White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney changed the narrative this weekend on the administration’s plan to relocate federal employees out of the nation’s capital. Originally, the proposal to move several agencies was explained for logistical reasons. This weekend, Mulvaney described it as a desire to encourage federal employees to quit their positions.

During a committee hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee held last week, federal human resource executives urged Congress not to provide agencies with new hiring authorities. The HR professionals argued these authorities complicate a process and are rarely used properly.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report Friday critiquing agencies for neglecting to implement basic cybersecurity practices despite thousands of recommendations for action. Auditors attributed the lack of security protocol to improper oversight as well as a lack of understanding on the part of agency leaders regarding the present threats.

The National Association of Postal Supervisors (NAPS) has filed suit against the Postal Service in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on behalf of 45,000 supervisors, managers, postmasters, and technical specialists in their organization who believe they are underpaid. NAPS is seeking pay increases that would be mostly retroactive, covering the period from 2016 through 2019.

To assist agencies in the push toward fully electronic record keeping, the General Services Administration (GSA) has teamed up with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to create a new market research tool to help agencies identify the vendor services that are most suitable for their records management needs.

The House of Representatives passed the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included an amendment that would block the administration’s proposed reorganization of the Office of Personnel Management. This action comes just days after lawmakers wrote to Acting OPM Director Margaret Weichert to criticize “premature” discussions of furloughs.

On Friday, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced an addition to the direct hire authority for agencies working to combat the opioid epidemic. OPM Acting Director Margaret Weichert noted this action builds on the administration's broader effort to combat the epidemic based on an executive order signed in 2017.

A group of lawmakers wrote the White House last week urging against the use of a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government for FY2020. The CR option has been floated in recent weeks due to Congress’ inability to agree on spending proposals, which has increased fears of a looming government shutdown. While some have already proposed a CR as a possible solution to appropriations battles, others fear the impact a CR will have on military readiness.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has joined a consortium that will work to establish guidelines for increasing industrial control systems (ICS) cybersecurity. The goal is to better protect U.S. pipelines from cybersecurity threats. Pipelines, particularly those that carry resources such as oil and natural gas, have become a potential target for attacks as technology develops.

The White House has updated the National AI Research and Development Strategic Plan to emphasize partnerships between the public and private sector. The National Plan was released in February to serve as a national roadmap for handling the research and development of artificial intelligence (AI). The update encourages agencies to expand public-private partnerships to advance AI.

Whistleblowers within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) testified before Congress that retaliation against whistleblowers continues to pervade the agency long after Congress passed the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act. Whistleblower and whistleblower rights groups raised concerns regarding the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection (OAWP) created under the law.

In a letter sent to the Speaker of the House and the Vice President in April but reported last week, Acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Margaret Weichert requested legislation reforming the hiring process and probationary periods for the federal workforce. Weichert’s request included legislative language Congress could use as a baseline for reforms.

Analysis by the Partnership for Public Service and the Boston Consulting Group on 2018 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government data shows that employees outside of the DC metro area struggle with lower engagement than those within the area. The report emphasizes the importance of field employee engagement and makes recommendations for management to practice better employee relations.

A newly released report from the Postal Service’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) expressed concern with the level of opioids prescribed to Postal Service employees under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) program. While other agencies have seen significant reductions in prescriptions over the last few years, the Postal Service’s prescription count is declining at a much slower pace.

A group of 128 bipartisan lawmakers has issued a letter to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert Wilkie regarding on-going negotiations with the union representing 260,000 frontline employees, the American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO (AFGE). Lawmakers expressed concerns regarding the collective bargaining rights of federal employees and adequate care for veterans.

The state of California and the Pentagon have created a cooperative agreement to better spot and tackle destructive fires. In an effort to prevent a recurrence of the deadly fires that swept California last year, the state and the Department of Defense (DOD) will be utilizing Cold War-era satellite technology and expanding drone use.

For three years, repeated tests at the Goodfellow Federal Center in St. Louis, Missouri revealed that the building had traces of dozens of hazardous substances that could damage the health of those in contact with the building. A whistleblower disclosure to the Office of Special Council now contends that the General Services Administration (GSA) failed to adequately protect and notify employees of these hazards despite years of knowledge.