In Brief

IN BRIEF

• Bias Costs a Bundle. Bias cases could net millions of dollars for women at the U.S. Information Agency and blacks at the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms. A federal appeals court upheld USIA's liability in a 19-year-old sex discrimination case. Monetary damages could go to 1,100 women in the USIA suit. Black ATF agents reached a $4.7 million settlement with their agency. On Sept. 12, a federal judge will hear written objections to the settlement, which also provides $1.2 million in attorneys fees.
• MSPB Office Under Fire. Congressional appropriators are taking aim at the Merit Systems Protection Board office of policy and evaluation. The House would defund the office and let private think tanks study the federal workforce. Senators would send the office to OPM, even though one of its key duties is to oversee the personnel agency.
• New Benefits Guide. Public Employees Roundtable has issued a new edition of its free guide, The Ins and Outs of Federal Benefits. Federal employees can order a free copy of the book by calling 800-442-6654 and providing their home address, agency and grade level. Agencies can order bulk copies of the guide for $1 each plus shipping by calling 202-927-5000.
• Public Service Award. William R. McLucas, a 19-year veteran of the Securities and Exchange Commission, was honored by the National Academy of Public Administration and the American Society for Public Administration in July with a National Public Service Award. The two organizations cited one case in which Lucas and the SEC won a settlement against a securities firm that led to 137,000 investors recovering more than $900 million.
• 8(a) Under Fire. Rep. Jan Meyers, R-Ind., has introduced a bill that would eliminate the Small Business Administration's federal contract set-asides for minority-owned companies under the 8(a) program. That program has been a prime target of House Republicans, especially since a Supreme court ruling last fall called into question the constitutionality of many federal affirmative action programs.
• Minorities, Women Gain Top Jobs. Despite recent job cuts, the percentage of women and minorities at the top levels of the federal civil service increased during fiscal 1995, the Office of Personnel Management reported last month. OPM said the percentage of women in the top three GS grades, in the SES and at other executive levels went up 6.2 percent, while the percentage of minorities rose 5.2 percent.