Senate Passes Measure to Boost Executive Pay at VA
The Competitive Pay for Leaders in Veterans Health Care Act, S. 3084, has been passed by unanimous consent in the Senate last week. The legislation makes employees in Senior Executive Service-equivalent positions hired under a special authority created by a 2010 law eligible for a higher salary, rather than capping them at the lowest level of the Executive Schedule.
Fellows Moving Government Forward
Tune in to FEDtalk this week to hear about the fellowships bringing innovation and technology skills to government. Guests from fellowships impacting the legislative and executive branches will discuss how they bring new skills to government.
2020 Census: First Look at Toksook Bay, Alaska
Happy Census Day! Today the first enumeration took place in Toksook Bay, Alaska. Fun fact: The count begins with rural Alaskan villages in January because the frozen ground makes it easier for the federal government's door knockers to reach remote communities. The enumeration is done with pencil and paper because ink can freeze in these temperatures. Enumerators will begin with Alaska and Hawaii before continuing to “the lower 48” near March.
White House Memo Launches PEER Initiative for Injured Feds
In a memo from the White House to agency leaders on January 9, 2020, Acting Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought introduces the Protecting Employee, Enabling Reemployment (PEER) Initiative aimed at reducing work-related injuries. The initiative includes seven areas for federal agencies to focus on from now on.
EPA OIG Encourages Better Oversight of Mobile Phones
A report released Friday from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) revealed a need for the Office of Information Technology Operations (OITO) to improve oversight of mobile phones. A lack of oversight resulted in the agency being billed $12,000 over two years for unused mobile phone services.
Senate Passes DIGIT Act to Focus on Internet of Things
The Senate voted to pass the Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things (DIGIT) Act last week to establish an interagency panel to provide recommendations and a report on the internet of things. The “internet of things” refers to the growing number of connected and interconnected devices that work in consort with each other to provide services.
Learn ASL: Office signs for coworkers in American Sign Language
Communicating with a deaf coworker may seem complicated, but these workplace ASL basics will help you communicate effectively with your hard of hearing colleague.
President’s Pay Agent Releases Annual Report, New Locality Pay Area
The President’s Pay Agent has approved of a series of recommendations from the Federal Salary Council in a report released by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) last month. Among these recommendations is the creation of a new locality pay area. The report also called upon Congress to reform the federal compensation process to be more reflective of how the total compensation federal employees receive compares to the private sector.
OPM Issues Proposed Rule on Rehiring Former Feds
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued a proposed rule to allow agencies to rehire former federal employees without competition to positions at any grade level for which the individual is qualified. The prosed rule aims to provide agencies with greater flexibility to recruit former employees who have developed their skillsets outside of government back to federal service.
New FEEA Scholarship for First Generation College Students
We are pleased to announce that, thanks to the generous support of the Bill Bransford Fund and the law firm Shaw Bransford & Roth, FEEA will begin awarding a new scholarship to first generation college students who are the children of eligible federal employees or are federal employees themselves.* The award will be $7,500, with the first one to be awarded with our 2020 scholarship competition.
FMA Celebrates FY20 Funding and NDAA in the New Year
A year ago, the federal government was mired in a partial government shutdown, uncertainty, and frustration. And just a month ago, in early December 2019, the Federal Managers Association (FMA) expressed significant concerns about the costs of continuing resolutions on the federal workforce and the impact on day-to-day operations for managers. But a lot can happen in a month, and FMA is both proud and optimistic as we begin a new year.
Bill Signed into Law to Expand Grants for Early STEM Education
The bipartisan Building Blocks of STEM Act was signed into law just before the Congress’ holiday recess to encourage the National Science Foundation (NSF) to improve and expand STEM education initiatives in schools around the country. The legislation, introduced by U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), focuses on early childhood STEM education and introducing more women to computer science programs.
Preparing for 2020 with Public Employee Groups
Tune in to FEDtalk this week to hear from public employee groups about their plans for 2020. Guests from across the federal community will discuss the biggest issues of 2019 spilling into the new year, policy priorities for their organization, and important events every federal employee should look out for this year.
How many introverted types are in leadership? World Introvert Day 2020
Introverts can make great leaders. For World Introversion Day, here is a glimpse into introverted leadership around the world.
Lawmakers Reach Bipartisan Deal on Spending Bills to Avert Year End Shutdown, Grant Pay Raise
Congressional leaders announced an agreement with the White House last week to fund all federal agencies through September 2020. The funding legislation, split into two minibus bills, passed the House on Tuesday and will need to be passed in the Senate and signed by the president before Friday to avert a government shutdown.
How To Ask for Time Off
Taking time off for the holidays does not have to be tense, as long as you are prepared. Here are tips for asking for time off.
Survey Identifies Importance of Proper Workplace Culture
The Eagle Hill Consulting Federal Workplace Culture Survey, conducted through the Government Business Council (GBC), identified key opportunity areas to improve federal workforce culture and the culture’s impact on mission delivery. The report found significant misalignment between organizations’ policies and core values and sought to explore why and how that misalignment plays out in the federal workforce.
Small Business Administration Completes Successful CDM Pilot
The Small Business Administration (SBA) just completed a continuous diagnostics and mitigation (CDM) pilot program with the Department of Homeland Security to ensure data on all devices are secure.