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Washington, D.C.-Adequate and stable funding should be at the center of any discussion of developing a "strategic human capital management" plan for the federal government, said NTEU National President Colleen M. Kelley, following an announcement today that the federal personnel system has been added to the General Accounting Office's (GAO) "high-risk" list.
"The highest risk is for this Congress and the new administration to ignore that adequate and stable funding is the linchpin for the federal government to attract and keep skilled workers. That means funding to close the pay gap that exists between the federal and private sectors. That means making health care and child care more affordable. And, that means adequate funding to allow agencies to use personnel flexibilities that are already available to them under the law," said Kelley.
As examples of existing agency flexibilities, the NTEU leader pointed to the federal student loan repayment program that authorizes agencies to repay college loans up to $6,000 a year to recruit or retain employees and the pilot program to provide child care tuition assistance for federal workers.
"Without adequate funding," said Kelley, "agencies will be hard pressed to effectively use these and other important flexibilities."
Kelley said in addition to adequate and stable funding there must be a concerted effort on the part of Congress and the new administration to strengthen the understanding and respect for public service and the work done by federal employees.
"In appreciating and rewarding the work done by current federal employees in meaningful ways, with fair pay, benefits and family_friendly programs, prospective employees will come to view the federal government differently. In addition, by helping prospective employees understand the challenging, important and meaningful work done in federal agencies can serve to strengthen the appeal of working for the federal government," said Kelley.
GAO's "High-Risk Update" is part of an ongoing series of reports on federal government performance and management. The "High-Risk Update" examines government operations and programs that "GAO believes have significant vulnerabilities to waste, fraud and abuse and mismanagement."