People
Training the diplomats of the future
The pandemic pushed much of the department's training online and the Foreign Service Institute is looking to adapt some of the lessons of virtual education for the future.
Acquisition
Details on discipline emerge as contractor vaccination deadline looms
Federal contracting firms will decide for themselves on how to manage employees who decline COVID-19 vaccinations but agencies can restrict unvaccinated workers from federal facilities.
Acquisition
White House: 'There's not a cliff here' when it comes to vaccine deadlines
For federal employees and contractors who don't hit vaccination deadlines, processes for remediation will kick in before more serious enforcement measure are taken, White House coronavirus coordinator Jeffrey Zients said.
Cybersecurity
IC leaders drill in on diversity issues at House hearing
Although there have been some gains in the representation of women and minorities in the IC workforce overall, the highest ranks are less diverse.
Acquisition
Thrift Savings Plan to launch mobile app next year
The move is part of a $3.3 billion contract to consolidate multiple service contracts at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board.
People
GAO prods OPM to review pandemic hiring
A new Government Accountability Office report says that not compiling the lessons learned from special hiring authorities could "risk significantly hindering the government's ability to recruit, hire, retain and manage its current COVID-19 pandemic workforce as well as for future pandemics or emergencies."
Digital Government
IGs look to expand investigative authority
Agency watchdogs told lawmakers that they would like authority to subpoena former federal employees, contractors and other non-governmental witnesses to give testimony in IG probes.
Modernization
Lawmakers seek probe of veterans' records requests backlog
The National Personnel Records Center is facing a backlog of 550,000 requests that built up over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.
People
FLRA faces backlogs, staffing woes
The agency has been without a general counsel for years, leaving it unable to resolve charges of unfair labor practices, but the Senate is poised to confirm new leadership.
Digital Government
A 60-year-old IRS IT system won't finish modernizing until 2030
The Internal Revenue Service's plan to modernize its key source for individual tax data has seen multiple cost and schedule changes since it started in 2009.
People
White House looks to boost federal employee union participation
The Office of Personnel Management is directed agencies to more regularly give new and longtime feds more information about their union eligibility and guidance about how to join.
Digital Government
The workforce challenge facing the IRS
Can the tax agency solve the problem of a shrinking workforce and an increasing workload?
Acquisition
How GSA is implementing the contractor vaccination mandate
The agency's Federal Acquisition Service and Public Building Service are using automated tools to send out contract modifications "by the thousands," to add the vaccination mandate said one agency official. FAS started issuing mass modifications on Oct. 8. They're issuing about 3,000 modifications per day.
Digital Government
MSPB's online appeals system is getting a revamp
The agency is modernizing its online appeals system used by feds. Accessibility needs to be a central part of that entire process, said agency officials.
Cybersecurity
How training fits into cyber workforce development
In a tight market for cyber talent, training is one way to show the workforce you've invested in them, says Jason Gray, the Department of Education's CIO and co-chair of the CIO Council's Workforce Committee.
People
Feds could see relief as Public Service Loan Forgiveness gets a reboot
The program, meant to wipe the student debt of eligible public servants, has rejected the vast majority of applications it's received.
People
OPM director talks federal recruitment with students
Kiran Ahuja talked about streamlining hiring, implementing President Biden's executive order on diversity and more at a George Mason University event.
People
Vaccine enforcement coming as soon as Nov. 9, OPM says
The Office of Personnel Management sent guidance to agencies outlining the Biden administration's discipline process for noncompliant feds on Friday.
Cybersecurity
DHS faces uphill climb with financial systems modernization
The agency made some awards on a long-delayed financial management modernization effort earlier this month, but years of work awaits the agency on establishing an enterprisewide system.
People
TSA head says more union rights coming to airport screeners
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle want the agency to resolve longstanding compensation issues for the frontline Transportation Security Administration workforce.
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