Pay & Benefits
Slam the Scam, again
Some tips for avoiding scams and resources for help if you become victim to a scam artist.
Oversight
House Dems ask OSHA to respond to reports that state agencies tipped off employers
“If these allegations are true, it means that our federal funds, meant to ensure safe and fair workplaces, might be enabling exactly the opposite," wrote two lawmakers in a letter to Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su on Tuesday.
Oversight
GOP lawmakers raise concerns over DHS report redactions, OIG cooperation
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., pressed the Homeland Security secretary in a letter to explain why the department has redacted information in some of its reports to Congress and has allegedly restricted its inspector general’s access.
Management
GSA will update its property management regulations to reflect gender inclusive pronouns
The agency previously adopted similar updates to regulations governing federal travel earlier this year.
Workforce
Americans mostly like federal agencies, but there’s a partisan gap
A research nonprofit found that Republicans surveyed were more likely to have more negative views of several agencies than in the past.
Oversight
LGBTQ+ asylum seekers detail harsh conditions and abuse in ICE custody
A new study found that the majority of LGBTQ+ detainees interviewed experienced harassment while being detained.
Oversight
Watchdog urges OMB to prioritize implementation of anti-fraud recommendations
GAO updated the budget agency on the 172 recommendations that it has not completed.
Pay & Benefits
Feds in Iraq will continue to receive special premium pay, OPM says
Due to an ongoing national emergency in the country dating back to the 2003 war, civilian employees in Iraq will be able to waive the premium pay cap through December, according to a recent memo from the HR agency.
Workforce
A gender equity group is urging ‘strict and specific’ sexual misconduct reform for the federal workforce
The Department of Justice Gender Equality Network said its employer could serve as a model, following the creation of a sexual misconduct response system at the department last year.
Management
EEOC averts the threat of a one-day furlough
Chair Charlotte Burrows said in a statement that the agency found enough savings to avoid furloughing employees on Aug. 30.
Management
Trump assassination attempt laid bare long-standing vulnerabilities in the Secret Service
A Spotlight PA, ProPublica and Butler Eagle investigation found the process for securing campaign events was susceptible to attack for years.
Management
VA hopes new antifraud tools will help veterans identify, report common scams
Veterans lost $350 million in scams targeting former service members in 2023, according to a government report.
Tech
Cars that talk: Feds announce plan to accelerate connected vehicle deployment
The Transportation Department aims to have vehicle-to-everything tech deployed nationwide by 2036, and said it will offer grants and support to help states get there.
Tech
CISA, FBI assert election infrastructure’s fortitude despite ransomware threat
Both organizations aim to instill confidence in U.S. voting infrastructure ahead of the 2024 elections.
Pay & Benefits
GSA: Per diem rates for federal workers will increase this fall
The amount of money federal agencies will reimburse employees for traveling expenses will increase for both lodging and for meals and incidentals beginning in October.
Management
GSA awards contract for $524M CISA headquarters
The agency will leverage its largest Inflation Reduction Act-funded project to date to help construct a 630,000-square-foot building for the cybersecurity agency at the St. Elizabeths West Campus.
Management
Several House Democrats urge USPS to implement heat safety protections for workers
The Biden administration in July issued a proposed rule to protect employees working in extreme heat, but more than 70 members of Congress want the USPS to implement those protections before the rule goes into effect.
Workforce
VIDEO: Hatch Act rules for federal employees, explained
The Hatch Act restricts the political activities of federal workers.
Workforce
EEOC withdraws Trump-era proposal cancelling official time for unions reps
The commission controversially approved the idea on a party-line vote just days before President Biden’s inauguration but was caught up in a review of late Trump-era "midnight regulations."
Workforce