Federal Government

Question 1

The Civil Service Reform Act (1978)

Answer 1

Eliminated US Civil Service Commission and created three new agencies:

• Office of Personnel Management (OPM) - executive branch’s HR department.
• Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) - Prohibits consideration of marital status, political activity, or political affiliation in dealing with federal civilian employees. Also created office of Special Counsel, which accepts employee compaints and investigates and resolves them
• The Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) - enforces federal civilian employee rights to form unions and bargain with their agencies. Establishes standards of behavior for Union officers and these standards are enforced by the Office of Labor-Management Standards in the US Department of Labor

Question 2

The Congressional Accountability Act (1995)

Answer 2

Required legislative branch to follow 12 specific laws that it had previously been exempt from:

• ADA
• Age Discrimination
• Polygraph Protection
• Federal Service Labor Management Relations Statute
• Rehabilitation Act
• Civil Rights Act
• Fair Labor Standards Act
• Family and Medical Leave Act
• OSHA
• Veterans Employment Opportunities Act
• Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN)

Question 3

The False Claims Act (1863)

Answer 3

the “Lincoln Law”

• Can’t make and use false records to get claims paid after selling defective food and arms to US Military.
• Can’t sell the government goods that are known to be defective
• DO NOT CREATE FICTICIOUS RECORDS!

Question 4

The Homeland Security Act (2002)

Answer 4

• Created Homeland Security after 9/11.
• Consolidated all border protections under that agency
• E-verify system (I-9’s) is housed at Homeland

Question 5

The Privacy Act (1974)

Answer 5

• Requires government to make known all of it’s data and information collection and storage activities and must provide copies of pertinent records to citizens when requested
• Exemptions include law enforcement, congressional investigations, census use, “Archival purposes,” and other administrative purposes.

Question 6

The USA Patriot Act (2001)

Answer 6

• Gives the government authority to intercept wire, oral, and electronic communications relating to terrorism, computer fraud, and abuse offenses.
• Info can be shared in the interest of law enforcement
• Government may ask HR departments for info on “lone wolves,” people that are considered terrorists or may be affiliated with a terrorist organization.