you-should-know-about-pregnant-workers-fairness-act

Have you heard about the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act? Congress passed it in 2023, but the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission just published a final regulation in June of this year. 

Deborah Hopkins, attorney and president of the Federal Employment Law Training Group, joined me on the podcast to discuss what you need to know as a pregnant employee and as a supervisor. This law changes the way you should think about reasonable accomodation when it comes to pregnancy. If you want to learn more, head to https://feltg.com/webinar-training/ to learn more about additional training FELTG offers on this and other topics. 

---------

FedUpward Merch is here! Click the linik below to see all the goodies.

https://www.fedupwardcoaching.com/fedupward-merch

Joined the FedUpward email list? Click here now!

WAEPA's CEO Shane Canfield reviews why federal employees need to review life insurance needs at least once a year, what 2021 brought and what's new for 2022 (LOWER RATES). Listen to learn what you need to know about life insurance and how WAEPA compares to FEGLI.

Want to learn more about WAEPA? Click here. 

If you're enjoying the podcast and want to continue hearing advice for feds, support the show by heading to https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fedupward

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest federal employee union, recently fought to bring union representation back into EPA's physical spaces. Spoiler alert: they won. On the show to talk about recent events and what unions do, is steward Brian Kelly. Find Brian Kelly @AFGE704_EPA

To read more about the agreement between EPA and AFGE, visit EPA Workers’ Rights Restored

To learn about becoming a union member or how to organize your workplace, visit AFGE National

afge.org/member-benefits/join/

twitter.com/AFGENational

facebook.com/afgeunion

youtube.com/user/afgeonline

Do you know your rights as a supervisor and an employee after the recent court ruling on performance improvement plans (the Santos v. NASA case)? Deborah Hopkins, president of the Federal Employee Law Training Group, covers what you need to know about the decision ,and about performance management in general. 

https://feltg.com/

https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2021/03/landmark-ruling-court-raises-threshold-firing-feds/172797/

Ever wished you could chat with a federal job recruiter and pick his or her brain for a bit? Kenny Rios, Diversity Recruitment Program Manager at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), chatted with me about cover letters, resume tips and how to get your foot in the door. He delivers no-nonsense advice that we all need. 

https://www.intelligencecareers.gov/nga/index.html

Who wants their time wasted in boring, useless meetings that could be accomplished via email? Nobody, that's who. I've listed a few quick tips for running an effective meeting - ones I often can't seem to follow myself, as my coworkers will attest. This episode is a short one with reminders of the principles we KNOW we should be following, but don't.

Greg Brinkley, former fed and a coach to black federal employees, describes a few of the archetypes he wrote about in Uncivilized: How Government Workers Behave and What to do to Help Them. He delivers advice on how to deal with these folks (trust me, you definitely work with the people he's describing). My personal favorite is the arsonist - the ones who are ready to figuratively burn it all down. You'll recognize the behaviors he outlines in our discussion, and his advice on how to stay motivated and succeed can help all federal employees.

Greg graciously offered a code to save $300 on his most recent course for public servants. Use NOMISTAKE at checkout on his site, reachtheapex.org 

You can find his book, Unciviliized, at uncivilizedbook.com

#notanad

Public administration guru Dr. Don Kettl joined me on the podcast to talk about what feds can expect over the next month - will the gov shut down? Will feds get repaid if it does? Explore these questions and more.

Don recently authored a book, one of many he's written about public management and operaitons. You can find it here.

Don specializes in public management and public policy. He previously served as dean in the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, and is a nonresident senior fellow at the Volcker Alliance, the Brookings Institution and the Partnership for Public Service. It was an honor to have him back on the show.

Dr. Heath Harding of the Office of Personnel Management's Center for Leadership Development, described what the Federal Executive Institute is and why you want to attend. FEI, located in Charlottesville, VA, offers leader development and networking opporunities you should know about. I attended many years ago and had a great exerpience that included working in teams with representatives from agencies and departments across the government. Listen to learn more.

https://leadership.opm.gov/facilities.aspx?f=48

https://www.opm.gov/services-for-agencies/

Working with folks 20 years older, 20 years younger and all ages in between? Dr. Russell Robinson of American University's Key Executive Leadership Program and Amplified Research  

talks about working with SO MANY different generations of folks. Listen to Russ' wisdom and how you can learn more at Key.

Y'all. I have thoughts on the election.

You can use admin leave to vote - more info in the episode. Just vote, ok?

Meet Kris Saling. a leader in the Army's recruiting command and analytics guru. She joined me on the podcast to talk about her new book, Data-Driven Talent Management and federal agencies and deparmtents can leverage better tools and processes to improve employee experience. She combines HR and data savvy to yield results.

Get the book at this link.

Here's what the listing on Amazion says about Kris new book:

Data-Driven Talent Management is a practical guide for HR professionals which answers these questions. It outlines effective data collection and analysis methods as well as showing how to develop metrics and key performance indicators to support employee experience. It also provides guidance on how to build a comprehensive talent database by understanding different employee experiences, attributes, skills and journeys. In addition, there is also essential advice on how to leverage data to improve motivation and employee engagement, use data to assess different thought and work styles in the workforce and use the results to build a diverse and inclusive organization that allows all employees and the business to thrive.

Full of tools, tips and frameworks and written by a professional who is implementing a data-driven approach to talent management for the US Army, the world's largest employer, this is essential reading for all mid-level and senior HR practitioners.

Certified financial planner Brian Sigwart joined me on the podcast to discuss the elimination of the windfall provision, whichi limited CSRS employee social security benefits. (If you're a FERS employee, this won't impact you.) He also explains what you should be thinking about as we kick off a new calendar year (update your TSP contributions folks). Catch up contributions for folks of specific ages changed this year. You cna get more details here.

A WEP explainer:

https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/program-explainers/windfall-elimination-provision.html

Biden signed the bill:

https://www.psrs-peers.org/About-Us/News/2025/01/06/president-biden-signs-social-security-fairness-act--repeals-wep-and-gpo

Brian Sigwart's contact information:

Schedule a call with Brian here.

FEDERAL EMPLOYEE RIGHTS: NOW AND LOOKING AHEAD

Kevin Shehan, employment law attorney specializing in federal employee rights and issues, joined me on the podcast to discuss the topics in the news (changes from the VA Accountabilty and Whistleblower Portection Act of 2017, Schedule F and DOGE), as well as your currrent rights as a federal employee.

Please note: this episode is not an ad, is not legal advice, and is NOT an endorsement of any political ideology or candidate. The goal here is to ensure you get information to be well-informed about your employment rights. 

You can find Kevin here.

Mika Cross, former federal employee, federal work and future of work expert, joined me in this episode to talk about the latest news in the Biden Administration on telework guidance, how to expertly request telework flexibilities, and how to search for jobs that offer flexibility. 

She also discussed a new tool she's built to help your organization survey how things are going. You can contact her directly through the links below to test it!

https://www.mikacross.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/worklifechampionoftheuniverse/

OPM's April 2023 guidance on returning to work:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/M-23-15.pdf

Sasha Cohen O'Connell and Jennifer Forney of American University outline what it takes to get an advanced degree at night, what it's like while you're in the midst of the work/school grind, and what AU has to offer in this episode. 

Jennifer is the Assistant Dean of Graduate Enrollment and Sasha is the Executive in Residence and Director of the Terrorism and Homeland Security Masters Program at American University, and previously spent years working at the FBI. 

https://www.american.edu/profiles/staff/forney.cfm

https://www.american.edu/spa/faculty/sashaoc.cfm

If you're like me, watching events unfold in Afghanistan left you angry, sad, confused, and asking yourself big questions about what contributions you've made over the last 20 years mean now. And the anniversary of 9/11 is coming up and everyone's planning their hot takes. AND COVID is still around and if you're kids are too young for vaccination, you're still stuck at home or losing your mind with worry every time your school sends another notice about potential exposure. Feds, many of us have no safe haven right now. Enter Dr. Amy Grubb. She breaks down the feelings we're experiencing right now and gives them a name - languishing - and tools to help combat the blahs.

Amy mentions Adam Grant in this episode - learn more about him and his work here.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/19/well/mind/covid-mental-health-languishing.html

https://positiveorgs.bus.umich.edu/news/adam-grant-writes-about-languishing-in-the-new-york-times/

If reading a USAJOBS vacancy announcement leaves you frustrated, you're not alone. Adele Dantzler of Dantzler Career Solutions walks us through the most important parts of the announcement and how to respond to get through the initial phases of the selection process. 

She has lots more to offer on her website here:

https://www.dcslearn.com/blog/

Federal employees definitely get no love when it comes to family leave. If you’re the supervisor of an expecting employee or have a baby on the way yourself, this episode will provide a good starter list of resources and issues to consider to prepare for birth. OPM’s rules for leave donation (which you can only receive if you’ve got ANOTHER issue beyond pregnancy itself) and the flexibilities handbook can be found here: 

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/leave-administration/fact-sheets/voluntary-leave-transfer-program/

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/leave-administration/fact-sheets/handbook-on-leave-and-workplace-flexibilities-for-childbirth-adoption-and-foster-care.pdf

If you’d like to get a copy of the memos I used to request advanced sick leave and get into the leave donor program, send me an email at love@fedupward.com and I’ll respond with a redacted version.

Don't forget to subscribe and sign up for the mailing list here:

https://mailchi.mp/7c8e39718241/aacoe5bl8c

https://graybeardcoaching.com/

He and I talked about being a new supervisor, coaching and the similarities between the two.