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NTEU 245 Online News Flash . . . Keeping in Touch with You!     December 1, 2000 UNPAID OVERTIME Representatives of NTEU’s national office will be here on Wednesday December 6th from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the lunchroom to discuss the issue of unpaid overtime with all examining attorneys. ARE YOU OWED POINTS? The union is looking into whether the office has systematically failed to credit examiners the .5 point per class for rejecting an Amendment to Allege Use, apparently due to a TRAM malfunction. Please check your production reports and request retroactive credits from TMRETRO for any points that you did not receive. NTEU 245 has notified the office of this problem. SEEKING CLASS REPRESENTATIVES The Union is seeking one volunteer from each training class for the past three years to serve as a liaison between that class and the Executive Board. We have representatives from the following classes: March 1998, March 1999, February 2000, June 2000, and August 2000. The representative must be a member of the union, and non-production time will be provided for official meetings. Please see any Executive Board member for more details. FILING DATE PROBLEM Many applications filed on or near May 15, 16 and 17 were incorrectly assigned filing dates of June 15, 16 and 17. Please be aware of this potential problem while searching. The office is researching the extent of the problem and should make an announcement soon. THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN Congress recently enacted H.R.208, legislation that enables federal employees to contribute to the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) immediately after coming to work for the federal government. Previously, employees had to wait up to a year. It also allows employees to transfer money into the TSP from private 401K accounts. NTEU National lobbied heavily in support of H.R.208. MORTGAGING We would like to remind all examining attorneys that mortgaging points is grounds for termination. GS-14 CLARIFICATION In order to become certified as a GS-14 you must be at least fully successful in the element of production over the last 90 days, even if the 90 days fall within two fiscal years. MOVIE TICKETS Tickets for Sony Loews Cineplex are now available to members for $4.50. Please see Dawn Feldman in Law Office 111 for more details and to purchase tickets. HIRING Approximately 32 new attorneys will be starting Monday, December 4. An estimated 12 more will start December 18. This will increase the size of the bargaining unit to about 425 attorneys. The office wants to hire prior to a freeze being imposed in January. BROWN BAG LUNCHEON COMING SOON TO ASSIST EXAMINERS WITH AMENDED DOCKET MANAGEMENT Check fliers for time, date and place   [back to top]

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