Cybersecurity

Federal prison riot squads deployed to D.C.

A former union official says crisis management teams have historically been deployed for crowd control, protecting federal buildings.

Digital Government

Growing pains, successes in remote work during COVID-19

Despite plans to incrementally push workers to return to the office, federal agencies still plan on allowing some employees to continue to work remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

People

Public sector employment continues to slide

However positive signs in the May jobs report could sideline federal legislation to extend aid to local governments.

Cybersecurity

Essye Miller: The exit interview

Essye Miller, DOD's outgoing principal deputy CIO, talks about COVID, the state of the tech workforce and the hard conversations DOD has to have to prepare personnel for the future.

People

Civic tech internship programs wins Harvard innovation challenge

Steve Kelman notes the latest accomplishment for the federally focused Coding it Forward initiative.

People

AFGE urges Congress to back labor priorities in defense bill

Priorities include preserving collective bargaining rights, granting paid family leave

People

Military leaders try to walk a fine line amid protests against police violence

Defense Secretary Mark Esper and other senior officials signaled opposition to the use of active duty troops to police nationwide protests, but are running up against a commander-in-chief who appears to welcome conflict.

Modernization

Tennessee Valley Authority lays off IT staff in favor of outsourcing

The government-owned utility was "lagging" in its shift to managed services, the CIO said, and opted to go to a fully outsourced IT services plan.

People

OPM looks to its own reopening

As Capitol Region local governments are starting to phase in their own reopening plans, the Office of Personnel Management put out a detailed guide for returning its own employees to the office.

Modernization

The internal Air Force startup trying to drive mobile computing

COVID-19 and telework exposed the Air Force's lack of mobile capabilities. BESPIN is trying to change that, that one app at a time.

People

Pentagon considers reducing quarantine to 10 days

The Pentagon is considering compressing the COVID-19 quarantine period for personnel from 14 to 10 days, top officials said.

Modernization

Could personnel swaps help solve DOD's AI talent problem?

Talent and training are some of the biggest challenges in artificial intelligence strategy. But what can DOD workers learn from if they embed with private companies?

Modernization

GAO plans review of telework tech

The congressional watchdog plans to examine agency lessons learned from the rapid rollout of telework tools as part of pandemic response.

People

Pentagon readies reopening plan

The Defense Department is planning to shift from pandemic footing to more normal operations, and is using White House issued criteria on declines in reported symptoms, declines in new cases and hospital access to determine when restrictions will be lifted.

Acquisition

FLRA puts SSA judges' contract on hold

The reversal pauses of the implementation of a new contract while a lawsuit against a subcomponent of the Federal Labor Relations Authority plays out.

Modernization

COVID-19 shifts network priorities

Network infrastructure is a key to unlocking remote work in the new COVID environment, say agency CIOs.

Modernization

Federal HR offices have been slow to recover since 1990s downsizing, says MSPB

Plans for automation and other technologies to allow for individual HR employees to handle a larger workload haven't panned out.

People

House passes $3 trillion HEROES Act relief legislation

The Senate has no plans to take up the bill and White House said it would veto what it called an "partisan and ideological wishlist".

People

SSA didn't share key information with judges union, arbitrator finds

The decision comes as the Association of Administrative Law Judges is in the midst of a lawsuit against component of the Federal Labor Relations Authority.

People

White House pushes Thrift Board to back off China index investment

Citing national security and economic risks, senior officials instructed the Secretary of Labor to overturn plans by the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board to buy a fund that includes investments in China.