People

Nearly 50% of Pentagon workers still teleworking

Safety protocols would allow up to 80% on-site, but there's no rush to recall remote employees.

People

Details on federal hiring changes expected this week

Draft guidelines will detail how agencies will remove college-degree requirements and emphasize skill assessments.

People

Tax deferral plan steams ahead

Despite opposition in Congress and skepticism from employee unions, the administration is going ahead with a mandatory tax deferral scheme for federal employees and the uniformed military.

People

Delivering outcomes, building trust

Few things will derail a project as fast as a lack of focus on mission outcomes and maintaining trust.

People

OPM plans to field employee survey next week

The long-delayed Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey will kick off on Sept. 14.

People

Don't expect finished defense bill soon, Thornberry says

Rep. Mac Thornberry, the House Armed Services Committee's ranking member, said the November elections could hold up negotiations over key provisions in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act.

People

Senators push to make payroll tax deferral optional for feds, service members

Lawmakers are concerned about potential consequences of a mandatory tax deferral being rolled out by the Trump administration.

People

How DOD is updating its online education systems

As the pandemic increases the need for online learning, the Defense Department's chief management officer pushes change.

People

AFGE touts Harris veep pick

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) has a long record supporting federal union issues and looking to check the power of government and private sector tech surveillance.

People

Why DOD's diversity problem can't be solved with numbers

Janice Glover-Jones, the Defense Intelligence Agency's chief diversity, equality and inclusion officer, said that diversity has to be more than compliance and "promote inclusive behaviors."

People

Federal court dismisses union complaint about workplace 'resistance' talk

The American Federation of Government Employees had complained an Office of Special Counsel advisory was chilling federal employees' speech.

People

SecDef: 'Murder of George Floyd was a wakeup call'

Defense Secretary Mark Esper said he's heard similar stories from service members across the branches, which spurred DOD to stand up three initiatives to improve diversity and inclusion.

People

Maloney holds on to seat

The chairwoman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee appears to have won her primary after six weeks of vote counting that was complicated by a proliferation of contested absentee ballots.

People

Trump's pick to head DOD's CAPE talks management

John Whitley, the nominee to lead the critical Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation office talked with the Senate Armed Services Committee about the future of the chief management officer position.

People

Senate bill seeks oversight of telework, PPE for the federal workforce

A group of Senate Democrats is proposing legislation to create labor-management task forces inside government to review pandemic-related workforce policies.

People

Hackers target teleworking feds

A senior General Services Administration acquisition official says emerging technology can help protect infrastructure and individual users defend against attacks.

People

Senior execs group pushes OPM re-org

As part of a plan to revitalize federal employment, the Senior Executives Association is looking to take the government's top human resources official out of the political fray with a 5- to 8-year appointment.

People

Does the White House need a new risk management chief?

Recommendations from an ACT-IAC paper for the next presidential term include a chief risk management officer based at the Office of Management and Budget.

People

Mixed success for House Democrats looking to parry Trump's workforce initiatives

The proposed elimination of the Office of Personnel Management as an independent agency appears to be on hold indefinitely, but executive orders and agency relocations have altered the federal workforce landscape.

People

Culture, leadership are keys to continuing DOD telework post-COVID

Peter Ranks, the Defense Department's deputy chief information officer for information enterprise, said continued leadership on flexible telework policies were needed to create a "new normal."