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 Office
of Personnel Management (OPM)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 11, 2005
Contact: Michael Orenstein
202-606-2402
Washington, D.C. -- Dan G. Blair, Acting Director of the
U.S. Office of Personnel Management,
convened a meeting of the Chief Human Capital Officers Council,
leading a discussion of issues ranging from hiring flexibilities
to the Council's new website.
As OPM's Acting Director, Blair assumes the role as Chair of the
Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCO) Council.
This week's full agenda was highlighted by a discussion of hiring
tools and flexibilities currently available to help federal managers
attract, recruit and hire recent college graduates, experienced
professionals, people with disabilities, and veterans, particularly
those with service-connected disabilities. .
Blair cited the Bush Administration's continued support for America's
veterans, adding that OPM will sponsor 10 events over the next few
months to support servicemen and servicewomen who want to serve
the nation in the federal civil service upon their discharge from
the military. OPM, he said, is providing agencies with information
and technical support on a "whole host of appointing authorities"
to speed the transition. .
OPM recently announced the establishment of a satellite veteran
outreach office to be located at Washington's Walter Reed Army Medical
Center. The office will help discharged servicemen and servicewomen
with transition services. In addition, agency recruiters recently
were sent to Camp Pendleton in California and the San Diego Naval
Base, and Florida's Eglin Air Force Base and MacDill Air Force Base
as part of OPM's Veteran Invitational Program (VIP). .
Blair acknowledged the critical importance of the Council's work
in fulfilling the human resources goals in the President's Management
Agenda, and said its members have "earned respect throughout the
layers of government for addressing difficult issues within the
HR community." .
Blair also praised the work of two Council subcommittees for studies
submitted for review late last year. He said OPM has established
an aggressive timetable for implementing recommendations from the
subcommittees on Leadership Development and Succession Planning,
and Employee Conduct and Poor Performers. .
"President Bush has charged us with instilling a culture of performance
and results in the federal workplace," said Blair. "The recommendations
of the Council's subcommittees represent a down payment on our efforts
to leverage this body in reforming how agencies manage their most
important asset -- people." .
Other agenda items included the ongoing work of OPM with other federal
departments to weed out the use of bogus college degrees in hiring
and promotion decisions. A CHCO Council website (www.chcoc.gov)
was unveiled and reviewed. It contains memorandum and recent documents
for use by HR professionals, as well as summaries of best-practices
in the HR community. .
- end -.
OPM oversees the federal work
force and provides the American public with up-to-date employment
information. OPM also supports U.S. agencies with personnel services
and policy leadership including staffing tools, guidance on labor-management
relations and programs to improve work force performance. .
United States Office of Personnel Management
Theodore Roosevelt Building
1900 E Street, NW, Room 5347
Washington, DC
20415-1400 Phone: (202) 606-2402
FAX: (202) 606-2264
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