COVID 19
Pandemic unemployment fraud as high as $135B, watchdog says
The Government Accountability Office's new estimate underscores the urgency of modernizing state-based unemployment insurance systems.
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.
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.
Biden administration confirms it will mostly pause punishment of unvaccinated feds
White House issues new guidance as it appeals nationwide injunction.
USPS, USDS collaborate on new COVID-19 test website
The United States Postal Service and United States Digital Service have been working on a new website for Americans to order free, at-home rapid COVID-19 tests. The administration is confident it won't crash in meeting massive demand.
Supreme Court hearing turns to the contractor mandate
Chief Justice John Roberts invoked the federal contractor mandate – currently blocked from taking effect due to a lawsuit – at a hearing at which two separate vaccine authority cases were argued on Friday.
Appeals court deals another blow to Biden's contractor vaccine mandate
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit said in a Wednesday decision that Biden's mandate likely goes beyond authority given in the Procurement Act and denied the administration's request that an injunction in three states be lifted.
SCOTUS stays out of contractor mandate case, for now
A special expedited hearing on the authority of two federal agencies to issue nationwide vaccine mandates covering nearly 100 million Americans does not touch on the authority to modify federal contracts to require vaccines for contract employees.
Exclusive
Army Creates Single Vaccine Against All COVID & SARS Variants, Researchers Say
Within weeks, Walter Reed researchers expect to announce that human trials show success against Omicron—and even future strains.
Top House Republican pushes back on government telework
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) isn’t the only Republican lawmaker asking questions about the productivity of teleworking federal employees.
Vaccination rates tick up slightly among federal employees
The number of vaccinated feds has increased, although there are still thousands of pending exception and extension requests to the mandate.
Federal court blocks contractor vaccination mandate
A nationwide injunction from a federal court blocks the Biden administration from enforcing its vaccination mandate for the federal contract workforce.
USDA finalizes more expansive telework, remote work policies
The new policy reverses telework restrictions put in place during the Trump administration before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trade group warns of contractor workforce shortfall over vaccine mandate
A Professional Services Council (PSC) committee has forecasted potential workforce issues and billions of dollars in lost IT spend as the White House battles legal challenges to enforce a vaccine mandate for federal contractors.
White House asks agencies to delay consequences for vaccine mandate violations
Agencies have the power to decide how to discipline unvaccinated feds, but the White House is encouraging them to go beyond education, counseling and letters of reprimand until after the holidays.
White House says 90% of feds are vaccinated
The deadline for the administration’s mandate for feds to get vaccinated is here, but agencies still have to process exemption requests and go through the discipline process for anyone not in compliance.
Coast Guard completes MHS Genesis deployment
The U.S. Coast Guard has completed its rollout of the military's new commercial electronic health record system, following a long journey that was paused during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vaccine mandate, holiday travel season loom for TSA workforce
The Transportation Security Administration told FCW that it doesn't expect the upcoming deadline for feds to comply with vaccination requirements to cause disruptions.
GSA announces $150M in Federal Citizen Services Fund projects
The Technology Transformation Services is using $150 million in the American Rescue Plan to fund 14 citizen-facing digital service projects.
OPM updates decade-old telework guide
The Office of Personnel Management is asking agencies to rethink their approach to work in light of lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.
