Tech
Some 6,600 current and former employees impacted in a January GAO data breach
The breach, which also included some companies doing business with GAO, may further galvanize concerns about the federal government’s ability to defend itself from cyber intrusions.
Workforce
Trump’s civil service plans unsettle labor leaders at start of campaign season
Lawmakers and leaders of the American Federation of Government Employees warned that the former president represents a “threat to democracy” at the union’s annual legislative conference.
Management
The DOJ works with law enforcement to improve how deputies communicate with people who don’t speak English
A ProPublica investigation revealed how a grammatical mistake in Spanish led sheriff’s deputies in Wisconsin to wrongly blame a Nicaraguan dairy worker for his son’s death.
Management
Biden administration preps potential largest ever federal carbon-free electricity purchase
New efforts are part of an aggressive timeline for agencies to reduce their emissions.
Management
OPM to tweak draft dodging rules, delegate investigations to agencies
The federal HR agency said its new plan for investigating when a federal job applicant failed to register for the draft will give applicants a better—and faster—chance to explain themselves.
Tech
How DHS is providing security tech and cyber support for Super Bowl LVIII
The Homeland Security Department said it is “leveraging its significant technology assets and dedicated personnel” to protect the Feb. 11 matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Management
VA lacks the emergency budget modeling to prepare for health crises like COVID, GAO says
The watchdog said that the Veterans Health Administration does not have the modeling capability to predict how much supplemental funding would be needed to address a black swan event like the pandemic.
Workforce
Senate FAA bill drops ‘maximum hiring’ provision aimed at addressing staffing crisis
The bill would take several steps to tackle workforce issues that could cripple the national aviation system, but employee groups are warning they are insufficient.
Oversight
FDA repeatedly rejected safety claims made after recall of a CPAP but waited to alert the public, emails show
Philips Respironics received thousands of complaints about a dangerous defect in its breathing machines but kept them secret for years as stock prices soared.
Defense
Air Force’s pitch to retirees: Come back! No bonus or promotion, though
Service revives program to plug manning holes. But will anyone take the jobs?
Management
USPS sees some signs of a turnaround while losing $2B during recent busy season
The overall loss doubled in the first quarter of fiscal 2024, but the Postal Service doubled its profits in the part of its business that officials can control.
Oversight
Senate finance chair calls for inspector general’s ouster
Sen. Ron Wyden on Thursday urged President Biden to remove Social Security Administration Inspector General Gail Ennis after a series of controversies and allegations of whistleblower retaliation.
Oversight
No new agency needed for AI regulation, lawmakers say the existing framework can get it done
A single, overarching AI regulation package or a new AI regulatory agency is unlikely to emerge from Congress, members said.
Workforce
Want to work for the EPA? The agency is preparing for a substantial hiring push in 2024
The agency is leaning on a twin set of climate-related bills to restore its workforce.
Pay & Benefits
Crafting your perfect retirement exit strategy
These pre-retirement tasks can help ensure a smooth transition.
Pay & Benefits
Identity theft protection for OPM hack victims could extend for life under new bill
Under current law, the benefit for those whose personal information was exposed by the 2015 data breach is set to expire in 2026.
Workforce
Senate rejects border-related federal hiring surge after Republicans turn on deal
The $118 billion personnel, border security, immigration reform and foreign aid measure collapsed just days after it came together.
Management
OPM’s talent acquisition system needs better processes for managing agencies’ data
A GAO report found that OPM’s USA Staffing program lacked procedures for managing the interagency agreement data used when agencies utilized its talent acquisition system.
Tech
Contracts featuring automation and built-in security can boost agencies’ cyber defenses, VA officials say
As the federal government looks to harden its cyber resilience, officials from the Veterans Affairs Department said agencies should work to modernize outdated technologies and ensure that vendor contracts include more rigorous security standards.
Management
Cost-cutting measures will coincide with new goals to slash emissions, USPS says
The Postal Service has laid out new plans to cut its carbon footprint significantly by 2030.
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