Preselection Coupled With Service Discrimination Violates USERRA, Rules Federal Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit described the litigation of a case it adjudicated on May 14, 2021 as “the decade-long journey of a hard-working man who served his country honorably, only to face workplace discrimination on the basis of that service.”
Future of the Federal Financial Management Workforce
Take agile government principles, add strategic foresight, shake with CPAs, and you get a vision from the Chief Financial Officers Council to build a federal financial management (FM) workforce and the “CFO of the Future Now- The 2030 Plan.”
Alarm Raised About Mischaracterization of Enterprise Risk Management
An increasing trend of conflating risk management and enterprise risk management (ERM) in government has drawn the attention of the Association for Federal Enterprise Risk Management (AFERM), whose board of directors issued a warning statement last week.
House Committee Clears Good Government Bills Impacting Feds, Postal Employees
During a business meeting on Thursday, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform advanced six ‘good government’ bills. The legislation includes four federal workforce and government oversight packages and two items specific to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).
Wanted: Federal Managers with High EQs
In today’s tumultuous political environment, federal managers need to leverage every aspect of their skillset in order to succeed on the job. The issues, questions and challenges facing the federal community and federal managers seem to become more complex, varied, and dynamic by the day. Government agencies and successful companies are increasingly seeking more people with high emotional intelligence (EQ).
New FEMA head on the disasters the organization is managing
Listen to the first female Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell discuss a number of disasters that she is overseeing in her leadership role. Projects include managing the gas supply disruption, COVID-19 vaccine distribution, immigrants at the southern border, and much more.
Federal Employees Incentivized to Pursue Post-Secondary Education
On May 7, 2021, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) released a memo which announced that federal employees would receive reduced tuition rates at six different university programs if they choose to pursue post-secondary education.
OPM Extends Deadline on Hiring Guidance for Agencies
A May 7, 2021 memo from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) extends the deadline for agency heads to develop agency assessment strategies that rely on more than just educational qualifications and applicant self-assessments when making hiring decisions.
House Democrats Push for TSA Screeners to Receive Title 5 Employment Protections
In a House Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Marine Security hearing on May 4, Democrats urged their colleagues to support legislation that would extend Title 5 employment protections to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners.
Tracking Animal Disease Through Veterinary Oversight
As we have previously noted, Federal Veterinarians play a broad role in the inspections of food and health of animals in the United States — and, of course, form the foundation for the National Association of Federal Veterinarians (NAFV). The work they do ensures economic stability within the agricultural industry, but it also goes beyond the agricultural sphere.
President Biden Celebrates Public Service Recognition Week And The Service To America Finalists
ICYMI: Listen in as President Biden thanks public servants for their hard work and commitment to the federal government in honor of Public Service Recognition Week.
2021 Sammies Finalists, New COVID-19 Response Medal Announced
This year’s Sammies finalists were announced on May 2, 2021 by the nonpartisan, nonprofit Partnership for Public Service. A group of 29 exceptional federal employees are finalists to receive Sammies, more formally known as the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals.
House Leadership Calls for Increase in Staff Pay
House leaders are calling for a 20 percent increase in funding for Members’ Representational Allowances (MRAs), committees, and leadership offices to increase staff pay. On April 28, 2021, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and House Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) sent a letter to appropriators making the case for the requested increase.
Department of Defense’s management challenges and opportunities
Organizational psychologist Dr. Adam Grant testified before the Senate Committee on Armed Services during a hearing on management challenges and opportunities at the Department of Defense last week. He said, “I also worry that DOD’s culture is a threat to national security.”
OPM Issues Guidance on Emergency Paid Leave
On April 29, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued guidance to agencies on COVID-19 Emergency Paid Leave, which was authorized in March when Congress approved the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
Vaccinated Federal Employees Still Limited to Mission Critical Travel
All federal employee official travel, including for those who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, remains limited to travel that is mission critical, according to recently updated Safer Federal Workforce Task Force guidance.
A Theory of Change: Connecting Civic Culture and Governance
Join us for the first in our four-part series on Public Governance and Engagement, bringing together NAPA’s Grand Challenges Work and the recent AAA&S report, Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century which was the product of a two-year bipartisan Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship to study political and civic life around the country.
WAEPA Launches Group Short-Term Disability Insurance
WAEPA has been serving Civilian Federal Employees and their families with affordable group term life insurance for over 75 years. To continue making your needs our mission, we are pleased to provide a new product, Group Short-Term Disability Insurance,* which provides income replacement to federal employees who are temporarily out of work due to a covered short-term illness or injury.