Management

As summers grow ever hotter, OSHA appears ready to protect workers

A new rule from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration could for the first time provide federal protection to heat exposure and require companies to invest in employees’ well-being during the hottest parts of the year. Many in the construction and agriculture industries are opposed, but new research shows it would help them, too.

Management

Seven agencies join forces in hopes of quickly implementing Biden's Climate Corps initiative

Many details of the program still must be sorted, though the Biden administration is promising 20,000 participants will be enrolled by the summer and receive a suite of benefits.

Workforce

A new rule may help land management temps get permanent federal gigs

The Office of Personnel Management is set to publish final regulations establishing a pathway for current and former temporary workers at land management agencies to apply for permanent posts through merit promotions procedures.

Management

State workers fear federal grants won’t reach many disadvantaged communities

Amid historic federal investment in climate and environmental initiatives, employees tasked with distributing federal grants say they are overwhelmed and don’t have the bandwidth to ensure underresourced communities get the help they need.

Oversight

Still concerned about the Dakota Access pipeline? The feds are asking for comment, 7 years later.

The controversial pipeline near Standing Rock united the climate movement. Now regulators want the public to weigh in on the project’s environmental impact.

Management

Good aims to defund White House’s climate jobs initiative in new bill

The Virginia representative offered new legislation Friday that would prevent the Biden administration from using federal appropriations to fund its planned 20,000-person climate workforce initiative.

Workforce

House Republicans want answers on agency spending on Biden’s federal climate corps

The lawmakers launched the probe in part to understand how the administration will recruit 20,000 individuals into government and other roles.

Pay & Benefits

The federal firefighter ‘pay cliff’ has been averted, for now

The 45-day continuing resolution preventing a government shutdown also includes language ensuring federal firefighters don’t lose access to recent pay increases whose funding was expected to run out this month.

Pay & Benefits

Odds of a fix for impending wildland firefighter ‘pay cliff’ improve, but complications remain

Union officials say they’ve received assurances from leadership in both the House and Senate that Congress will work to avert massive pay cuts that could kick in next month.

Management

Are the White House's zero-emission goals for federal buildings unrealistic? Yes, say some Biden administration officials

Funding concerns and renewable energy supply could hamper Biden's ambitious goals for federal agencies, though the White House maintains it is on track to meet them.

Management

FEMA rolls out climate adaptation loans for small and overlooked communities

The federal disaster relief agency has taken heat for steering past resilience funds to whiter, wealthier areas.

Pay & Benefits

Union warns at least one-third of federal wildland firefighters could walk if Congress walks off ‘pay cliff’

Officials with the National Federation of Federal Employees said Wednesday that competitors like Cal Fire and Pacific Gas and Electric are already looking to recruit federal firefighters fed up with their pay uncertainty.

Management

Biden looks to ramp up federal involvement in extreme heat response

Amid record heat waves and calls for more federal action, FEMA will host an extreme heat summit next week.

Oversight

Federal agencies often neglect U.S. territories. New legislation aims to fix that.

The bill would bolster expertise in territories as island communities face increasing threats from climate change.

Management

Proposed contractor climate change rule faces more questions from Republican lawmakers

House overseers demand a briefing from acquisition officials on the draft regulation requiring companies doing business with the federal government to report on their greenhouse gas emissions. 

Oversight

This little-known federal regulator could crack down on fraudulent carbon offsets

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is "uniquely situated" to stop carbon market manipulation.