People

AFGE looks to maximize two years of Democratic control on Capitol Hill

Although workplace safety is top of mind, the American Federation of Government Employees wants Congress to pursue action beyond the reversal of Trump workforce policies.

People

Lawmakers press OPM, CDC for vaccine allocations for federal employees

A group of Capital region Democrats want the Office of Personnel Management and the Centers for Disease Control to make the inoculation of federal employees a federal process.

People

Could Schedule F ever come back?

As it stands, future presidents could re-create Schedule F with more exemptions from the civil service, a power that the courts and the Congress have the power to change.

People

House COVID package includes 600 hours paid leave for feds

A provision from the House Oversight and Reform Committee would give feds 600 hours – or 15 weeks – of emergency paid leave to recover from COVID-19 or manage dependents whose care has been upended by the health crisis.

Digital Government

Wyden bill looks to overhaul unemployment benefit tech

The $500 million bill would pay for the Department of Labor to help develop new benefits technology capabilities to share with states and to establish a digital services team to develop and maintain the tech.

Modernization

Tech and tweets: Tanden talks policy and social media on Capitol Hill

President Biden's nominee for OMB director came under fire during her hearing for mean tweets aimed at Republican lawmakers. "I regret the language," she said.

People

FLRA defends Trump-era rule on revoking union fees

The Federal Labor Relations Authority is defending a 2020 rule in a union lawsuit – a rule opposed by the official now temporarily in charge of the agency.

Cybersecurity

House Dems look to expand TSA screeners' workplace protections

The bill would move all TSA employees into Title 5 of the U.S. Code, with pay conforming to the general schedule and collective bargaining rights.

Cybersecurity

Sen. Peters takes over HSGAC

The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee will be faced with oversight responsibilities over the SolarWinds hack, the federal government's response to the pandemic and with legislation to implement the Biden administration's priorities for the federal workforce.

Digital Government

Labor nominee says that unemployment tech needs to be updated

Lawmakers are looking to President Biden's Labor Secretary nominee Marty Walsh for help on modernizing unemployment insurance delivery, worker safety and stimulating growth in STEM jobs.

Acquisition

Labor secretary nominee comes with a long record on union issues, contracting oversight

During his time as mayor, Marty Walsh pursued actions to increase the amount of minority-, women- and veteran-owned contractors in Boston.

People

Biden clears out Trump's FSIP appointees

Federal employee groups and unions had requested that Biden remove the panel's members.

People

New bill looks to close retirement loophole for injured federal first responders

Sponsors say the legislation is needed to allow federal first responders to access their retirement benefits if they are injured on the job.

People

Paid family and medical leave for feds in new House bill

House Democrats are looking to extend federal employee benefits with new legislation.

People

Can better data improve federal hiring?

Alternative hiring assessments show promise for improving the yield of successful applicants from federal job postings.

People

TSP savers withdrew $2.9 billion under CARES Act

By the end of the program, almost 120,000 Thrift Savings Plan participants used CARES Act withdrawals.

People

House Dems call on AG nominee to protect immigration judges' union

The chairs of the Committee on Oversight and Reform and the Subcommittee on Government Operations are asking Merrick Garland to protect immigration judges ability to unionize, which was invalidated by a labor authority last year.

People

OMB lays out new COVID health and safety guidelines for feds

New safety protocols have the potential to remake physical workspaces to promote distancing during the pandemic.

People

Biden names senior OPM officials

The appointments come on the heels of executive orders in Biden's first days in office that started the rollback of much of the Trump administration's workforce policy.

People

Biden elevates DuBester to chair the FLRA

The quasi-judicial Federal Labor Relations Authority was involved in some of the most contentious wrangling between the Trump administration and federal employee unions.