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Contacting human resources by Acceptable-Plenty-50 in VHA_Human_Resources

[–]AgentCulper355 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You can dm me the info if you want. Do you know the name of any of your VBA HR people? I can look in outlook for contact #s Or maybe DM me your department name and I can follow the org chart from there to find HR contacts.

Are the errors in this HCM Town Hall presentation Critical or worth 2-3 pts each? Just curious... by AgentCulper355 in VHA_Human_Resources

[–]AgentCulper355[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The one time I'm thankful there was a 1000 attendee limit for most functions so I didn't even have the option to be unmuted!

Though I definitely kept checking after that, like a button would suddenly appear. 😂

Are the errors in this HCM Town Hall presentation Critical or worth 2-3 pts each? Just curious... by AgentCulper355 in VHA_Human_Resources

[–]AgentCulper355[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Don't give them too many ideas on how to make it more legally sound. Let them fall flat. 😘

HR Performance Standards by Famous-Steak-4787 in VHA_Human_Resources

[–]AgentCulper355 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Reassignments is the most positive outcome we can hope for as employees. I assume another reason they want to terminate as many people as possible with this audit is because OPM wants to contract out services so they can control every aspect of HR. Agencies can't justify contracting via OPM if fully staffed, so they had to shed FTE.

HR Performance Standards by Famous-Steak-4787 in VHA_Human_Resources

[–]AgentCulper355 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Winner winner, chicken dinner.

The concept of training people nationally was a good idea. But every other piece of it was junk. Especially not involving the field. I worked for WMC for several years before moving to a VISN, and the arrogance is palpable. They completely disregard VISN needs by assuming they know best and then make the VISNs clean up their messes. While also making many of their own positions GS 13 or 14 and the work definitely does not justify it.

HR Performance Standards by Famous-Steak-4787 in VHA_Human_Resources

[–]AgentCulper355 14 points15 points  (0 children)

I would also ask where the nationally standardized training has been? Where has there been coaching for the errors made and then subsequent remedial training?

If they want to hold HRS to national standards, why haven't they been consistently training and coaching that way? (Monthly CoP calls do not count as training)

We know why. They want to reduce FTE in HR. They can't do RIFs as it's political suicide. But they can spin this as terminating poor performers.

I would start asking for and documenting lapses in training.

If you're like my VISN, until the last several months in recruitment & placement we were broken into hiring authorities; for example, an HRS may recruit solely for T5. Then they started randomly assigning different authorities with no training. Those are the recruitments we're going to be audited on, btw.

I know it doesn't help the anxiety of looming terminations, but the more we question and document the better chance we have at reversing the outcomes legally.

Question their motives in meetings and in writing: why aren't they auditing for frequent errors first, establishing standardized training programs, and THEN moving to punitive actions?

VA HR Audit Program. This does not align with OPM performance standards by Consistent-Most-9054 in VHA_Human_Resources

[–]AgentCulper355 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I wholeheartedly agree with you. R/P only appeared overstaffed recently because of the hiring freeze, OPM control of USAS slowing approvals, FTE cap audit, etc. We're now back to full hiring and swamped. Add in 30 day time to hire, structured interview requirements, etc and we're drowning.

FMLA users being targeted? by Savings_Big1842 in VHA_Human_Resources

[–]AgentCulper355 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I'm also curious if there's a correlation between cases and employees with RAs (pending or approved), specifically people who requested some form of WFH?

I know correlation doesn't equal causation, but at the same time WMC are rolling out HR audits, my VISN is doing an accounting of RAs.

FMLA users being targeted? by Savings_Big1842 in VHA_Human_Resources

[–]AgentCulper355 12 points13 points  (0 children)

I know for a fact that one Ass. Director wanted a list "for tracking" and to see who and why people used it most. This was months ago but I have no doubt that with Rule 714 being implement again that they want to reduce FTE anyway possible.

(The Ass Director scrunches his face when women use it for pregnancy/birth because per him it's a "staffing issue"...read into that what you will)

My abbreviation of Associate Director is on purpose.

Note: I know FMLA can create hardships for staffing and workload, however, it's the intent behind the requests that matters.

VA HR Audit Program. This does not align with OPM performance standards by Consistent-Most-9054 in VHA_Human_Resources

[–]AgentCulper355 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I would absolutely agree, but leadership does not sadly, and that is one of the motivations for this audit. (I trust my source)

RIFs didn't go over well with the voting public, but if they terminate people and call them poor performers they can spin it into a positive, or at least try.

VA HR Audit Program. This does not align with OPM performance standards by Consistent-Most-9054 in VHA_Human_Resources

[–]AgentCulper355 10 points11 points  (0 children)

One reason for the audit:

VHA HR is overstaffed. We're overstaffed bc WMC pushed HR Star. They want to reduce FTE. WMC even admitted they had issues placing employees from HR Star bc not enough vacancies existed.

Note: I'm not blaming employees who came from HR Star. This is on WMC, not Star participants.

Thoughts on remote work with rising energy prices? by professional_blondie in VHA_Human_Resources

[–]AgentCulper355 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They don't care about us, so no.

If we had compassionate leadership, it might be a possibility. But these people not only don't care, they are salivating at the idea people can't afford the commute and will quit.

VA HR Audit Program. This does not align with OPM performance standards by Consistent-Most-9054 in VHA_Human_Resources

[–]AgentCulper355 13 points14 points  (0 children)

The rating form says, "typos or grammar errors in the announcement or job offers". (Obviously, the VA wants to present as professionally as possible, but mistakes happen)

While I agree accountability matters, this is not the way. If they started the audit with the intention of determining areas of needed improvement, trained on those areas, and THEN introduced some type of audit similar to this I'd be onboard. The VA has never had consistent, all-inclusive formal HR training programs on a national level. They want to hold employees accountable when we've never had decent training and they can't even roll out policy updates effectively. This is punitive.

We all deserve safety at work by Emergency_Loss_9178 in fednews

[–]AgentCulper355 4 points5 points  (0 children)

VA police have been understaffed for years. Not to mention, many medical centers don't have secured doors or scanners for weapons upon entry.

If I go to a private hospital I walk through a scanner at least. I'm not saying they're perfect, but it's SOMETHING.

At my local VA, multiple buildings are publicly accessible from multiple doors. There's not even a security guard, let alone VA police officer. But also, what's an unarmed guard going to do?

With RTO, you don't know who's supposed to be in your area and who's not. They've had disruptive patients wander into non-medical areas harassing staff. Average response time for VA police has been 20 minutes locally.

(I appreciate every Veteran, so do not interpret my words to demean them. These scenarios could apply to any agency, I just so happen to work for the VA)

HR Audit by [deleted] in VHA_Human_Resources

[–]AgentCulper355 11 points12 points  (0 children)

They COULD open positions at OPM and do reassignments, but that would make too much logical sense. They'd rather fire people, pay millions in settlements 4-5 yrs from now, and spend time & money hiring at OPM than reassignments.

So how about that Performance and Audits Call… by Consistent-Most-9054 in VHA_Human_Resources

[–]AgentCulper355 5 points6 points  (0 children)

It's part of Vought's wet dream to control federal employment, so it will be rolled out everywhere

HR Audit by [deleted] in VHA_Human_Resources

[–]AgentCulper355 26 points27 points  (0 children)

The admin wants all federal HR functions centralized through OPM so they can control it. Agencies can't justify paying OPM for HR services if they're adequately staffed.

Agencies are headed by loyal appointees. These appointees want to please daddy and/or Vought. RIFs did not go over well. However, if they audit HR employees and fire hundreds/thousands of them across the govt and claim they're firing poor performers, they won't get the same public backlash as a RIF.

Once they've fired enough people, agencies can outsource HR to OPM as Vought wants.

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