People

Impeachment witnesses talk public service

Four former government officials who played key roles in the first impeachment of former president Donald Trump discussed their experiences during a Public Service Recognition Week event.

People

House Dems, unions pitch plan to reclassify TSA screeners

So far, Republicans haven't signed on to a plan to alter the agency's unique personnel situation. Some experts caution that there are untended consequences from a move to put TSA officers under Title 5.

Digital Government

Lawmakers look to strengthen whistleblower protections

The bill would extend whistleblower protections to non-career employees in the Senior Executive Service, Public Health Service employees, and the commissioned officer corps at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Acquisition

This year's Sammies includes a special COVID response category

Partnership for Public Service announced the 29 finalists for its annual Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals.

People

OMB job satisfaction scores plummeted in 2020

Almost 40% of OMB survey participants choose strongly disagree when presented with the statement, "my organization's senior leaders maintain high standards for honesty and integrity."

People

OPM details pandemic emergency paid leave program

This special leave will be available through the end of the fiscal year or until the $570 million fund is exhausted, OPM documents say.

Modernization

$2.1 billion in UI modernization comes with oversight

Labor Secretary Marty Walsh told a panel of House Appropriators that the agency's planned $2.1 billion investment in state unemployment systems needs oversight and monitoring, and metrics for measuring success.

Acquisition

Biden orders $15 minimum wage for federal contractors

The new minimum wage is set to take effect in early 2022. Agencies will have to include the $15 wage floor in any new contract solicitations starting on January 30, 2022 and have this minimum wage in new contracts by March 30, 2022.

People

Federal employee job satisfaction climbed during pandemic

The survey documents the rapid change to teleworking postures in government under the COVID-19 pandemic.

People

Union touts productivity gains from telework

Feds overwhelmingly want to keep the ability to telework additional days each week, according to the results of a survey released by the National Treasury Employees Union.

People

OPM nominee plans focus on telework, IT, retirement

Kiran Ahuja, a veteran of the Office of Personnel Management, told lawmakers that she thinks that the lack of consistent leadership in the top position at OPM has taken a toll on the ability of the agency to complete longer term IT modernization projects.

Digital Government

Lawmakers mull changes to federal climate data sharing

Multiple federal science agencies produce data on climate risks, but some experts say that the current information-sharing structure is fragmented and often confusing.

People

AFGE presses Congress to oppose pay and hiring flexibilities for NSF

The measure, which would expand the hiring authorities of the director of the National Science Foundation, "bears a striking resemblance" to Schedule F, said AFGE national president Everett Kelley.

Digital Government

House Dems back bill to put guardrails around IGs

The proposal would limit the power of the president to remove inspectors general to for cause reasons and outline exactly who can serve as an acting IG.

Digital Government

Senate bill would give feds paid family and medical leave

The bill, introduced by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), picks up on efforts in the House to expand paid leave for feds championed by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.).

Digital Government

Lawmakers talk agency performance plans, TMF

During a hearing before a subcommittee of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, agency officials and lawmakers talked about the potential difficulties posed by TMF repayment requirements when some modernization efforts don’t result in easily quantifiable cost savings.

People

OPM digs into the post-pandemic puzzle of remote work and locality pay

An Office of Personnel Management official said on Thursday that the office is looking into pay administration rules in terms of remote work as part of broader efforts to provide guidance for the long-term future of a more dispersed federal workforce.

People

Now hiring for next set of Presidential Innovation Fellows

Originally a brainchild of the Obama-Biden tech office, the Presidential Innovation Fellows program is now looking for its eighth cohort of in-house federal tech innovators. How has it changed, and what lessons might the program offer for recruiting top tech talent into the government?

Modernization

House Oversight presses for details on TMF repayment plans

A group of House Democrats is asking administrators of the revolving Technology Modernization Fund how they will make sure its payback mechanisms don't "atrophy" after the massive surge in money from the American Rescue Plan.

People

New OPM survey heralds rethink of federal job design

The new Federal Workforce Competency Initiative looks to update definitions of skills and abilities needed to are core competencies for different jobs.