The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is saying that the punitive damages awarded in arbitration to a Social Security employee in Little Rock is a first for the agency. $100,000 in punitive damages were awarded for a wrongful termination. The $100,000 in punitive damages were in addition to $100,000 in compensatory damages.
Oct 26, 2010
No COLA On Anything
Social Security made the official announcement in the Federal Register today that there will be no cost of living adjustment (COLA) on anything this year. Contrary to an earlier rumor, there will be no adjustment in the "bend points" used in benefit computation.
Mob Scene In Port St. Lucie
From "TC Palm", one of the many newspapers that goes out of its way to keep its true name off its internet edition:
The grand opening Monday of the new Social Security Administration building at 6810 S. U.S. 1 resembled a “mob scene” at the shopping malls the day after Thanksgiving, as one resident described.People lined up outside the building at 8 a.m., but the doors didn’t open until 10 a.m.
“It was like Black Friday at Best Buy,” said Port St. Lucie resident Peggie Nattutat. “When the door started to open, people came down on it like it was the flood.”
Daniel Borello, Social Security Administration district manager, said the administration moved into the new 14,000-square-foot building Friday and encountered a few glitches Monday, but now everything is OK.
Social Security Employees To Get Extra Day Off At Thanksgiving
From Government Executive:
Social Security Administration employees this year will receive an extra day off to celebrate Thanksgiving, according to a report from Federal News Radio's Mike Causey.The day after Thanksgiving AND Columbus Day AND President's Day?
SSA Commissioner Michael Astrue told nonemergency employees they do not have to report to work on Nov. 26, the Friday after Thanksgiving. Thursday is a federal holiday. Friday won't be considered a holiday for pay and leave purposes, but workers will receive their normal pay, according to Astrue.According to Causey's report, Astrue said SSA employees have "faced unprecedented workloads and unprecedented hostility from an increasingly stressed public. While many government agencies understandably have moved backward in this climate, you have moved forward."
It's not clear yet whether other agencies and departments will follow SSA's example.
Oct 25, 2010
Social Security Loses A Big One In Little Rock
Social Security just suffered a big arbitration loss in Little Rock, Arkansas. (I uploaded this to Yousendit. It can only be downloaded 100 times.) The American Federation of Government Employees, the union that represents most Social Security employees, had requested the arbitration over the firing of a union member. The employee was alleged to have engaged in misconduct in approving the use of Social Security's Critical Payment System for a $57,354 fraudulent payment made to another Social Security employee. The actions of the employee involved in this arbitration in approving the payment were only alleged to have been negligent. The employee involved in this arbitration was not alleged to have profited from her mistake. Another employee was guilty of fraudulent conduct and did profit from their fraud. That employee faced criminal charges.
Inconsistency in Social Security's treatment of its employees involved in this matter was a major issue raised by the union. One huge problem for Social Security was that the agency's Office of Inspector General (OIG) had investigated what had happened in Little Rock but the agency refused to disclose the entire OIG file, leading the arbitrator to presume that the agency was hiding exculpatory information.
The end result in this arbitration was that the employee was ordered restored to her job and was given $100,000 in compensatory damages and another $100,000 in punitive damages. I am not familiar with this sort of thing. Does it get worse than this for an agency?
Inconsistency in Social Security's treatment of its employees involved in this matter was a major issue raised by the union. One huge problem for Social Security was that the agency's Office of Inspector General (OIG) had investigated what had happened in Little Rock but the agency refused to disclose the entire OIG file, leading the arbitrator to presume that the agency was hiding exculpatory information.
The end result in this arbitration was that the employee was ordered restored to her job and was given $100,000 in compensatory damages and another $100,000 in punitive damages. I am not familiar with this sort of thing. Does it get worse than this for an agency?
Oct 24, 2010
Social Security Helps Bring Fugitive To Justice
From the Contra Costa Times:
Pacifica police Capt. Fernando Realyvasquez got a letter in 2007 he had waited 14 years to receive.
It was from the Social Security Administration and said the agency had located a man named Dedy Idris, who was wanted for allegedly molesting several young girls in Pacifica.
Today, nearly three years after that envelope landed on Realyvasquez's desk, Idris, 65, is slated to be sentenced in San Mateo County Superior Court on 10 counts of child molestation. ...
Idris had applied for benefits, and a routine check had turned up the 14-year-old arrest warrant.
Oct 23, 2010
Oct 22, 2010
Threat To Florida Social Security Office
From WEAR-TV in Pensacola, FL:
That kitten certainly looks vicious to me!A suspicious package at a central Florida Social Security office turned out to be a box with two kittens.
Authorities say the box was found early Friday on the front steps of the building. A bomb squad examined the box and found the kittens. One of them ran away and hasn't been found. The other will be taken to an animal shelter.
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