People

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.

People

Union complains of 'double standard' for fed and contractor vaccine mandates

The American Federation of Government employees is asking policymakers to put federal employees and contractors on the same clock when it comes to COVID-19 vaccination requirements.

People

OPM rule gives agencies more direct-hire authority for recent college grads

The new authority is being billed by the Office of Personnel Management as s one more tool for agencies to bring in young talent and fill critical talent gaps.

Acquisition

White House: 'There's not a cliff here' when it comes to vaccine deadlines

For federal employees and contractors who don't hit vaccination deadlines, processes for remediation will kick in before more serious enforcement measure are taken, White House coronavirus coordinator Jeffrey Zients said.

People

GAO prods OPM to review pandemic hiring

A new Government Accountability Office report says that not compiling the lessons learned from special hiring authorities could "risk significantly hindering the government's ability to recruit, hire, retain and manage its current COVID-19 pandemic workforce as well as for future pandemics or emergencies."

People

White House looks to boost federal employee union participation

The Office of Personnel Management is directed agencies to more regularly give new and longtime feds more information about their union eligibility and guidance about how to join.

Cybersecurity

How training fits into cyber workforce development

In a tight market for cyber talent, training is one way to show the workforce you've invested in them, says Jason Gray, the Department of Education's CIO and co-chair of the CIO Council's Workforce Committee.

People

DOD personnel now subject to 'continuous vetting'

Defense and military personnel are now a part of an automated "continuous vetting" program that will flag concerning behavior or circumstances as part of the security clearance process.

People

OPM director talks federal recruitment with students

Kiran Ahuja talked about streamlining hiring, implementing President Biden's executive order on diversity and more at a George Mason University event.

Cybersecurity

Lessons of the Cyber Reskilling Academy

The leaders who orchestrated a reskilling program meant to transform feds into cyber defense analysts have some takeaways.

People

OPM looks to modernize IT, set up revolving fund

In a report to Congress, the Office of Personnel Management said it largely agreed with a set of recommendations from the National Academy of Public Administration about the future of the HR agency.

People

Federal managers seek hard info on COVID-19 testing plans

In a letter sent to administration officials Thursday, the Government Managers Coalition flagged concerns that agencies and managers are ill-prepared to roll out the administration's COVID-19 vaccination and testing requirements for feds.

People

Reorganizing for the Biden agenda at OPM

OPM is beefing up its diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility office as part of an agency reorganization in support of a wide-ranging executive order covering the federal workforce.

People

OPM's new rules for student hiring

New rules published Tuesday by the Office of Personnel Management give agencies direct hire authority for appointing post-secondary students.

People

Kiran Ahuja's to-do list at OPM

Kiran Ahuja, the recently installed director of the Office of Personnel Management, has a host of long-standing agency issues to deal with, along with helping implement governmentwide workforce policy to combat the spread of COVID-19.

People

New OPM guidance addresses locality pay and travel costs for remote workers

A new document addresses a range of considerations for post-pandemic workforce planning in the context of current regulations.

People

OPM takes back control of CHCO Council

The move reestablishes Office of Personnel Management's central role in leading governmentwide human resources policy.

People

OPM grapples with questions about travel reimbursements for remote workers

Officials at the Office of Personnel Management are mulling the potential impacts of an increasingly dispersed federal workforce. One is the question of who foots the bill for remote workers occasionally required to come back to the office.

Cybersecurity

Federal job satisfaction continues to lag behind private sector

The annual 'Best Places to Work' report indicates that almost 60% of the federal workforce teleworked full-time during the peak lockdown period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Digital Government

House panel trims Biden's TMF ambitions

A funding bill passed out of committee on Thursday pegs $50 million for the Technology Modernization Fund – far less than the $500 million sought by the Biden administration.