FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 11, 2018<\/p>\n
CONTACTS:<\/strong><\/p>\n Partnership for Public Service The Volcker Alliance PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE AND THE VOLCKER ALLIANCE ISSUE JOINT STATEMENT ON 40th ANNIVERSARY <\/strong> WASHINGTON<\/strong> \u2013 The Partnership for Public Service and the Volcker Alliance join together today to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Civil Service Reform Act and to highlight the goals and principles guiding Renewing America\u2019s Civil Service<\/a> \u2013 a joint initiative to overhaul the outdated federal service system. The two nonprofit, nonpartisan organizations, dedicated to improving government effectiveness, also offer support for initiatives announced today by the administration to address critical skill gaps in the federal workforce.<\/p>\n Partnership for Public Service President and CEO Max Stier released the following statement. decades. They enshrined the merit system principles in law to guard against corruption and established a new framework for managing federal personnel. While the merit system principles remain a bedrock, much of the framework governing hiring, pay and performance management is outdated,\u201d said Stier.<\/p>\n \u201cToday the administration announced steps to address critical skill gaps in fields such as cybersecurity, IT and STEM disciplines. While we have not seen full details, the goals of these new initiatives are consistent with the principles of Renewing America\u2019s Civil Service. The Partnership and the Volcker Alliance commend the administration for focusing on hiring and pay challenges, and for reaffirming the importance of the merit system principles. However, it is imperative that Congress and the White House work together to examine and legislatively address the full range of important civil service issues next year.\u201d<\/p>\n The Volcker Alliance President Thomas W. Ross added to Stier\u2019s sentiment with the following statement.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has been 40 years since the last meaningful civil service reform legislation. Currently, hiring practices in government are antiquated, overly burdensome and not competitive with the faster moving private sector. It is time for government to adapt to market trends,\u201d said Ross. \u201cToday\u2019s announcement by OPM shows a positive shift in how the federal government plans to address critical hiring needs. The goals outlined by OPM today appear to align with the Renewing America\u2019s Civil Service initiative.\u201d<\/p>\n The passage of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 marked the last time that Congress comprehensively addressed federal personnel management. The creation of the federal pay and classification structure dates back even further to 1949. In today\u2019s fast-paced, knowledge-based world, the federal government still operates in a decades-old civil service framework designed for a workforce that was largely clerical. The government\u2019s way of managing talent makes little sense for today\u2019s workforce, which increasingly is comprised of individuals with professional and technical skills.<\/p>\n The joint effort of the Partnership and the Volcker Alliance have resulted in a set of goals and principles for today\u2019s leaders. These goals and principles are grounded in the belief that good government starts with good people, and that the longstanding merit system principles foster political neutrality, diversity and stability of the federal workforce \u2013 all of which are essential to building and restoring the trust of the American people in their government. Inspiring public service\u2014and ensuring that the government can attract and retain top talent\u2014is a critical responsibility of our government\u2019s leaders. To read through a complete list of Renewing America\u2019s Civil Service guiding goals and principles click here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n The Partnership for Public Service and the Volcker Alliance developed these goals and principles with the assistance of an advisory panel of leaders who have had senior executive experience in both the public and private sectors:<\/p>\n During the past 17 years, the nonpartisan, nonprofit Partnership for Public Service has been dedicated to making the federal government more effective for the American people. We work across administrations to help transform the way government operates by increasing collaboration, accountability, efficiency and innovation. Visit opswebdev.wpengine.com<\/a> to learn more. Follow us on social @RPublicService<\/a> and subscribe<\/a> today to get the latest federal news, information on upcoming Partnership programs and events, and more.<\/p>\n The Volcker Alliance advances effective management of government to achieve results that matter to citizens. The nonpartisan Alliance works toward that objective by partnering with other organizations\u2014academic, business, governmental, and public interest\u2014to strengthen professional education for public service, conduct needed research on government performance, and improve the efficiency and accountability of governmental organization at the federal, state, and local levels. Visit volckeralliance.org<\/a> to learn more. Follow us on social @VolckerAlliance<\/a> and subscribe<\/a> to the Volcker Alliance newsletter for the latest news and developments. The Volcker Alliance is a 501(c)(3) organization.<\/p>\n ###<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","tags":[],"pps_publication_topics":[11950],"class_list":["post-31813","pps_press_release","type-pps_press_release","status-publish","hentry","pps_publication_topics-leadership-and-collaboration"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nOnam\u00e9 Thompson<\/a>
\n202-775-6898<\/p>\n
\nNeilia Stephens
\n646-343-0155<\/p>\n
\nOF CIVIL SERVICE REFORM ACT<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\u201cIn 1978, Congress and the president took bold steps to update civil service laws that had not been touched in<\/p>\n\n