Keith’s note: How is NASA going to achieve all of its forward-leaning diversity goals if the states where the bulk of its activities are conducted (Florida, Texas, Alabama) – and where their work force lives – seem to go out of their way to thwart the intent of these efforts? Large numbers of space industry workers run the risk of not being welcome there as they pursue the dream of exploring space. I have no answers. But I am pointing this issue out whenever I see it. According to “Anti-Trans Laws Force Engineer to Quit Job Helping NASA With Moon Missions“ published in Futurism, “As electrical engineer Robin Witt told The Stranger, Florida’s increasingly extreme anti-transgender laws left Witt, a transgender woman, no choice but to quit her job at a NASA-contracted engineering firm called ERC — a heartwrenching decision that, according to Witt, cost her a lifelong dream. … And though NASA might be putting diversity at the public center of its Artemis missions, it seems that the less-visible folks behind the Artemis rockets and other missions – one of whom, in this case, was forced to choose between their human rights and their dream role – are getting left behind.” More below

Keith’s note: small wonder that NASA fails so miserably in reaching vast portions of America when it still can’t change its own internal culture. Latest OIG report: “Despite support from Agency leaders and multiple initiatives to increase diversity, we found NASA has made little progress in increasing the representation of women and minorities in its civilian workforce or leadership ranks. Specifically, over the past decade NASA’s overall workforce demographics have stayed roughly the same, with small increases (1 or 2 percent) for some groups. Demographics have not varied significantly over the same time period at individual NASA Centers, with only two Centers increasing African American representation and other Centers making small gains in Hispanic, Asian American, and women’s representation. We also found NASA has made few gains in the percentages of women and racial and ethnic minorities in its senior levels (General Schedule 14 and 15 positions and Senior Executive Service) over the decade. At the same time, the proportion of veterans NASA hires has declined over the past 10 years, most significantly from 28 percent in 2015 to 13 percent in 2021. NASA’s lack of progress towards increasing diversity in its workforce is due to the Agency’s siloed approach to advancing DEIA. Specifically, ODEO and OCHCO have focused their efforts on meeting federal workforce reporting requirements while also working to integrate DEIA concepts into Agency culture. Moreover, NASA did not hold its leaders fully accountable for advancing DEIA efforts in their annual performance appraisals until 2021. In addition, the Agency has experienced gaps in professional development and training opportunities including programs designed to prepare employees for senior roles.” (Full report) — Update: I just deleted two bigoted anti-diversity comments. From now on you are instantly banned if you try this. I expected better from readers than this.

Keith’s note: According to NASA PAO: “Nelson named Steve Shih to serve in a new position as the agency’s first Diversity Ambassador and selected Elaine Ho as the next associate administrator for the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity at NASA Headquarters in Washington, effective immediately.” More

Federal Labor Relations Authority Invites Customer Input on Representation Issue “The Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) is inviting customer input on a significant representation issue arising in a case currently pending before the Authority: National Aeronautics & Space Administration, Goddard Space Flight Center, Wallops Island, Virginia, Case No. WA-RP-13-0052, 67 FLRA 258 (2014) (Member DuBester concurring). The Authority order granting review in pertinent part can be found here. This case […]

Union says ‘supervisory mischief’ leads to ‘robust’ bias at NASA A federal union representing NASA employees said racial “bias is robust” in a letter last week to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers (IFPTE) told OPM Director Katherine Archuleta that “NASA’s performance ratings are improperly influenced by demographic factors such that, on average, white employees are rated higher than minority employees. The […]

At many agencies, fears of an exodus, Federal Times “Among federal organizations with more than 1,000 employees, NASA’s Ames Research Center had the highest proportion of retirement-eligibles: More than one out of four of its 1,200 employees are able to retire immediately. That percentage is well above other NASA agencies. At Ames, the staff is “very energized” by its work on aeronautics and space applications, Associate Director Deborah Feng said […]

Testimony of Aerospace Industries Association President and CEO Marion Blakey “For support contractors working at NASA locations, this means they are unable to do their jobs. To compensate, larger companies are forced to encourage workers to take unplanned vacation time off or try to find other work that they can do elsewhere. Smaller firms often do not have this flexibility; in many cases September 30th marked the end of a […]

NASA Internal Memo: Planning for Potential Lapse in Appropriations “However, prudent management requires that we be prepared for all contingencies, including the possibility that a lapse could occur at the end of the month. A lapse would mean that a number of government activities would cease due to a lack of appropriated funding. It would also mean that a number of employees would be temporarily furloughed. To prepare for this […]

Keith’s note: NASA NSSC employees are getting this memo today from DOI (who does NASA payroll). Looks like it may affect other parts of NASA. Someone at NASA HQ who uses NFCU got a direct deposit but another person at NASA HQ who uses a regular bank did not. September 12, 2013 MEMORANDUM To: FPPS User Group Representatives From: Linda Y. Rihel-Todd, Chief //signed// Payroll Operations Division Subject: Correction Electronic […]

Reader note: “Today JSC started their new “9/80 flex Friday” work plan. They basically work 80 hours in 9 days, then take off every other Friday, BUT, completely out of sync with all the other NASA Centers that already had flex Fridays happening on the opposite Fridays. As a result, some folks at all Centers will have to continue to work on their scheduled flex Fridays. A little coordination on […]