**Office of Human Resources Management and Labor Relations**

***CO Human Resources Employee Relations***

***Executive Resources Marketing and Veterans Outreach***

***Worklife and Benefits Compensation and Classification***

***Oversight and Effectiveness Recruitment and Placement Policy***

***Labor Management Relations Human Resources Development***

***Workforce Planning Workforce Information Systems Team***

**[COHRS:]{.underline} Staffing**: Seven vacancy announcements were
posted last week.  Twenty-five new employees were processed in on May
15th.  **(Mike Watson)**

**[Awards]{.underline}:** 1667 Secretary Hero Awards were processed
during the week of May 12.  Also processed during the week of May 12^th^
were 1 Distinguished Career Award, 1 Exceptional Service Award, and 272
Special Contribution and Time-off awards. **(Mike Watson)**

**[Training/Career Development]{.underline}:** *How to Write KSAs*
*Workshop* was held on Thursday, May 11^th^; 33 employees attended, and
the next session is May 23rd. New Employee Orientation scheduled for
Thursday, June 1st\--Mr. Pittman is scheduled to speak. CSRS Retirement
Seminar was held on Tuesday, May 16, 2006, at OPM's Auditorium.  Over
200 hundred employees have signed up for the training. **(Mike Watson)**

**[Worklife and Benefits Service:]{.underline}  Federal Employees Health
Benefits (FEHB) Children\'s Equity Update: ** The Office of Personnel
Management (OPM) recently notified Federal agencies that Benefits
Administration Letter (BAL) 04-204, dated June 1, 2004, has been
updated. BAL 04-204 addressed Public Law 106-394, the "Federal Employees
Health Benefits Children's Equity Act of 2000" where it became mandatory
for employees to adhere to court or administrative orders to provide
FEHB coverage for their eligible children. This recent update advises
agencies to respond to and comply with the instructions in the \"new\"
National Medical Support Notice and to complete Parts A and B.  The
document consists of Part A - Notice to Withhold for Health Care
Coverage, for the employer to withhold any employee contributions
required by the group health plan(s) in which the child(ren) is/are
enrolled; and Part B - Medical Support Notice to the Plan Administrator,
which must be forwarded to the administrator of each group health plan
identified by the employer to enroll the eligible child(ren). The
information contained in the BAL will be posted on OPM's Web site in the
near future. Action by HR offices is only necessary if the employee does
not voluntarily comply with the court or administrative order. The
Worklife and Benefits Service will be issuing a Flyer to HR offices
regarding this recent update. **(Maxcine Sterling)**

**[Worklife and Benefits Service]{.underline}: HealthierFeds - Promoting
Wellness Among Federal Employees - Employee Health and Fitness Month,
May 2006:** In recognition of the 50^th^ Anniversary of the President's
Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, President Bush has proclaimed
May 2006 as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. In conjunction,
the Office of Personnel Management is embracing physical activity as one
of the four pillars of the HealthierFeds Initiative, a campaign to
encourage positive health among Federal employees. A Flyer will be
issued advising Human Resources offices accordingly. The Flyer will
include a sample letter that can be used to inform employees about the
President's Council on Fitness celebration and encouraging employee
participation in the HealthierFeds Initiative. **(Maxcine Sterling)**

**Event Summary - VA participates in the Military Officers Association
Career Fair (MOAA) and Service Academy Career Conference (SACC) in
Washington, DC and Arlington, VA**

The Office of Marketing and Veterans Employment Outreach Service was
joined by HR support from VHA, VBA, NCA and COHRS in representing the
Department during two career fairs targeting veterans. The Military
Officers Association of America (MOAA) Career Fair and Service Academy
Career Conference (SACC) were held May 2 and 12^th^ respectively in
Washington DC and Arlington, VA. Both events were very well attended,
particularly SACC, which may have seen its largest group of attendees in
recent years. We were able to identify many qualified applicants to
refer to selecting officials to help fill open VA vacancies. As a result
of our participation, both organizations have granted VA access to the
resume databases generated from attendees at the events. If you, your
hiring officials, or others in your selection process would like to
access the resumes of these highly qualified applicants, please contact
Greg Alleyne at (202) 273-8749. VA's presence at these events not only
demonstrate our commitment to providing benefits and services to our
Nations veterans, but to hiring them as well. **(Janice Lucas)**

**[LMR:]{.underline} National Partnership Council (NPC) Meeting**: Plans
are progressing for the next National Partnership Council Meeting to be
held in Washington, DC on May 23-24, 2006, at the Hilton Arlington in
Arlington, VA. This meeting will include the Secretary's
Labor-Management Relations Awards Ceremony to be held on May 25, 2006,
at 10:00 a.m. in the G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery Veterans Conference Center
(Room 230) in VA Headquarters. **(Ronald Cowles)**

**[Electronic Contract Management Systems:]{.underline}** AFGE submitted
a demand to bargain, regarding VA implementation of the Electronic
Contract Management Systems. On May 10, 2006, AFGE was briefed on the
application change and who would be affected by the change. AFGE was
asked for any concerns they may have regarding the change. AFGE stated
they will speak to the effected employees and get back to OLMR.
**(Ronald Cowles)**