Digital Government

House panel trims Biden's TMF ambitions

A funding bill passed out of committee on Thursday pegs $50 million for the Technology Modernization Fund – far less than the $500 million sought by the Biden administration.

People

Biden HR strategy features new agency 'talent teams'

New talent teams aimed at bettering hiring strategies are part of the Biden administration's multi-year strategy for the federal workforce, said OMB official on Tuesday.

People

VP Harris breaks tie to confirm Ahuja to lead OPM

No Republicans supported the nomination of Kiran Ahuja to lead the Office of Personnel Management.

People

Feds to get Juneteenth off as a federal holiday, starting Friday

The signing of a new law to commemorate Juneteenth as a federal holiday will give many federal employees the day off on Friday June 18.

People

Biden's OPM nominee appears headed for confirmation

A vote on the nomination of Kiran Ahuja to head the Office of Personnel Management is expected before the Senate goes into recess at the end of next week.

People

OPM finalizes 2019 proposal for re-hiring former feds

The new regulations will change current rules forcing agencies to re-hire former feds into the pay grade they were last under in government.

Cybersecurity

Tech can help, but clearance reciprocity is a policy issue

The backlog of security clearance investigations has continued to drop from a 2018 high of 725,000 to 200,000, but agencies continue to struggle with reciprocity issues.

People

CDC mask guidelines and the federal workforce

The White House-led Safer Federal Workforce Task Force is incorporating recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updates on COVID protocols into their guidance for agencies looking to accommodate vaccinated workers.

People

OPM tells agencies they may set up labor-management relation forums

A Trump executive order rolling back requirements for labor-management relations forums is under review, according to new guidance from the Office of Personnel Management.

People

GOP rep wants feds back in the office

Rep. Jody Hice, the top Republican on the House Subcommittee on Government Operations, says that recent CDC guidance on masks, vaccination and social distancing means that it's time for the federal government to move away from the emergency pandemic footing.

People

Watchdog report finds OPM didn't always alert employees of COVID cases

The Inspector General at the Office of Personnel Management found that the agency wasn't requiring mask-wearing and failed to notify employees of COVID cases during the height of the pandemic.

People

OPM extends deadline on implementing Trump-era hiring policy

The Biden administration extended the deadline for federal agencies to implement portions of a Trump-era executive order aimed putting less reliance on educational attainment in federal hiring.

People

OMB job satisfaction scores plummeted in 2020

Almost 40% of OMB survey participants choose strongly disagree when presented with the statement, "my organization's senior leaders maintain high standards for honesty and integrity."

People

OPM details pandemic emergency paid leave program

This special leave will be available through the end of the fiscal year or until the $570 million fund is exhausted, OPM documents say.

People

Federal employee job satisfaction climbed during pandemic

The survey documents the rapid change to teleworking postures in government under the COVID-19 pandemic.

People

OPM nominee plans focus on telework, IT, retirement

Kiran Ahuja, a veteran of the Office of Personnel Management, told lawmakers that she thinks that the lack of consistent leadership in the top position at OPM has taken a toll on the ability of the agency to complete longer term IT modernization projects.

People

OPM digs into the post-pandemic puzzle of remote work and locality pay

An Office of Personnel Management official said on Thursday that the office is looking into pay administration rules in terms of remote work as part of broader efforts to provide guidance for the long-term future of a more dispersed federal workforce.

People

New OPM survey heralds rethink of federal job design

The new Federal Workforce Competency Initiative looks to update definitions of skills and abilities needed to are core competencies for different jobs.

People

A blueprint to rebuild OPM

A congressionally mandated study from the National Academy for Public Administration asks lawmakers and the executive branch to help create the conditions for the Office of Personnel Management to fulfill its purpose as a strategic human capital advisor to federal agencies.

Digital Government

Biden looks to expand time off for feds to vote

An executive order issued Sunday on voting access includes a directive to the Office of Personnel Management to support federal employees looking to vote or serve as poll workers or observers during elections.