CISA Releases New Training Guide for Cyber Professionals
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a guide on Friday to help current and prospective cyber professionals chart their careers. This guide comes out amid the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)’s announcement of the launch of the Cyber Talent Management System.
Employee Group Calls for Ban on Using Salary History in Hiring Process
The DOJ Gender Equality Network (DOJ GEN) recently called on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to stop permitting hiring managers to ask for an applicant’s salary history when hiring. Last year, six Department of Justice (DOJ) employee associations wrote a letter to DOJ component leaders calling for an end to this practice, but the Justice Management Division responded, saying that the practice was justified under federal hiring regulations.
Biden Administration Announces Vaccine Requirement for Federal Employees
On Thursday afternoon, the Biden administration announced a requirement that all federal employees and contractors show proof of vaccination or submit to regular COVID-19 tests, wear masks, and physically distance from others while at work.
According to GAO Report, Agencies Must Effectively Implement Evidence Act
According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), federal managers identified a wide range of weaknesses in their ability to build and use different types of evidence.
OPM Issues Additional Guidance on Agency Reentry Plans
On July 23, 2021, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Kiran Ahuja issued guidance on telework, pay, and travel as federal employees return to their offices. This new guidance supplements a June memo released by OPM, GSA, and OMB detailing reentry plans for federal employees, as FEDmanager reported last month.
CHCO Council Back Under OPM Jurisdiction
According to an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) press release dated July 20, 2021, OPM Director Kiran Ahuja announced that the Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCO) Council’s functions will be restored to OPM, after the previous administration split the council between OPM and the General Services Administration (GSA).
U.S. and World Powers Condemn China for Malicious Cyber Activities
The United States, along with world powers like the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), condemned China for its numerous cyberattacks, specifically the attack that compromised Microsoft Exchange servers earlier this year.
Biden Moves to Fire Social Security Commissioner, Sparking Debate on For-Cause Protections for Agency Leaders
Last week, President Biden requested resignations from the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA). Deputy Commissioner David Black provided his resignation, but Commissioner Andrew Saul refused. Following this refusal, President Biden notified Saul that his employment was terminated.
The State of Government Ethics
The U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) released the results from its annual agency ethics program questionnaire for 2020.
2020 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government Rankings Released
The Partnership for Public Service and the Boston Consulting Group released their annual Best Places to Work in the Federal Government rankings, which rank the best and worst places to work in federal government based on responses to the Office of Personnel Management's annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS).
GAO Releases Accountability Framework on AI
In June 2021, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released an accountability framework on artificial intelligence (AI) for agencies to follow as they incorporate new and emerging technologies into their day-to-day operations.
Travel Restrictions Lifted for Fully Vaccinated Federal Employees
The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force, led by the White House COVID-19 Response Team, the General Services Administration (GSA), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), recently announced updates to travel guidelines for federal employees. In accordance with CDC guidelines, the government has lifted all limits on official travel for fully vaccinated federal employees- meaning those who have received their final dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least two weeks previously.
President Biden Signs EO Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in Federal Agencies
Last week, President Joe Biden signed an Executive Order on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce. The new order directs agencies on how to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility among their employees.
OPM Announces a Special FSA Enrollment Period
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) recently announced that federal employees can enroll in flexible spending accounts from now through June 30, implementing provisions of the FY 2021 spending package and the COVID-19 relief bill passed in March 2021.
Congress Declares Juneteenth a National Holiday
Last week, FEDagent reported that Congress passed legislation making June 19 a federal holiday in observance of Juneteenth. The date celebrates the arrival of Union troops in Galveston, Texas following the end of the Civil War in 1865. While two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, the date is viewed as the effective end of slavery in the United States.
White House Releases Memo Detailing Workplace Reentry for Federal Employees
The Biden administration released a memo on June 10, 2021 to facilitate the safe, effective, and efficient return of federal employees to the physical workplace given the declining threat of COVID-19. The administration lifted the 25 percent occupancy rule for federal buildings, but continues to require detailed plans from agencies regarding return-to-work initiatives prior to increasing occupancy.
OPM Releases New Rule: Former Feds Can Be Re-hired at a Higher Pay Scale
A final rule released by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on June 8, 2021 would make it easier for federal agencies to bring back former employees at a higher pay scale. Prior to the release of this rule, agencies could bring back ex-employees, but at the same pay grade they were receiving before they left federal service.
Talent Mobility Trends Survey Compares Perspectives on Post-Pandemic Relocation Strategies Across North American Public, Private Service Sectors
The Senior Executives Association (SEA) and BGRS Relocation, a global leader in employee relocation solutions for public and private sector organizations, presented data from a global relocation trends survey indicating areas for improvement for American public sector organizations seeking to attract top talent from across the country following the pandemic.