Biden Administration Releases Budget Proposal
On April 9, 2021, President Joe Biden released his administration’s FY 2022 budget proposal, which included funding increases for education, health, and the environment while keeping consistent spending levels on defense and homeland security.
OPM Launches Federal Workforce Competency Initiative to Update Competency Models
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is launching the Federal Workforce Competency Initiative (FWCI), an initiative to better understand the skills and competencies of the federal workforce including which areas are working well and which ones have room for growth.
Federal Health Insurance Plans Are ‘Essential’ During Government Shutdowns
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) released a final rule on April 2, 2021 that states federal employees will not lose their health benefits during government shutdowns. The OPM rule implements provisions within the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2020 to make certain federal health and life insurance services “essential.”
Government Accountability Project and 264 Other Groups Call for Extension of Whistleblower Protections
The Government Accountability Project (GAP), along with 264 other organizations, sent a letter to President Biden and Congressional leaders calling for increased whistleblower protections.
OPM Issues Memo Requesting that Feds Assist at Southern Border
On March 25, 2021, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued an urgent memorandum for current GS-9 to GS-15 federal employees to volunteer for 120-day details to the southern border. The number of unaccompanied children at the southern border of the United States has increased significantly since the beginning of 2021, causing the Biden administration to request additional support to care for and place the unaccompanied children.
Office of Management and Budget Reinstitutes Requirements for Strategic Planning Goals
The Biden administration announced its plans to rescind a December 2020 memo issued by the Trump administration that changed strategic planning requirements. Robert Fairweather, Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), announced in a March 24, 2021 memo that OMB is reversing the Trump-era memo that suspended requirements for agencies to set strategic planning goals as part of the annual budget process.
NAPA Releases Independent OPM Assessment
The National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) released a study report addressing the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) responsibilities toward the federal workforce and effectiveness in executing those responsibilities. As the previous administration attempted to merge OPM with other executive personnel offices, Congress directed OPM to contract with NAPA to conduct a comprehensive and independent study of the office’s functions.
FEMA Expands Response to Unaccompanied Children Entering U.S.
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to launch an effort to care for unaccompanied children who are entering the United States from the southern border.
NSCAI Issues Final Report on Expanding AI Capabilities in Federal Workforce
The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI) issued a final report on the AI capabilities of the federal workforce which set a goal for the Department of Defense (DoD) and the intelligence community to be AI-ready by 2025.
OPM Launches Special Combined Federal Campaign for Texas Storm Victims
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced in a March 11, 2021 memo that it is launching a thirty day Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) charity giving drive to assist Texans who were impacted by the winter storm in February.
OPM Instructs Agencies to Restart Union Talks to Reverse Trump-Era Orders
An Office of Personnel Management (OPM) memo dated March 5, 2021 provides instructions on how agencies should reverse course on several Trump-era workforce policies. A number of executive orders were passed in 2018 that specifically restricted union activity and made it easier for federal employees to be fired.
Call for Nominations for FY2021 Presidential Rank Awards
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced in a March 3, 2021 memo that it would be opening nominations for the FY2021 Presidential Rank Awards (PRA). The awards program was suspended in 2020 by the prior administration. The PRA is one of the most prestigious awards that can be given to a career civil servant and was established in 1978.
Bipartisan Bill Would Revitalize the State Department Workforce
The 2021 State Department Authorization Act (H.R. 1157) is a bipartisan measure that would work to revitalize the Department of State by increasing hiring, retention, and bonuses. The act aims to improve the workforce at the State Department by providing broad guidelines on how to improve the department's foreign service and civil servants.
OPM Memo States Marijuana is Not a Disqualifier for Federal Employment
A February 25, 2021 OPM memo announced that candidates for federal employment should not be barred from federal employment on the sole basis of marijuana usage.
Personnel Vetting, Suitability, Clearance, and Credentialing Efforts Move Forward
The federal government’s efforts to modernize and rationalize its workforce vetting policies and protocols continue to move forward, with actions coming at the tail end of the last administration and in the first month of the Biden administration.
Report Applauds Bright Spots in Federal Government’s COVID-19 Response
The Partnership for Public Service recently released a new report titled “Bright Spots in the Federal Government’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.” The report details 65 bright spots related to the federal government’s COVID-19 response, divided into four categories: leadership and stewardship, talent, innovation and technology, and collaboration.
Agencies Release New COVID-19 Safety Protocols
Under President Joe Biden’s January 20, 2021 executive order, federal agencies had to create new guidelines and safety protocols to follow during the COVID-19 pandemic. In accordance with the order, several agencies have already introduced formal plans that outline office safety measures and policies they plan to implement.
Ambassador Susan Rice Provides Keynote Address for Event on Forging Future of Federal Leadership
The African American Federal Executive Association, Executive Women in Government, Senior Executives Association, and Management Concepts partnered to present “It Starts with Us: Forging the Future of Federal Leadership.” The event featured Ambassador Susan Rice, current head of the White House Domestic Policy Council, as a keynote speaker and then continued with a panel discussion on the role of leaders in increasing equity, diversity, and inclusion in the federal leadership cadre of the future.