People

USCIS anticipates major furloughs

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is staring down the prospect of having to furlough almost three-fourths of its workforce.

Digital Government

Union pushes back on EPA reopening plans

As one agency tussles with employees on reopening, experts told Congress that telework and hybrid approaches will likely be a reality for months to come.

People

Oversight chief locked in tight primary

Just seven months after taking over the House Oversight Committee, Rep. Carolyn Maloney finds herself in a tight primary race against a progressive challenger in her New York City district.

People

Union's complaint against Impasses Panel to go forward

A federal labor union can go ahead with a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the composition of the Federal Services Impasses Panel, a judge ruled June 22.

People

Chairman to exit Thrift Board next week

Embattled Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board chairman Michael Kennedy will exit the agency June 30 as part of a Trump administration overhaul of the agency.

People

Some feds will see use-or-lose leave restored due to the pandemic

New regulations will allow workers designated essential during the coronavirus outbreak to have their unused leave restored.

Acquisition

Retention woes challenge government contractors

Deltek manager says pandemic highlights need for rethinking performance assessments, workplace flexibilities.

Modernization

Pandemic oversight begins to take shape

The Pandemic Response Accountability Council will look at IT challenges, safety measures and funding oversight.

People

Agencies begin slow return to the office as COVID restrictions ease

Veterans Affairs, State, Agriculture and other federal agencies are ramping up operations and bringing more workers into the office.

People

Union heads urge caution as DHS looks to resume normal operations

As the Department of Homeland Security considers the process of resuming normal operations, unions representing agency employees are calling on agency leadership to ensure that personnel have adequate resources to protect against exposure to COVID-19.

People

Landmark Supreme Court ruling extends workplace protections to LGBT employees

The ruling gives state, local and private sector workers the same civil rights protections available for years to federal employees.

Digital Government

Connolly asks IGs to review agency reopening plans

The Government Ops chairman also wants the Pentagon's watchdog to probe a civilian federal worker's death from COVID-19.

People

Federal appeals court denies union push for emergency coronavirus safety rules

The AFL-CIO had sought to force OSHA to issue an emergency temporary standard that would have addressed infectious disease in the workplace.

People

Fired State Department IG cites 'bullying' from senior officials

Steve Linick told lawmakers that he didn't know why he was dismissed from his post, but many Democrats say investigations of Secretary Mike Pompeo played a role.

Cybersecurity

Union wins court case on bargaining rules

A federal judge ruled that the Federal Labor Relations Authority went too far in enforcing new working conditions at Customs and Border Protection.

Cybersecurity

Federal prison riot squads deployed to D.C.

A former union official says crisis management teams have historically been deployed for crowd control, protecting federal buildings.

Digital Government

Growing pains, successes in remote work during COVID-19

Despite plans to incrementally push workers to return to the office, federal agencies still plan on allowing some employees to continue to work remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

People

AFGE urges Congress to back labor priorities in defense bill

Priorities include preserving collective bargaining rights, granting paid family leave

Modernization

Tennessee Valley Authority lays off IT staff in favor of outsourcing

The government-owned utility was "lagging" in its shift to managed services, the CIO said, and opted to go to a fully outsourced IT services plan.

People

OPM looks to its own reopening

As Capitol Region local governments are starting to phase in their own reopening plans, the Office of Personnel Management put out a detailed guide for returning its own employees to the office.