Digital Government
Senate Appropriators Join House in Blocking OPM-GSA Merger
Senators go with Trump's latest proposal for a 2.6% civilian pay raise for 2020 but no locality increase, while the House has approved an average 3.1% raise.
Digital Government
Trump Administration Seeks to Quash Lawsuit Over OPM Hack
Government says feds are not entitled to damages as hackers intended to use the personal information they gathered for spying, not identity theft or fraud.
Digital Government
White House Sees Path for Less Interference in Implementing Its Government Reorganization
Administration officials are pleased with progress so far, though most efforts are not yet implemented.
Digital Government
OPM Cuts Security Clearance Backlog in Half, But Processing Delays Spell Trouble for Pentagon
The National Background Investigations Bureau is barreling through the backlog of clearance applications as the Defense Department prepares to take over the function in October.
Digital Government
House Passes Defense Policy Bill with Provision to Block OPM-GSA Merger
The must-pass legislation also includes amendments granting paid family leave and protecting feds’ health insurance during shutdowns.
Modernization
GSA's Centers of Excellence Wants Industry Feedback on Pending OPM Effort
The General Services Administration’s Centers of Excellence effort at the Office of Personnel Management is ramping up.
Digital Government
OPM Announces New ‘Data Scientist’ Job Title
Officials hope that an "unofficial" data science marker for federal jobs could help both with recruitment of new federal workers as well as improve evidence-based policymaking and data management efforts.
Digital Government
OPM Still Lacks Legal Analysis of Proposed Merger with GSA
Lawmakers in both parties expressed outrage at the lack of documents provided to support the Trump administration’s proposal.
Digital Government
House Approves 3.1% Pay Raise and Blocks OPM Furloughs, Merger
Lawmakers dealt the Trump administration’s proposal to merge OPM and GSA another setback.
Digital Government
'People Are Crying When They Come Into Work:' Unions Protest OPM-GSA Merger
Lawmakers said they will try to amend an appropriations bill to block the acting OPM director from following through on her threat to lay off 150 agency employees.
Digital Government
Federal Employees Suing OPM Score Win in Lawsuit Over Data Hacks
Appeals court overrules district-level finding, says federal employee unions have standing to sue.
Digital Government
OPM Leader Threatens Furloughs, RIFs if Congress Doesn’t Approve GSA Merger
The administration has given lawmakers until the end of June to greenlight the merger, or else roughly 150 OPM employees could lose their jobs this fall.
Digital Government
OPM-GSA Merger Could Cause Regulatory Bottleneck, Legal Challenges
Even if Congress were to pass the Trump administration’s proposal to reorganize OPM, it could still take years before policymakers could tackle other workforce issues.
Artificial Intelligence
OPM Offers Reskilling and Workforce Tools to Agency Heads
The Office of Personnel Management wants agencies to prepare for the workforce of the future.
Digital Government
OPM Encourages Agencies to Expand Telework Amid Summer Metro Station Closures
Six Metro stations in Virginia will shut down entirely for platform repairs, beginning next week and lasting through early September.
Digital Government
Labor and Management Share Dim View of OPM-GSA Merger Proposal
Officials fear a provision that would send rulemaking authority to a non-Senate confirmed White House official an attempt to politicize the civil service.
Modernization
GSA Selects OPM for Third Centers of Excellence
Under the program, OPM will work with industry to modernize its IT infrastructure and improve the government’s tech workforce planning.
Modernization
Many Americans Want to Join Civil Service Until It’s Time to Apply
A commission on public service wants to figure out what parts of the federal hiring process deter potential employees.
Digital Government
OPM Chief to Propose Legislation for Merger With GSA By Week’s End
The Trump administration claims OPM cannot function properly without revenue from the National Background Investigations Bureau.
Digital Government