OPM Announces 2020 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey to Begin in July
In a memo to agency leaders, OPM Acting Director Michael Rigas announced the 2020 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (OPM FEVS) will begin on July 13, 2020. The survey rollout was delayed earlier in the spring as agencies were focusing on mission critical work during the coronavirus response. Rigas also announced several changes to the survey.
OPM Issues Memo on Annual Leave and Other PTO Guidance
The Office of Personnel Management issued guidance on several elements of annual leave and other paid time off (PTO) last week in a memo from Acting Director Michael Rigas to agency heads. The memo clarifies and provides additional resources for employees on annual leave “use or lose” provisions impacted by COVID-19, restoration of annual leave, compensatory time off for travel, compensatory time off for overtime, credit hours, and disabled veteran leave.
Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Launches Contract Spending Tracker Tool
The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, created under the CARES Act to oversee the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, released a tool today to track how relief packages were dispersed. The committee also released a June 2020 report on challenges agencies are facing when handling the CARES Act implementation and pandemic response.
Congress Requests IG Oversight on Agency Reopenings
House Government Operations Subcommittee Chairman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) sent letters to the Inspector General (IG) offices of 24 federal agencies requesting they develop assessment plans for reviewing their agencies’ plans for reopening. The letters criticize a lack of cooperation with oversight bodies from the Office of Management and Budget and Office of Personnel Management.
60 Minutes Covers Impact of Lack of Quorum at MSPB
This week on 60 Minutes, Norah O’Donnell and the CBS investigative team did a deep dive into the federal agency responsible for providing federal employees with appeal rights should they be disciplined, demoted, or fired: the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). Since 2017, the MSPB has lacked a quorum of board members, preventing it from fully functioning. For over a year, the board has not had any members at all.
Union Points to Problems with Emergency Leave Implementation
Federal employee unions are taking issue with procedures in place at some agencies for obtaining access to Emergency Paid Sick Leave granted to federal employees under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA). Under EPSLA, all federal employees meeting certain coronavirus-related circumstances are eligible for up to 80 hours of emergency paid sick leave starting April 1.
State Department to Begin First Phase of Returning Employees to DC Metro Area Offices
Officials at the Department of State have revealed to Federal new Network that employees will soon begin the first step in a multi-phased approach to reopening offices and resuming full operations. The agency is “closely monitoring” local conditions in the Washington, DC metro area and expects phase one of its reopening plan to begin Monday, June 15.
Smithsonian Museum Launches 'Talking About Race' Portal
Amid national conversations regarding race in the United States, the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) has launched an online portal to provide Americans with additional resources to both reflect on their own history with race and lead conversation about race. The portal provides targeted guidance for educators, parents or caregivers, and people committed to equity, as well as a multitude of resources delving into the history of race and racism.
NSA Cybersecurity Directorate Focuses on Moving Forward from COVID-19
The National Security Agency’s cybersecurity directorate is focusing on ways to protect medical research related to COVID-19 and assist critical infrastructure development that could help speed up the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. In a webcast hosted by the Intelligence National Security Alliance and reported on by FCW, NSA Deputy Director George Barnes discussed how the directorate is pivoting to meet the nation’s needs to begin moving forward from the pandemic.
VA Launches Chatbot to Help Veterans, Caregivers Access Coronavirus Answers
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has begun using a coronavirus chatbot to help veterans and caregivers find answers to questions relating to the coronavirus pandemic. The Microsoft Healthcare Bot platform was built and implemented in in less than a month for the VA and other agencies.
Postal Service to Test Daily Temperature Check Proof of Concept in Select Cities
The Postal Service is testing a daily temperature check “proof of concept” in Northern Virginia and Oklahoma City for employees reporting to work and returning from quarantine. The Postal Service has seen the impact of the pandemic as more than 5,000 postal employees are currently under quarantine and some 12,000 have returned to work following a quarantine.
OMB Officials Discuss Plan for Recalling Federal Employees
Officials at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) sat down with GovExec to discuss the plan for recalling federal employees to their offices. Officials indicate that the government will take a piecemeal approach based on different regions and agency needs.
NASA Develops Strategy for STEM Recruitment
Like the private sector, the federal government struggles to recruit talent in STEM fields. In the May 2020 Issues of Merit by the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), the MSPB highlighted NASA’s success in recruiting STEM occupations and outlined the ways in which other agencies can recruit additional STEM employees.
Merit Systems Protection Board Releases Report on State of the Federal HR Workforce
The May 2020 U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) Office of Policy and Evaluation research brief entitled the State of the Federal HR Workforce: Changes and Challenges provides an overview of how Human Resources (HR) in the federal government has evolved over the last 25 years to become a consistent high-risk area for the federal government, based on oversight assessments.
IBM, SEA Release Special Report on Measuring Management Quality, Announce Task Force on Assessing Management Quality
The Senior Executives Association announced a new task force last week to develop management assessment models for federal agencies. The task force marks the second phase of the Project on Assessing Management Quality. The first phase recently concluded with a special report on how agencies can determine if their offices are well managed.
Department of Labor Issues Guidance on FECA Claims
The Department of Labor (DOL) has issued guidance for federal employees for filing claims under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act due to the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19). All federal employees who develop COVID-19 while in performance of their federal duties are entitled to workers’ compensation coverage.
Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund Expands Hardship Assistance Program
The Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund (FEEA) has expanded their Coronavirus Hardship Program to provide additional relief to families experiencing financial hardship due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation.
IRS Recalls Over 10,000 Employees to Perform ‘Mission-Critical’ Work
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) called for some 11,000 employees to voluntarily return to their offices to perform “mission-critical” functions while adhering to CDC recommended guidelines for utilizing face coverings and maintaining social distancing. The service’s requirement for face coverings, but limited ability to provide them, has stoked concern among some stakeholders.