Workforce

OPM announces new 'safe leave' for domestic violence victims

Federal workers may now take paid leave to address issues related to their or a family member’s safety or to recover from domestic violence, abuse or harassment, under new guidance from the government’s dedicated HR agency.

Defense

Kill the zombie Space National Guard idea

COMMENTARY | Guardsmen in space-related jobs belong in the Space Force.

Management

Congress is already clashing on FY25 funding as House proposes big cuts

Republicans are looking to ignore a deal Biden struck with them last year, while Democrats are seeking increases for federal agencies.

Management

The Biden administration seeks to speed up some asylum cases with a new immigration docket

Homeland Security and DOJ announced a similar process in 2021 where a dedicated docket applied to migrant families that arrived between ports of entry at the Southwest border.

Oversight

ICE might be incorrectly measuring its resources needs, GAO says

A new GAO report found that the office responsible for managing ICE’s budget had a staff vacancy rate of 25% in fiscal 2023.

Workforce

TSA and AFGE ink their first contract under expanded collective bargaining rules

After two decades of abridged or no collective bargaining rights, frontline Transportation Security Administration finally enjoy similar rights to their colleagues elsewhere in government.

Pay & Benefits

Mixed reactions to Medicare Part D in the FEHB

It's been almost five months since Part D was incorporated into many Federal Employees Health Benefit plans. How is it being received?

News

A pair of government transparency-friendly bills are headed for the House floor

One measure aims to improve the process for agencies to transfer excess office supplies and other items to another agency.

Oversight

FDIC's chairman faces bipartisan criticism following a report about the agency’s toxic culture

Many House Financial Services Committee Democrats expressed doubt about FDIC Chairman Gruenberg’s ability to make workplace culture changes across the agency.

Management

White House procurement office marks 50 years

The Office of Federal Procurement Policy has evolved since its inception to ensure the government is “buying as one,” as demonstrated in a new circular on acquisition data and information issued Tuesday.

Workforce

FAA will soon be able to hire thousands of new staff as reauthorization bill heads to Biden’s desk

The agency is hopeful the hiring spree will mitigate flight delays, employee fatigue and near accidents at airports.

Workforce

As one telework reform measure advances, another is delayed

A measure that would codify remote work in the U.S. Code and improve telework data reporting advanced by a 9-2 margin in Senate committee, but consideration of another bill aimed at improving telework data was postponed.

Workforce

‘We are more complicit:’ Biden’s Israel policies spur feds to protest at the White House

A group of federal employees say their knowledge and access force them to speak out against the administration's position in the Israel-Gaza war.

Defense

House-passed bill would bring parental leave parity to Coast Guard reservists

Members of the Coast Guard reserve currently don’t get the same parental leave benefits as reservists for other armed forces.

Pay & Benefits

Health Savings Account contribution limits to rise in 2025

Federal employees looking for ways to save on out-of-pocket healthcare costs might benefit from using a high deductible health plan with an HSA.

Management

Feds open the door to $2B in Northeast Corridor rail improvements

The grant applications come as President Joe Biden, a longtime railroad fan, wraps up his first term and Amtrak ridership rapidly rebounds from pandemic-era lows.

Management

NASA names its first head of AI

David Salvagnini will take on new roles as the agency’s chief AI officer, helping usher more cohesive AI programming across the space agency.

Workforce

VA’s AI model to prevent suicides is a 'game changer,' official says

The REACH-VET program identifies roughly 6,700 retired servicemembers per month, according to a top lawmaker.

Oversight

An inspector general warned the Justice Department of gaps in its security clearance appeals process

The department and its component agencies have failed to implement a provision of the 2014 Intelligence Authorization Act guaranteeing federal employees of the right to appeal lengthy security clearance suspensions.