People

DOD watchdog says DDS director didn't mistreat employees

A probe found that Defense Digital Service Brett Goldstein did condone the use of unapproved encrypted communications apps and also identified discussion among staffers about programming a script to rig an online competition.

Digital Government

Deferred maintenance takes a toll on federal infrastructure in Indian Country

The average age of health care facilities run by the Indian Health Service is more than 37 years. The agency's construction program has a need for an estimated $22 billion, an agency official told lawmakers.

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

Interior plans year-round federal firefighter workforce

The permanent federal firefighting force should help combat a longer fire season, the department says.

People

USDA looks to staff up with funding boost

The Department of Agriculture is considering how and when to bring feds back to the office, but more telework might be in the offing, the agriculture secretary said Tuesday at a budget hearing.

Cybersecurity

DHS poised to remake federal hiring in September to confront cybersecurity gap

The Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity Talent Management System has been years in the making, but officials say it will finally come online this fall.

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

New White House guidance for feds returning to the office and the future 'hybrid' federal workforce

A new OMB memo provides instructions on how to bring feds back to government offices on a large scale and asks agencies to consider long-term planning for a drastically different workplace.

Digital Government

White House: Agencies shouldn't require vaccinations or ask for employees' vaccination status

Unvaccinated individuals will still need to abide by CDC recommendations for masking and physical distancing, the new guidance says.

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.

Digital Government

Many federal websites don't meet accessibility requirements, study finds

Out of 72 government websites studied, 30% didn't meet accessibility standards, according to the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.

Acquisition

The small federal office at the heart of Biden's equity agenda

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs at the Department of Labor may not be a household name but it plays an outside part in conducting oversight of pay and hiring discrimination.

Cybersecurity

DHS expands collective bargaining for TSA airport screeners

Although the American Federation of Government Employees praised the move, the union says it is still going to press for legislation to move TSA employees into Title 5.

Digital Government

Legacy tech hindered delivery of unemployment benefits during the pandemic, IG finds

States with modernized systems were able to stand up new programs faster than states that relied on legacy technology, according to a new report from the Labor Department's internal watchdog.

People

White House seeks reopening plans from agencies

Guidance sent to agencies on Tuesday makes clear that agencies can't start phasing feds back into the workplace until they've satisfied collective bargaining requirements.

Acquisition

Biden's first budget ups cyber and tech spending; gives feds a 2.7% pay raise

The Biden administration released its $6 trillion fiscal year 2022 budget proposal on Friday, including $1.5 trillion in discretionary spending across federal agencies.

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

Lawmakers push State Department to act on harassment, discrimination

The State Department's first ever Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer has said that harassment cases go unreported because of an understanding that they wouldn't be addressed.

Digital Government

NARA seeks DOD's help in addressing records request backlog

Many records housed in a St. Louis facility are critical to veterans' benefits applications but can't be accessed remotely.

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.