Digital Government

Merit Board Offers Advice to Fix Reskilling Program That Hasn't Translated to Any New Job Placements

A pilot program to train some non-IT workers with technology skills has not resulted in anyone switching jobs, largely because participants would have needed to take a pay cut.

Digital Government

Trump Administration to Expand Hiring Pilot Programs in 2020

Pilot program with simpler resumes and more input from subject matter experts in assessing candidates will reach at least five additional agencies this year.

Digital Government

Trump Finalizes Pay Raise for Feds in 2020

The new pay tables are out: Federal employees will see a 2.6% increase in basic pay next year, with an average 0.5% increase in locality pay.

Digital Government

OPM Proposes Making It Easier to Rehire Former Feds

Under a new plan from the Office of Personnel Management, federal agencies would be able to rehire former federal workers at a higher pay grade than their previous job, provided they were high performers.

Digital Government

Congress Moves to Block OPM-GSA Merger

A provision in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act would first require an independent study of the challenges facing the Office of Personnel Management.

Modernization

Democratic Senators Urge Social Security to Restore Telework

Lawmakers ask the agency to reconsider its decision to end a 6-year-old pilot program, citing concerns about the burden it places on employees and productivity.

Digital Government

Lawsuit Against Working During Shutdowns Presents a Potential Catch-22

A federal judge ruled it would be too disruptive to stop agencies from forcing employees to work without pay during a lapse in appropriations, but the Trump administration on Wednesday argued the case is now moot because government is open.

Digital Government

Watchdog: Proposed OPM-GSA Merger Continues to 'Evolve' Despite Lack of Legislation

Officials have continued to examine moving portions of OPM to GSA piecemeal, and still lack documentation for the legal authority and cost benefit analyses, the inspector general said.

Digital Government

Impasses Panel Gives Rare Win to Union on Telework

Just days after the Social Security Administration announced the impending end of a long-running telework pilot program for operations staff, the panel protected employees in the Office of Hearing Operations from a similar fate.

Digital Government

The Agencies that Saw the Biggest Gains—and Losses—in Employee Happiness in 2019

Smaller agencies saw the widest swings in employee morale this year, as measured by the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.

Digital Government

Social Security Ends Telework Program for 12,000 Employees

Workers in all of the Social Security Administration’s operations components have less than two weeks to find alternate arrangements.

Digital Government

Efforts to Reform Federal Hiring Already Showing Results

Administration officials said that performing pass-fail interviews earlier in the hiring process led to a faster turnaround, better candidates and more hires from public job announcements.

Digital Government

How to Recruit the Next Generation of Feds: Better Pay, Benefits

Young people are increasingly looking for work-life balance measures like paid family leave and telework, stakeholders and experts said Wednesday.

Digital Government

Senate Appropriators Join House in Blocking OPM-GSA Merger

Senators go with Trump's latest proposal for a 2.6% civilian pay raise for 2020 but no locality increase, while the House has approved an average 3.1% raise.

Digital Government

Trump Endorses 2.6% Across the Board Pay Raise for Federal Workers

In a surprise move Friday, the president abandoned his quest for a pay freeze in 2020, although there will be no locality pay adjustment under his plan.

Digital Government

Federal HR Officials: Get Rid of Most Hiring Authorities

Officials at the Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs departments said having too many avenues for hiring a federal employee causes paralysis at agencies.

Digital Government

Survey: Five in Six HHS Employees May Consider Leaving if Telework is Restricted

Department has stripped telework provisions from its union contract, and is expected to require employees to commute at least four days per week.

Digital Government

House Passes Defense Policy Bill with Provision to Block OPM-GSA Merger

The must-pass legislation also includes amendments granting paid family leave and protecting feds’ health insurance during shutdowns.

Digital Government

House Democrats Aim to Add Paid Family Leave for Feds to Defense Policy Bill

A proposed amendment to the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act would provide all federal workers with 12 weeks of paid family leave.

Digital Government

OPM Announces New ‘Data Scientist’ Job Title

Officials hope that an "unofficial" data science marker for federal jobs could help both with recruitment of new federal workers as well as improve evidence-based policymaking and data management efforts.