People

GSA telepresence centers coming soon

The General Services Administration expects to have 15 telepresence sites – or virtual meeting rooms in federal buildings – up and running in April or May of this year, according to a senior GSA official.

Digital Government

Government shutdown: A no-win situation

As the countdown to a potential government shutdown continues, it's hard not to consider how such an event would affect the already frustrated federal workforce.

People

Valuable lessons to consider before reorganizing the federal government

The government’s experience in setting up the Homeland Security Department provides a cautionary tale for the Obama administration as it starts to reorganize the government, experts say.

People

More feds teleworking, OPM reports

More than 10 percent of eligible federal employees now telework, according to the Office of Personnel Management’s annual Status of Telework Report.

Digital Government

Government shutdown looms as lawmakers debate funding bill

At least one government agency is making plans for a government shutdown -- including employee furloughs -- and lawmakers debate whether such a shutdown is likely.

Digital Government

OPM progresses on cybersecurity workforce

The results of a governmentwide survey will be used to identify the skills necessary for cybersecurity professionals, according to the Office of Personnel Management.

People

House lawmakers want to freeze feds' pay for step increases, bonuses

Republican House members have proposed amendments to the continuing resolution bill to put new freezes on federal employees' salaries.

Digital Government

PolitiFact: Boehner 'cherry-picking' in estimate of workforce increase

According to House Speaker John Boehner, President Barack Obama has added 200,000 new federal jobs since taking office two years ago. But figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal that Boehner’s calculation is an overestimate, according to PolitiFact.com.

People

GAO updates high-risk programs list

The Government Accountability Office today updated its list of high-risk government programs, removing some programs and adding a new one.

People

Federal hiring freeze back on the table

A GOP House member recently reintroduced a bill that would place a hiring freeze on all federal agencies except the Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs departments.

People

Awaiting IT reform details, CIO launches online dialogue as first step

The Obama administration said last December that it would strive to redefine the role of agency CIOs as part of its 25-point IT management reform plan. While there has been little detail so far about how exactly the administration intends to achieve this goal, it appears that some CIOs are moving ahead.

Digital Government

Administration blasts GOP's proposed cuts for rest of 2011

The Obama administration said today that it strongly opposes the continuing resolution legislation introduced by House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers.

Digital Government

White House wants more feds in fiscal 2012

The White House's budget proposal would add about 15,000 new federal civilian employees when compared with estimates for the current fiscal year.

People

USDA's IT funding gets slight increase in budget proposal

The Agriculture Department would see a slight funding increase for its IT programs under President Barack Obama’s fiscal 2012 budget proposal.

Digital Government

GOP pushes bill to cut spending by $100 billion

Members of the House Appropriations Committee have introduced a continuing resolution that would reduce spending for the rest of this fiscal year by $100 billion compared with the president’s budget request.

People

Obama rejects calls to extend federal salary freeze

The White House included the already-enacted two-year pay freeze for federal civilian employees in its fiscal 2012 budget request but rebuffed calls to extend it to three years.

People

Young feds in government: Make of it what you will

One young fed says how much a person gains from government employment depends on what he or she makes of the experience.

People

How to grow young feds at your agency

Given all the pressures on the federal workforce, agencies will soon have to do more to keep younger employees on board.

Digital Government

GOP leader ups the ante: $100 billion in spending cuts this fiscal year

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) wants to cut $100 billion in spending for the remainder of fiscal 2011, keeping the Republicans' "Pledge to America."

Digital Government

Attacking workforce rumors: union creates 'Truth Squad'

There's a lot being said about the federal workforce these days, and some of it is just plain false. That's at least the argument being made by the American Federation of Government Employees in its new "Truth Squad" blog.