**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***

**[Awards & Recognition:]{.underline}** Processed two awards:
Secretary's Distinguished Career and Commendation Award. ***(Mike
Watson)***

**[Special Emphasis Programs/Observances:]{.underline}** 2005 Women's
Equality Day Observance Program. Scheduled Wednesday, August 24 @ 12:00
p.m., in the Sonny Montgomery Veterans Conference Center, Room 230
"*[Celebrating Women's Right to Vote]{.underline}*" Special Honored
Guest: Brigadier General Wilma Vaught, USAF (Ret) President, Women's
Memorial Foundation Featured Guest: A'Lelia Bundles, Author and
great-great granddaughter of Madam C. J. Walker.

Dr. Frances Murphy, Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Health Policy
Coordination will host the event. ***(Mike Watson)***

**[Vacancy Announcements:]{.underline}** Posted four announcements.
***(Mike Watson)***

**[Workers' Compensation Benefits and the Affect of Reemployment on
Federal Benefits (Retirements, Federal Employees Health Benefits,
Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance and Thrift Savings
Plan)]{.underline}:** The Worklife and Benefits Service issued
departmental wide guidance to Human Resources offices regarding the
impact that the Office of Workers' Compensation Program (OWCP) benefits
may have on an employee's Federal benefit entitlements. The Federal
Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) provides Federal employees
compensation benefits due to an employment-related disease or injury
sustained in the performance of duty. The FECA is administered by the
Department of Labor's OWCP. There are a number of concerns by employees
on how reemployment may affect Federal benefits for those employees who
have been found fully or partially recovered from a disease or injury
and have accepted a position with the Federal Government. ***(Maxcine
Sterling)***

**[Labor Relations Training]{.underline}**: Last week, Doug Katcher
presented basic labor relations training to managers, supervisors and
union officials at the VAMC Tampa and the Orlando OPC. The subjects
covered included union rights, management rights, employee rights and
official time. There were approximately 200 participants at the Tampa
session and 50 in Orlando. In addition, Doug spent a few hours
discussing labor relations issues and questions with the human resources
staff at Tampa. Tammy LeSane from this office accompanied Doug for a
learning experience. ***(Ron Cowles)***

**[Meetings:]{.underline}** Carol Cavendish and Anitra Jones are working
on four (4) meetings scheduled to be held during the months of August
and September. A NFFE Impasse Panel Meeting will be held August 30 thru
September 2, 2005, in Washington, DC; a UAN Contract Training session is
scheduled for September 15 and 16, 2005, in Atlanta, GA; the LMR/AFGE
Semi-Annual Meeting will be held September 21-23, 2005, in Washington,
DC; and a National Partnership Council (NPC) meeting is planned for
September 28 and 29, 2005, in Atlanta, GA. ***(Ron Cowles)***

**[Entrance and Exit Survey Data:]{.underline}** On August 12^th^, data
from the Entrance and Exit Survey Database was been moved from an Access
Database into a SQL Database. Text-based responses from the initial
version are being converted into standardized numerical responses to
improve the quality and consistency of data gathered from the
respondents and improve/simplify statistical analysis of the
information. Approximately 115,000 responses need to be converted from
text into numerical responses with approximately 33,000 already
converted. It is anticipated that this will be accomplished by September
15^th^. ***(Workforce Planning)***

**[Human Resources Management Letter:]{.underline}** A HRML providing
interim instructions on recruiting, appointing, promoting, advancing and
other personnel actions for Blind Rehabilitation Specialists moving to
the Title 38 hybrid excepted service was sent to the DAS/HRM&LR for
signature. ***(Barbara Panther)***

**[Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments:]{.underline}** The VSIP
request for VAMC Sheridan (50 VSIPs) has gone forward to (05/006).
***(Barbara Panther)***

**[Information Technology Exchange Program]{.underline}:** Recruitment &
Placement Policy Service has shared with the Administrations and the
Office of Information & Technology (OIT) the final regulations issued
August 15, 2005, by the Office of Personnel Management on new provisions
for an Information Technology (IT) Exchange Program. The regulations,
which take effect September 14, 2005, authorize departments and agencies
to establish implementing policy which would allow details between the
Federal and private sectors of IT professionals. Included among the
eligibility requirements of this new program, the current employer must
consider the IT professional to be exceptional and expected to assume
increased IT management responsibilities in the future. Participants may
be either a permanent Federal employee serving at GS-11 or above,
including career Senior Executive Service members, or a private sector
employee who meets citizenship and other requirements. We anticipate
communicating further with the Administrations and OIT on their interest
and next steps. ***(Barbara Panther)***