Volcker Alliance Features Apolitical as Key Tool for Public Servants
The Volcker Alliance, on January 12, gave a presentation along with Apolitical called Connecting Public Servants Around the World to discuss topics like upskilling in government and the value of public servants. Apolitical is a company which offers courses, articles, events, and resources to help public servants perform their best.
Biden Nominees Begin Senate Confirmation Hearings
President-elect Joe Biden is nominating new people to his cabinet as he prepares to serve as the next President of the United States. The Senate has five hearings for key officials on January 19th. The nominations are: Retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin to serve as Secretary of Defense, Janet Yellen to serve as Secretary of the Treasury, Alejandro Mayorkas to serve as Secretary of Homeland Security, Antony Blinken to serve as Secretary of State, and Avril Haines to serve as Director of National Intelligence.
Third Circuit: Federal Civilian Dual Status Technicians Not Covered under the Uniformed Services Exception to Reduced Social Security Benefits
Floyd Douglas Newton worked as a National Guard dual status technician from 1980 until 2013. A dual status military technician is a federal civilian position supporting the Selected Reserve or armed forces. Though civilians, dual status technicians are required to maintain National Guard membership, hold a particular military grade, and wear appropriate military uniform, among other requirements.
Federally Funding World-Class Scientific Research
The federal government has a long history of funding top-tier scientific research. Last week, James Heelan hosted a discussion with Nobel Laureate Dr. Andrea Ghez and National Science Foundation (NSF) Galactic Astronomy Program Director Dr. Glen Langston on the FEDtalk podcast.
Federal Professional Pay and its Impact on the Status of the Federal Veterinary Workforce
The National Association of Federal Veterinarians (NAFV) is committed to advocating for, and providing support to, the mission that Federal Veterinarians are tasked with accomplishing. This is the central function that drives our organization’s work. How that breaks down into practice takes many shapes, including keeping in tune with the status of the federal veterinary workforce and identifying its needs. Currently, the most important issue for NAFV is two-pronged. First, is the chronically high vacancy rate that is plaguing FSIS’s veterinary workforce, especially in midwestern districts. And second, which we believe is one of the factors contributing to the first, is the need for pay equity as it relates to federal veterinary professional pay.
7 Quick Productivity Tips for Getting Work Done Faster
Twenty-four hours in a day seems like a lot of time for some people, and not enough for others. Learn how to maximize your time and perform tasks more quickly.
Five Die in Capitol Insurrection, Top Security Officials Resign
As Americans watched on January 6, 2021, thousands of supporters for President Trump’s re-election campaign marched to the Capitol building in an effort to prevent Congress from certifying the Electoral College votes of the 2020 general election. The march erupted into violence as individuals stormed the Capitol, overwhelming security on the scene. Vice President Mike Pence and members of Congress were forced to evacuate as the Capitol was breached by rioters and put on lockdown.
EEOC Cancels Official Time for Union Reps Despite Heavy Pushback
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has canceled official time for union representatives across government in a rule introduced in December 2019. The EEOC, which is responsible for eliminating workplace discrimination, voted 3-2 along party lines to strip union officials from using official time to work on colleagues’ discrimination complaints.
New Federal Data Strategy Promotes Learning Data Skills at All Levels
One of the top priorities for the Federal Data Strategy team is increasing data proficiency across the federal workforce. Over the course of 2020, they made significant strides towards achieving this goal. The General Services Administration (GSA) developed a Curated Data Skills Catalog and a Data Ethics Framework in order to help federal agencies better acquire and manage data.
House Passes Bill to Increase Transparency in Agency Use of Funds
The Congressional Budget Justification Transparency Act (H.R. 22), introduced by U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL), passed the House in a 412-2 vote. This bipartisan bill would increase transparency of government funding by allowing the public to access an easy to use database with a breakdown of spending.
SEA-BGRS Relocation Practices Survey
The Senior Executives Association (SEA) and BGRS are conducting unique research regarding current U.S. Federal and Canadian government relocation policies and talent management practices to determine how effective practices are today, and how they may need to evolve for tomorrow.
"My biggest advice for you as we go into 2021!" | Seth Godin
As 2021 begins, learn what American author and dot com executive Seth Godin has to say about the New Year. Use his advice to have a strong year personally and professionally.
Federal Circuit: Removal for Performance-Based Conduct Not Limited to Performance Actions
Dr. Allen Braun worked as a research doctor at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for almost 32 years. In 2003, he became a tenured Senior Investigator for the National Institute on Deafness & Other Communication Disorders, a branch of NIH.
Are You Ready To Manage Your Workforce on January 20?
On January 20, 2021, President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States, and a new administration will assume the operation of the federal government. With the new administration, there will likely be significant changes directly impacting the lives and jobs of federal employees.
Federal Employees to Receive 1% Pay Raise in 2021
President Trump recently signed an executive order granting federal employees a 1 percent pay increase in 2021. The order does not affect locality pay rates.
OPM Issues Presidential Transition Guide for 2020 Election
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) recently released a Presidential Transition Guide to ensure the smooth transition of responsibilities between the outgoing Trump administration and the incoming Biden administration. OPM’s responsibilities during a transition include ensuring the efficient departure of current political appointees and arrival of new ones, submitting a list of presidential appointments to candidates, and making updates to the Plum Book.
An Overview of the 117th Congress
The 117th Congress was sworn in on Sunday, starting a new chapter in Congressional history. The 117th Congress is the most diverse in U.S. history, with a record number of women, racial minorities, and members of the LGBTQ community. This Congress also includes a record number of Republican women.
Bransford Scholarship for First-Generation College Students
Last year, FEEA launched the Bill Bransford First-Generation Scholarship with help from the Bransford Family and the law firm of Shaw, Bransford and Roth. We are pleased to announce this $7,500 scholarship is available again this year for first-generation college students who are the children of eligible federal employees or are federal employees themselves.*