Pay & Benefits

Most TSP portfolios stumbled in August

The only fund in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program that finished last month in the black was the G Fund, which increases at a statutorily mandated rate each month.

Management

Are we 30 days from a government shutdown?

COMMENTARY | Crunch time on the budget is pretty much here, but there are positive signs that Congress could pass a short-term budget agreement. All the pressure is on House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Oversight

FDIC needs to sharpen its cyberthreat sharing with financial institutions, OIG says

Despite recent improvements, a watchdog report claims the agency still has more it can do to make threat-sharing policies more effective. 

Workforce

Pregnant employees ruled eligible for class action discrimination lawsuit against CBP

The employees allege they were improperly forced to surrender duties upon notifying supervisors of their pregnancies.

Pay & Benefits

Biden formally announces 5.2% average pay raise for feds in 2024

The annual declaration of a national emergency preventing large automatic raises from taking effect solidifies that 0.5% of the total pay increase figure will go toward an average boost in locality pay.

Oversight

Special counsels, like the one leading the Justice Department’s investigation of Hunter Biden, are intended to be independent − but they aren’t entirely

Ensuring impartiality in the Justice Department can be difficult, as the attorney general is appointed by – and answerable to – a partisan president.

Tech

Biden administration inches ahead on 'life experiences' projects

The White House shared updates on cross-agency projects designed to improve and streamline government service delivery. 

Defense

Veterans discharged under ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ are still fighting for justice — and benefits

The military banned openly LGBTQ+ service members — and denied thousands honorable discharges, restricting their access to federal programs designed to help veterans.

Tech

The federal government's most disliked IT help desks

A survey of more than 270,000 federal employees shows DOD at the bottom when it comes to satisfaction with IT support and equipment.

Management

Coalition of unions endorses O’Malley to lead Social Security

The Federal Workers Alliance urged senators to move quickly to confirm President Biden’s nominee to run the Social Security Administration, noting that the embattled agency has been without a permanent commissioner for eight of the last 10 years.

Defense

TSA proposes allowing federal acceptance of digital IDs while future requirements are crafted

The coming rulemaking would waive REAL ID Act requirements so that federal agencies can still accept mobile driver's licenses when the law’s implementation starts in 2025.

Tech

Chinese hackers targeted government entities and thwarted recovery efforts, report says

The cybercrime group evaded remediation efforts by installing persistent backdoors and deploying “new and novel malware.”

Workforce

Pence ‘Day 1’ plan includes a telework rollback, spending freeze and ban on gender affirming care

The former vice president and Republican presidential candidate on Tuesday unveiled a laundry list of executive actions he would take immediately upon assuming office to reverse the Biden administration’s policies.

Management

Feds pre-deploy to Florida in anticipation of major hurricane

FEMA looks to manage workforce shortages as it responds to multiple crises at once.

Defense

US offers rare preview of upcoming spy-satellite launch

Officials talked about Tuesday’s launch of NROL-107 in a bid to “deter the adversary.”

Management

Taxpayer advocate highlights challenges for legit taxpayers tagged as fraudsters by the IRS

The only online remediation option for people whose tax returns have been flagged as potential identity theft is through vendor ID.me.