People
OPM cautions feds on marijuana use
Past marijuana use is not disqualifying for applicants to federal jobs, but ongoing use in jurisdictions where pot has been legalized or decriminalized is still off limits, OPM states.
People
Flat defense budget, cost-savings push seems likely for 2022
Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the chairman for the Senate Armed Services Committee, said military services should look for cost-savings and where reinvestments can be made.
People
Shaping post-Trump workforce policy
Democrats in Congress are considering legislation on multiple workforce fronts, including the issue of limiting the president's authority to remake the civil service via executive order.
People
Tanden's bid to lead OMB in doubt as Senate committees postpone votes
Democratic defections could hand President Biden his first rejection of a cabinet pick.
People
Kiran Ahuja tapped to lead OPM
The former Office of Personnel Management chief of staff is slated to return to lead the federal government's human resources agency.
People
AFGE looks to maximize two years of Democratic control on Capitol Hill
Although workplace safety is top of mind, the American Federation of Government Employees wants Congress to pursue action beyond the reversal of Trump workforce policies.
People
Manchin's opposition could sink OMB nominee
President Biden's pick of Neera Tanden's to head the Office of Management and Budget is in peril after a powerful centrist Democrat has announced his plan to vote no on the nomination.
People
Lawmakers press OPM, CDC for vaccine allocations for federal employees
A group of Capital region Democrats want the Office of Personnel Management and the Centers for Disease Control to make the inoculation of federal employees a federal process.
People
Could Schedule F ever come back?
As it stands, future presidents could re-create Schedule F with more exemptions from the civil service, a power that the courts and the Congress have the power to change.
People
House COVID package includes 600 hours paid leave for feds
A provision from the House Oversight and Reform Committee would give feds 600 hours – or 15 weeks – of emergency paid leave to recover from COVID-19 or manage dependents whose care has been upended by the health crisis.
People
FLRA defends Trump-era rule on revoking union fees
The Federal Labor Relations Authority is defending a 2020 rule in a union lawsuit – a rule opposed by the official now temporarily in charge of the agency.
People
DOD orders leaders to address extremism
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin directs commanding officers and supervisors to hold a "stand down" discussion on extremism in the next 60 days.
People
Small drones, training could be standard issue for service members
The Defense Department is planning to incorporate drone training for every service member as part of its counter small unmanned aerial systems strategy.
People
Senate panel approves Granholm nomination to lead DOE
Jennifer Granholm, the former governor of Michigan, is poised to become energy secretary as the agency continues to grapple with the fallout of the SolarWinds Orion hack.
People
Biden clears out Trump's FSIP appointees
Federal employee groups and unions had requested that Biden remove the panel's members.
People
Navy report looks to combat racism and sexism in the ranks
The Navy's Task Force One Navy report looks to STEM training, recruitment, grooming policies as paths to encourage diversity and inclusion.
People
Hicks talks budget and CMO duties in confirmation hearing
Kathleen Hicks, President Biden's pick to serve as deputy secretary of defense, pressed for new incentives to improve DOD's business reform efforts at her confirmation hearing.
People
New bill looks to close retirement loophole for injured federal first responders
Sponsors say the legislation is needed to allow federal first responders to access their retirement benefits if they are injured on the job.
People
State Dept. can't justify move to open cyber office, GAO finds
The Government Accountability Office says the State Department failed to justify the scope and organizational placement of a new office that was greenlighted in the final days of the Trump administration.
People