TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2010


KLMNO


S THE FEDERAL WORKER


EEOC chides government for not reflecting ‘tapestry of America’ Wide gaps


JOE DAVIDSON Federal Diary


iversity in the federal workforce has been a mixed bag over the past 10 years, according to a report by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The Annual Report on the


D


Federal Work Force shows that the percentage of men among federal employees dropped to 55.9 percent in fiscal 2009, from 57.7 percent in 2000, while women increased to 44.1 percent from 42.3 percent. Diversity was not helped by a small decline in the employment of African Americans, but the portion of Latinos grew slightly. “As the largest employer in the


nation, the federal government should lead the way in creating a diverse and just workplace,” said Jacqueline A. Berrien, who chairs the EEOC. “Government employers need to continue to recruit and promote employees who represent the tapestry of America. They must also improve the efficiency of the complaint process so that justice delayed is not justice denied.” Discrimination complaints are up, but just barely, the report found. The number of individuals who filed complaints rose by 1.8 percent in 2009, over the previous year. At the senior pay levels, white males continue to strongly dominate the ranks, though their percentage dropped to 61 percent of senior pay recipients in 2009 from 66.7 percent in 2000, the report shows. Women increased their presence in the highest pay levels among civil servants, but still comprise just 29 percent of that category. Hispanics also showed a small gain. Black Americans did not increase their representation in the top pay grades and actually moved backwards slightly to 7.05 percent from 7.11 percent.


Pay changes at Defense


Piece by piece, programs to more strongly link federal employees’ pay to their performance are being dismantled. The pay-for-performance system for most Defense Department intelligence civilians is now on its way out, according to Defense Under Secretary James R. Clapper Jr.


washingtonpost.com Q.


Tell us about your experience as a young federal worker, or as an older worker who engages with younger employees.


Also, do you have a suggestion for a question we should ask federal workers? Please send it along.


 E-mail your answer to federalworker@washpost.com and include your full name, home town and the agency for which you work. We may include your response in Friday’s Washington Post. When answers are particularly sensitive, we will consider a respondent’s request to withhold full identification.


An Equal Employment Opportunity Commission report on the federal workforce indicates that white men are over-represented among federal senior pay levels when compared to their percentage of the government’s workforce, while black Americans, Latinos and white women are under-represented. Te report also indicates that men, Asian Americans and white Americans average the highest grades in the General Schedule personnel classification system, with rankings above GS-10. Native Americans ranked the lowest, just under GS-8. GS-15 is the highest grade.


Senior pay level positions*, fiscal year 2009 Percentage of


Men 71.1% Women 28.9


White 84


Black or African American


Asian


Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander


American Indian/ Alaska native


Two or more races Individuals with targeted disabilities


NOTE: Numbers may not add up due to rounding. *Senior pay level includes salaries above grade 15 of the General Schedule. SOURCE: EEOC


In an Aug. 1 memo, Clapper said that Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates decided to eliminate pay-for-performance, except for employees of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, in response to a report by the National Academy of Public Administration. That report said the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS) “is fundamentally sound,” though its implementation, which began in 2008, “has been flawed.” Another, and much larger, pay-for-performance program, the National Security Personnel System (NSPS), which covered many Defense employees, also is coming to an end. Though pay-for-performance is


the part of the intelligence personnel system that has generated the most attention, Clapper’s memo said that “the secretary’s decision does not represent abandonment of DCIPS.” “The heart of the DCIPS


program will stay intact, including the occupational structure, common performance management system, and bonuses tied to performance,” Clapper wrote.


At the same time, the


employees will move to “a GS-like grade structure,” he said. The


washingtonpost.com


Federal careers expert Derrick T. Dortch answered questions online Wednesday. Following is an excerpt.


Q. This is my first time applying for government careers. Where do I start?


A. Hello First Timer, When I work with clients the


first thing I always recommend is that they do a self-analysis and determine what skills and qual- ifications they have and then they should look to match their SEE- Q&I (Skills, Experience, Educa- tion, Qualifications and Inter- ests) to various federal agencies and positions within the govern- ment. From there you develop a targeted list of agencies and posi- tions you will be looking for on a consistent basis within the gov- ernment. Once you have this then you should go about the process of developing a federal résumé and any supporting materials (cover letter, KSAs, etc.). You may


FED FACES Student’s internships stoke passion for ATF career


Cherise Spiller Intern, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington field division


Best known for: Her passion to work in federal law enforcement. Through two ATF internships, Spiller has gotten a close look at many aspects of the field. Her ex- periences have included sitting in a command center during an un- dercover operation against a mo- torcycle gang, assisting with an information session on the prop- er prosecution of illegal firearms trafficking for the U.S. attorney of the District, and attending a con- ference in which she learned how ATF seizes assets from criminals.


Government service: Two sum- mer student internships at ATF.


summer was a lot different than the work I have been doing this summer in Washington, but real- ly it was just an adjustment — not a challenge. I love what I do and just take everything one step at a time.”


COURTESY OF ERIN DOHERTY


Cherise Spiller has had two summer internships at ATF.


Biggest challenge: “I can hon- estly say that the biggest chal- lenge I have had is just adapting to a new work environment. In- terning with ATF in Boston last


Quote: “I absolutely love going in to my internship every day. You never know what’s going to come up. There is no doubt in my mind that this is what I want to do with my career. The ATF is such a great bureau, with so much room to grow as a professional.” — From the Partnership for Public Service


For more on Spiller, go to washingtonpost.com/fedpage. Send your nominations for Federal Faces to fedfaces@washpost.com.


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also need to get college tran- scripts for some positions. You have to make sure you de- velop materials that will sell you. This means developing materials that have relevant success stories that show that you are the best candidate for the position. . . . I would also suggest you begin a strong net- working strategy. Look for career fairs in the area you live where government agencies will be attending. . . . Don’t just always go for the name brand agen- cies like FBI, CIA, State Department, for exam- ple. You may see an agency recruiting that you have never heard of who is doing some great work. Go over and


talk to them you may find that it’s a perfect fit for you. You also want to develop your


network list: people who you know who may be in the govern- ment or know someone in the government. I could go on and on but I hope this helps get you started. Make sure you add some patience to your toolbox. The process is not a short one all the time. But if you are persistent and keep on working hard to sell yourself to the right positions and agencies, you will get there.


Derrick T. Dortch,


president of Diversa Group.


Go to washingtonpost. com/jobs for the entire discussion.


The Fed Page


General Schedule is the government’s main employee classification program. With its set grades, some


management experts have complained that the GS program is too rigid to reward outstanding performance while allowing automatic pay raises based on longevity. Union officials have argued that the GS system allows greater flexibility than the government has used or funded. If Gates and Clapper can construct a performance management system that rewards good work, while keeping a GS-like structure, it could be a guide for the rest of the government. John Berry, director of the Office of Personnel Management, has called for a system that allows for greater flexibility in rewarding workers and more effective ways of managing performance. The pay-for-performance


programs pushed by the Bush administration were not trusted by many workers, who felt bosses could too easily play favorites. Congress also lost confidence in NSPS, and with its demise, the days of DCIPS were numbered. Clapper acknowledged as much when he said: “The termination of the National Security Personnel System and continued congressional


(61.2, 22.9) 7.1


(3.9, 3.2) 4.2


(0.04, 0.01) 0.8


(0.5, 0.3) 0.3


(0.2, 0.1) 0.5


Percentage of senior pay level total work force 56.9%


44.1


Hispanic or Latino 3.6 7.9 (Men: 2.8, women: 1.1)


(4.7, 3.2) 65.6


(39, 26.6) 18


(7.7, 10.3) 5.8 10.4


(2.9,1.4) (3.3,2.5) 0.1


0.3


(0.2, 0.2) 1.7


(0.7, 0.9) 0.7


(0.3, 0.3) 0.9


7.9 8.4 8.5 8.5 Average: 9.9 THE WASHINGTON POST


concerns with regard to the effects of pay-for-performance on the workforce have had a negative impact.”


Compromised security? Once again, the Federal


Protective Service is coming under fire from the Government Accountability Office. In a new report, GAO said the service’s ability to protect government buildings is compromised by a complicated committee system that is responsible for security at federal facilities. Representatives of the FPS, the General Services Administration and tenant agencies are on facility security committees for each building. Since 2007, GAO has issued numerous reports concerning problems with the service’s protection of government buildings. In the latest report, GAO complained that the committees have no operating guidelines and that the tenant representatives often don’t have the authority to commit their agencies to security measures. In response, the Homeland


Security Department, which includes the protective service, acknowledged “there is work to be done” but said it was pleased GAO noted actions to address previous recommendations. federaldiary@washpost.com


Average grade in the General Schedule and related positions


10.4 9.3 9.4


10.2 9.0


On Leadership: The Federal Coach 6Excerpt from views.washingtonpost.com/leadership/fedcoach


The nonprofit Partnership for Public Service and The Washington


Post’s On Leadership site jointly produce the Federal Coach, hosted by Tom Fox, director of the partnership’s Center for Government Leadership.


The goal is to “engage, inspire and learn from you, the federal


worker, whether you are a new hire, a contractor or a manager at the highest level.”


How to groom your millennials


Lately, I’ve noticed a lot more young professionals with federal agency badges commuting to work. It made me wonder: Am I just


getting older, or is there something to this trend? I asked the Partnership’s research team for some data. They said the federal government has been hiring more young people for the past five years and will need to fill more than 50,000 entry-level jobs in the next year, which is great news for the public sector. The influx of the new


generation has no doubt brought a fresh perspective and a new set of ideas to the important work of our government. But it also has brought a sense of impatience — a desire by many young feds to quickly move up the career ladder. This is only natural, but it can be frustrating for experienced managers. Some federal leaders have shared that after hearing a young person’s desire to be a deputy secretary after a short stint on the job, they rolled their eyes, walked away, and muttered, “Whatever happened to paying your dues?”


Although this reaction is


completely understandable, the best leaders recognize that potential talent is nurtured by developing expertise, executive skills and solid judgment, along with providing constant feedback and opportunities for personal growth. Here’s some advice on how you can manage your young guns’ expectations, maximize their learning opportunities and lead them on the long path from new hire to deputy secretary:  Connect the dots between now and the future. Although entry-level jobs can be less than glamorous, they undoubtedly contribute to the agency’s mission and to an individual’s professional development. I spent the early part of my career answering phones on Capitol Hill when I really wanted to be drafting legislation. I now realize that this job allowed me to learn the issues while also teaching me patience, customer service and to be calm under pressure —


skills I frequently draw upon now. Help your folks understand that the experience and skills they’re building today will be invaluable later in their careers.  Encourage an apprenticeship mindset.


Some of my best learning has come from observing those around me. I’ve learned more about nonprofit management working at the Partnership for Public Service than I could ever learn from a set of courses or workshops — although my education has certainly come in handy. Encourage your folks to look for learning opportunities in their daily interactions with colleagues, functional experts (knowledge of the federal budgeting process is golden, for example) or senior leaders.  Reinforce lessons learned through constant feedback. Regularly sit down with your young employees to process their experience and other on-the-job learning to ensure that they’re mining the opportunities around them. Ask provocative questions about how they’re learning to be a leader based on the examples in the agency. See whether they would act differently if


confronted with similar issues to those of the leaders in your agency. Recognize that their experience will help position them to be a better leader when their time comes. How are you preparing your millennials to take on leadership opportunities? If you’re one of those up-and-comers ready to make a difference, how are you maximizing the learning opportunities you have working in federal government? Share your thoughts at fedcoach@ ourpublicservice.org. Check back Wednesday, when


I interview David Ellwood, dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government.


Visit On Leadership at views. washingtonpost.com/leadership/ fedcoach.


There are three weekly installments. Mondays: “Getting Ahead” — advice on “leading up.” Wednesdays: “View From the Top Floor” — interviews with federal leaders. Fridays: Answering questions about navigating the federal workforce terrain.


B3


KEVIN LAMARQUE/REUTERS


GOP officials supported President Bush and Vladimir Putin’s 2002 Moscow Treaty but are poised to fight similar efforts by Obama.


A change of heart? Republicans unilaterally supported Bush’s arms reduction efforts but have qualms with Obama’s forthcoming new START. Fine Print, A15


Backlog at the FBI A Justice Department report cites a backlog of forensic DNA analyses at the FBI. A15


First female to run NGA Letitia A. Long will lead the consolidation of intelligence staff at new campus. A15


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