The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation has submitted a
request asking Congress for increased and more comprehensive
personnel flexibilities.
It said it was seeking independent hiring authority, “in
order to address variable workloads,” in a “continually
changing financial services industry,” as well as “greater
flexibility in using term appointments, and the ability to
employ experts and consultants and to re-employ retirees.”
It also said the its proposal would give it similar latitude
in hiring executives that the federal government has hiring
senior executive service employees, allow it “to develop its
own reduction-in-force and early retirement regulations, and
to establish an appeals process for disciplinary actions.”
The National Treasury Employees Union objected, saying the
provisions would move important parts of the personnel system
from under long-standing civil service provisions, calling it
“ill-conceived,” and urging Congress to reject it.
FDIC walked out on discussions with the union in July, the
purpose of which, NTEU said, was “to develop personnel
proposals that could have the support of both employees and
management.”
NTEU also said the new proposal would give FDIC “new
authority to set up its own appeals process for disciplinary
actions by lowering the standard of evidence for management
to meet; broad discretion to choose which employees would be
laid off in a reduction-in-force-putting at risk the weight
given to such key civil service rights as veterans preference,
minority rights and seniority; and authority for such steps
directly affecting the workforce as doubling, to two years,
the probationary period for new hires, and increasing to six
years from four years its right to keep employees in term
appointments.”
FDIC stated that the provisions would not effect employee
protections and said existing merit systems-principles,
equal employment opportunity and whistleblower statutes and
guidelines would remain in effect.
The legislative proposal can be found at
< ahref="http://www.fdic.gov/about/workforce_act/index.html" target="_blank">fdic.gov
