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.
People
COVID premium pay varies across Veterans Affairs
The lack of national direction from the Department of Veterans Affairs on issuance of pandemic "premium pay" has left regional VA networks and local facilities to decide which employees get additional pay for working on the front lines of the pandemic -- and how much.
People
GAO tracks diversity in the intelligence community
Although steps have been taken to address workforce diversity, a recent report underscored gaps in strategic planning among intelligence community elements.
People
OPM rule would elevate performance in layoff decisions
The current rules for reductions in force have performance last on the list of factors to consider in the determining which employees to keep, with the type of job coming first and followed by veterans preference and service length after.
Digital Government
New bill would shed light on 'midnight regulations'
A new bill would require the Government Accountability Office to provide Congress with information about rules published during the ending days of the Trump administration.
People
OPM succession shuffle sparks Schedule F concerns
Experts worry that an executive order with the potential to politicize the civil service could do lasting damage, even if rescinded by the incoming Biden administration.
People
VA vaccine distribution will require 'Herculean effort,' says VA official
The agency is preparing to receive initial shipments of vaccines, but getting it to rural areas of the country will be a challenge.
Modernization
Pandemic spotlights the promise and weakness of government tech
Governments should not aim for "a return to the technology status quo before the pandemic," according to a new white paper by Microsoft and the Partnership for Public Service.
People
Gender pay gap persists in the federal workforce
Incomplete data on promotion by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission limit the ability of agencies to ensure equal opportunity for promotions across gender, race and ethnicity, the report says.
Cybersecurity
Prepping the cyber workforce of the future
Big picture skills like digital literacy and critical thinking are more important to building a public-sector cybersecurity workforce than small gains in federal hiring procedure, experts say.
People
House chairs seek 'full accounting' of Schedule F conversions
The lawmakers requested information about any political appointees given civil service positions and about any positions converted to the new personnel category created by President Trump.
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