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.

People

Biden repeals Schedule F, rolls back Trump-era workforce policy

An executive order also called for feds and federal contractors to receive a $15 minimum wage.

Digital Government

Biden charts governmentwide 'equity agenda'

The OMB director and the head of the Domestic Policy Council will play key roles in implementing the objectives of a new executive order, which eliminates a Trump-era purge of diversity training materials and include the creation of a new data working group .

People

White House names GSA senior leaders

The Biden-Harris administration tapped former officials to senior slots at the General Services Administration, but the nomination of an administrator is still to come.

People

For feds, mask mandate, diversity training reversal on Day 1 of Biden presidency

President Joe Biden is expected to reverse a raft of Trump-era federal workforce policy, but some executive actions will take time.

People

OPM says federal employee job satisfaction is up

Full results of the delayed Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey won't be out until the spring, according to the Office of Personnel Management, but a preliminary look at topline results suggests federal employee job satisfaction is improving.

Cybersecurity

Haines looks to restore IC workforce morale

If confirmed, Avril Haines says that one of her top priorities as the Director of National Intelligence will be "institutional" issues, like renewing public trust in the intelligence community and improving workforce morale.

People

Biden-Harris team taps DDM, OSTP director

Biden's Cabinet will be the first to include a "Presidential Science Advisor," Dr. Eric Lander, who Biden nominated to serve as OSTP director.

People

Bipartisan House bill would block Schedule F conversions

The bill is the latest of several legislative attempts to block an executive order that could remake parts of the civil service into at-will employees.

Cybersecurity

OPM urges D.C.-area feds to telework through inauguration week

The move comes as downtown Washington, D.C. is being transformed into a high security zone for the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

Acquisition

Labor Dept. official says religious exemption for some contractors won't allow discrimination

Civil rights groups caution that the rule change that allows faith-based organizations that are also federal contractors to favor their members in hiring could lead to employment discrimination.

Acquisition

DOD does away with diversity training modification for contractors

The Pentagon eliminated a class deviation that implemented the president's executive order purging diversity training across federal grants and contracts.

People

Did Trump shrink the government? Not according to the Plum Book

Despite promises to "drain the swamp," the Trump administration did little to reduce the number of political appointments, according to data in the latest iteration of the Plum Book.

People

EEOC cancels official time for union reps in discrimination complaints

The rule change will restrict the use of official time for union representatives working with complainants on discrimination charges.

Modernization

Pro-bono technologists look to help cash-strapped states struggling with legacy systems

As COVID-19 exposed vulnerabilities in state and local government IT systems, the newly formed U.S. Digital Response stepped in to help.

Acquisition

Judge halts enforcement of diversity training crackdown on contractors

A nationwide injunction blocks sections of the order that apply to contractors and grant recipients, including a hotline created for employees to report training materials.

People

Union lawsuit looks to block Schedule F

The government has until January 15 to respond to the National Treasury Employees Union's lawsuit seeking the blockage of the new employee classification.

People

Schedule F workforce plan survives funding bill

Democrats in the House and Senate urged appropriators to include a measure blocking the implementation of a workforce executive order making it possible to reclassify thousands of senior civil servants as "at will" employees, making it easier to hire and fire feds in certain key positions.