Tomorrow: Confirmation Hearing for New OPM Director
President Trump’s nominee to head the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Jeff Pon, will receive a confirmation hearing tomorrow in the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC).
OSC Issues Updated Social Media Hatch Act Guidance
On February 13, 2018, the United States Office of Special Counsel released updated Hatch Act Guidance on Social Media to “help federal employees understand what the Hatch Act does and does not allow when using social media.”
Forging Ahead with Federal Leaders
On this week’s FEDtalk, host Ben Carnes will be joined by Senior Executives Association (SEA) President Bill Valdez and Federal Times’ Jessie Bur to discuss current challenges (as well as current opportunities) facing federal leaders.
Think Tank: Bring Back Congress’ Nerds
The resurrection of the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) – an “expert advisory agency that served as a think tank within Congress from 1972 to 1995, and made important contributions to shaping technology policy in the United States and abroad,” but was eliminated in 1995 – could bring about sweeping improvements to Congress’ decision-making on modernization and other emerging technological challenges, according to a new policy paper released by the R Street Institute.
Seventh Circuit: Board Theory of OSC Remedy Exhaustion Too Stringent
A Special Agent at the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms filed an Individual Right of Action appeal with the Merit Systems Protection Board, alleging that his supervisors retaliated against him after he disclosed his suspicion that another agent had improperly shot at a fleeing suspect, provided an inaccurate report of the shooting incident, and had committed perjury during the subsequent criminal trial.
The Delicate Budget Balancing Act
On the most recent FEDtalk, host Ben Carnes of Shaw Bransford & Roth was joined by a panel of budget experts to discuss the current federal funding landscape, how we got here, and whether there is any hope for a better future.
MSPB Releases FY 2017 Report
On January 19, 2018, the Merit Systems Protection Board issued its FY 2017 Annual Report, which highlighted the Board’s lack of quorum, the most “critical issue” during the past year.
Congress Signs Fourth Continuing Resolution to Delay Shutdown
Nearly three days after the government’s funding lapsed, causing the federal government to shutdown over the weekend and through much of Monday, the U.S. Senate signed another short-term continuing resolution – the fourth such resolution since the Fiscal Year began in October 2017 – that funds the government through February 8th.
New Year, New Liabilities
As the new year begins, we reflect on the past year thinking about family, friends, work, the future.
Lawmakers Call for 3% Pay Raise for Feds in 2019
Even as budget disagreements from 2017 continue to linger into the new year, conversation is already turning to next year’s budget, with President Trump’s 2019 budget proposal expected sometime next month. In light of that expected milestone, some lawmakers are hoping to get a head-start on negotiations, calling for a 3 percent pay raise for federal employees in 2019.
Not All Pay Raises Are Equal
It is fair to say those who choose to become part of the federal workforce do not do so to make a fortune.
2018 According to Federal Manager Associations
On this week’s FedTalk, host Ben Carnes will be joined by management associations representing federal employees – including the Professional Managers Association (PMA) and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) – who will discuss the ongoing federal reorganization, what managers within the federal government are experiencing ‘on the ground,’ and what challenges the organizations must prepare for in 2018.
First Week Back: The Week Ahead in Congress
With Congress returning this week after the holiday break, lawmakers again return to a full docket of business, with another looming government shutdown just ten days away.
House Passes Package of Bills to Boost Underrepresented Groups’ Participation in STEM Fields
With tumultuous negotiations over tax reform and budget proposals at least temporarily behind them, the U.S. House of Representatives concluded the legislative year by passing a package of three bills intended to boost the involvement of women, veterans, and other underrepresented groups in STEM-related occupations, including within the federal government.
In First Federal Whistleblower Retaliation Case, Fourth Circuit Explores Definition of “Rule”
While the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act (“WPEA”) protects whistleblowers from retaliation for disclosing a violation of law, rule, or regulation, the statute does not define those terms. In its first whistleblower retaliation case since Congress allowed whistleblower appellants from Board decisions to file in any U.S. Court of Appeals for a five-year trial period, the Fourth Circuit grappled with the definition of “rule” and its applicability to non-mandatory provisions.
The Surprise December Holds for Some Managers
Would you like to get something special this Holiday Season? What if you could get something that would last a whole year?
The Importance of Defending our Military
There are many reasons the all-volunteer United States military is the best-trained, most lethal force the world has ever known.
Republicans Consider Another Short-Term Spending Resolution, Democrats Vow to Oppose
Last week, on the cusp of the deadline to pass either a budget or a continuing resolution to keep the federal government operational, Congress passed a two-week continuing resolution, buying itself more time to debate and finalize the components of a final, longer-term deal.