People
Never mind the degrees – here's skills-based hiring
The Office of Personnel Management is working on a skills-based classification and qualifications policy, set to be released by the end of this fiscal year.
Digital Government
State dives deep into data
The State Department is increasingly capitalizing on advances in data analytics to inform diplomacy and funding efforts.
People
Regulations aimed at derailing a Schedule F revival proposed by OPM
An effort to insulate the federal workforce from future efforts to strip them of their removal protections could accelerate an “existential” debate over the nonpartisan civil service system, experts said.
Policy
OPM deputy defends administration's telework approach, touts ‘consensus-building’ in workforce policymaking
Rob Shriver argues the White House's calls to increase in-person work are consistent with the HR agency’s prior policies.
Policy
Biden formally announces 5.2% average pay raise for feds in 2024
The annual declaration of a national emergency preventing large automatic raises from taking effect solidifies that 0.5% of the total pay increase figure will go toward an average boost in locality pay.
Digital Government
The federal government's most disliked IT help desks
A survey of more than 270,000 federal employees shows DOD at the bottom when it comes to satisfaction with IT support and equipment.
Modernization
NBIS says it will deliver continuous monitoring for all customers by December
The National Background Investigation Services system was initially scheduled to be up and running in 2019.
People
CISA director touts hiring progress
The agency’s culture has been key to its hiring successes, Jen Easterly says.
Cybersecurity
White House cyber office has its eye on workforce data
Data on the cybersecurity workforce is fragmented and inconsistent. A top White House official is looking to change that.
Policy
Bill to alleviate federal pay compression introduced by House Dems
The Pay Compression Relief Act would effectively allow General Schedule employees to receive annual increases to both basic and locality pay, even if they have already hit the federal pay cap.
Cybersecurity
White House cyber office makes new workforce-focused hire
Daniel “Rags” Ragsdale is joining the White House Office of the National Cyber Director, following work in the private sector, Defense Department and cyber research space.
Modernization
The ‘future is at risk’ for government’s biggest civilian payroll provider, study finds
The National Finance Center — a part of the Agriculture Department — provides payroll services for over 170 agencies, but a lot of them aren’t happy with the services they’re getting.
People
Biden administration to spend $100M-plus to restore jobs or offer payments to employees improperly fired
The settlement agreement resolves an issue that arose during the Trump administration.
Digital Government
How the Agriculture Department is ‘hardwiring’ customer experience into its work
The department’s chief customer experience officer, Simchah Suveyke-Bogin, told Nextgov/FCW that her primary goal is building capacity for customer experience.
Artificial Intelligence
What will the federal government do with generative AI?
Federal employees are going to see AI tools show up in cloud-based productivity suites sooner rather than later, but it's not clear yet how the trending tech will impact public-facing digital services.
Cybersecurity
Experts warn of financial challenges and gaps in cyber implementation plan
From a crucial lack of federal funding to longstanding issues with the cyber workforce, experts told Nextgov/FCW that the new cybersecurity implementation plan features major “financial potholes.”
Cybersecurity
Lawmaker advocates 'all-of-the-above' approach to fix cyber worker shortage
The chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee’s cybersecurity panel said a greater focus on cyber education in K-12 schools could help fill the roughly 700,000 vacant cyber jobs across the country.
Ideas
Scientists’ political donations reflect polarization in academia – with implications for the public’s trust in science
The polarization of scientific and technology issues is at an all-time high.
Modernization
TSP participants sue agency over ‘botched’ recordkeeper transition
A class action lawsuit filed last week alleges that the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program repeatedly failed to pay out participants’ withdrawal and loan requests for months following the transition to a new recordkeeping vendor.
Digital Government
How DISA plans to use its workforce to combat China and global adversaries
The Defense Information Systems Agency’s Workforce 2025 framework is designed to help the agency attract and retain a workforce that “adapts to the ever-changing landscape of IT and cyberspace.”
Almost There!
Help us tailor content specifically for you: