New Year, New President, New Administration
Last week on the FEDtalk podcast, host Jason Briefel was joined by Jessica Klement, the Staff Vice President, Policy and Programs at the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE); Randy Erwin, the National President of the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE); and Chad Hooper, the Executive Director of the Professional Managers Association (PMA).
The group discussed the first week of the Biden administration and what federal employee associations have in mind for the new administration and new presidency. The group addressed questions and concerns relating to President Biden’s recent executive actions on covid-19 protocols, Schedule F, and diversity and inclusion. The guests also discussed top policy issues for the new Congress and what feds should be on the watch for.
When Jason Briefel asked the group about their thoughts on President Biden’s supportive video message to feds, Klement from NARFE noted the irony of the situation, “What a sad state of affairs we live in that this is necessary to point out. There is a refreshing tone at the beginning of this administration, a welcome change of pace.”
In the first weeks of taking office, President Biden has issued several executive actions, including many pertaining for the federal workforce. When gauging the federal workforce’s response to these actions, NFFE’s Erwin says, “A lot has been done by executive actions in recent administrations…more and more has to be undone from previous administrations. We are scrambling to digest these executive orders.”
The guests noted that changes by executive order often force the government to pivot quickly, a difficult task in many agencies that can cause confusion and delay.
As the group discussed their priorities under the Biden administration and a Democratic-controlled Congress, PMA’s Hooper said, “[PMA] is very concerned about pay parity issues, it doesn’t make sense why the civil service contributions to America and to our democracy are valued differently across sectors of government.”
You can stream the show online anytime via the Federal News Network app and listen to the FEDtalk podcast on PodcastOne and Apple Podcasts.
FEDtalk is a live talk show produced by Shaw Bransford & Roth P.C., a federal employment law firm. Bringing you the insider’s perspective from leaders in the federal community since 1993.
FEDtalk is sponsored by the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP). The FLTCIP is sponsored by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, insured by John Hancock Life & Health Insurance Company, under a group long term care insurance policy, and administered by Long Term Care Partners, LLC (doing business as FedPoint).