And now—Principle No. 2!

OK, it’s that time again—time for the monthly Merit System Principle.

Principle No. 2—detailed on the Merit Systems Protection Board Web site—covers fair and equitable treatment, including matters of discrimination.

This principle draws on a whole bunch of laws—the Pendleton Act of 1883 (which scrapped the patronage system), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Privacy Act and even the Bill of Rights.

The main underlying idea is that personnel management decisions affecting individuals must be made on merit-based considerations—not on the basis of political affiliation, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age or handicap.

From what we have seen on this blog, we’re sure there is a certain amount of eye-rolling going on right now. If you’re cynical about how well Principle No. 2 is followed, you’ll be pleased to know that the folks at MSPB are not sitting back and doing nothing.

The board recently looked at workforce data—and federal employee perceptions of their treatment—and issued a report called Fair and Equitable Treatment: Progress Made and Challenges Remaining.

You’ll also find more details on how MSPB protects and enforces fair and equitable treatment by going to www.mspb.gov/mspm.htm.

Happy reading!