Pay & Benefits

The ‘future is at risk’ for government’s biggest civilian payroll provider, study finds

The National Finance Center — a part of the Agriculture Department — provides payroll services for over 170 agencies, but a lot of them aren’t happy with the services they’re getting.

Tech

IRS seeks states’ input on its direct file pilot

States have until Sept. 4 to tell the IRS if they’re interested in participating.

Tech

What will the federal government do with generative AI?

Federal employees are going to see AI tools show up in cloud-based productivity suites sooner rather than later, but it's not clear yet how the trending tech will impact public-facing digital services.

Oversight

Senate Appropriations Committee looks to claw back TMF funding

Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan. — an original backer of the law that created the Technology Modernization Fund — called the move a “mistake.”

Tech

CDC rolls out new COVID-19 website

The reworked COVID-19 website is part of a larger push to make the public health agency’s web presence easier to navigate, with plans to relaunch CDC.gov early next year.

Oversight

Want to track pandemic relief spending? Data problems make that difficult, committee says

“These challenges limit the degree of transparency into the use of pandemic relief funds,” a new report from the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee says.

Management

The White House promotes success stories in the government’s customer experience push

Filling out forms to recertify for disability insurance is “more frightening than cancer,” one beneficiary said. The Social Security Administration is trying to make it easier.

Tech

How some agencies used tech to decrease improper payments

Governmentwide, improper payments are up relative to fiscal year 2020. But digital tools — alongside other management tactics — enabled some agencies to find reductions.

Management

Is government culture stifling customer experience innovation?

Risk aversion among government managers is blocking needed improvements to key programs, according to a recent white paper.

Management

Government has a policy over people problem, civic tech leader argues

In a new book, Code for America founder Jennifer Pahlka argues that government implementers need more authority to avoid becoming risk-averse compliance agents.

Tech

The Library of Congress is Looking for the Next Oregon Trail Game

Video game developers can win up to $20,000 as part of a new video game contest from the Library of Congress meant to inspire civics-related games.

Management

Budget and Tech Challenges Loom Over IRS's Direct File Pilot

The news of the forthcoming pilot was followed this week by a compromise debt ceiling bill that includes reallocating $20 billion of the funding the IRS got as part of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Management

Lawmakers Have Questions About Online Passport Renewal

Members of Congress are hearing it from constituents on long waits to renew passports and want more info about an online option.

Workforce

EEOC Alerts Employers to AI Discrimination Risks

The agency explains how existing civil rights protections apply to artificial intelligence applications in the workplace.

Oversight

Republicans' Unemployment Fraud Bill Passes House, Gets Senate Version

The bill’s passage in the House fell one day after the indictment of one of its cosponsors – Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y. – for unemployment fraud.

Tech

The White House Has Questions About AI Surveillance in the Workplace

The request for information is the latest in the administration's work on AI. Last week, four enforcement agencies released a joint letter pledging to enforce anti-discrimination laws in the AI arena.

Management

OPM Has a Plan to Upgrade Federal Employee Data

The Office of Personnel Management released a new data strategy on Wednesday with a slew of data-related goals, including the creation of a "360-view" of federal employees across the employee lifecycle.

Management

The National Park Service Considers a Digital Park Pass

Making a digital option for the American the Beautiful pass series that would live on mobile phone wallets is a goal shared by Sens. Steve Daines, R-Mont., and Angus King, I-Maine, who introduced a bill that would require digital passes in February.

Tech

Planned Login-dot-gov Deployment at IRS is Postponed

The decision comes after concerns about implementing the sign-on service during tax season.

Tech

IRS Taxpayer Advocate Says Congress Shortchanged IT Modernization Efforts

Lawmakers didn’t allocate the $80 billion provided to the IRS in the right way, claims National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins, adding that IT modernization and taxpayer services aren’t getting the money they need.