House Appropriators Release Draft Funding Bill, Endorse 2.7 Percent Pay Raise
The House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government advanced a draft bill that makes no mention of a federal pay raise for General Schedule employees. Thus, the legislation effectively endorses President Biden’s proposed 2.7 percent average federal civilian pay raise.
Secretary of Defense & Joint Chiefs Chair Respond to Rep. Matt Gaetz on Critical Race Theory
Listen in on Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin responding to Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) on Critical Race Theory. Both parties give their input on the place for CRT in the military.
Mental Health Matters: A Conversation with Law Enforcement
The FEDtalk podcast recently hosted a roundtable discussion on the importance of mental fitness for law enforcement. Panelists discussed the importance of both preventative and reactive mental health for law enforcement professionals.
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.
Top Republican on Senate Banking Committee Seeks Probe Into Potential Civil Service Violations by Biden Administration
Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA), Ranking Member on the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, is seeking a probe into potential civil service violations being committed by the Biden administration, specifically at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
An Introduction to Enterprise Digital Learning Modernization (EDLM)
A brief overview of the Enterprise Digital Learning Modernization reform featuring the Honorable Lisa Hershman and Dr. Sae Schatz.
Santos v. NASA: DOJ Declines to Petition the Court for Rehearing
We previously reported on the Federal Circuit’s panel decision in Santos v. NASA, issued on March 11, 2021. That decision held that pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 4302(c)(6), when employees challenge their PIP-based performance terminations at MSPB, federal agencies must prove that employees deserved to be put on a PIP in the first place. The case turned on the meaning of the words “continue to,” used in Section 4302(c)(6), and whether that statutory language imposed a requirement on the agency to prove pre-PIP unacceptable performance. The panel opinion said yes.
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.
Appropriations Update: Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Predicts Continuing Resolutions, Democrats Propose Spending Ceiling
House Democrats proposed a resolution that would allow for $1.5 trillion in discretionary funding for FY 2022. Meanwhile, Republican Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Richard Shelby (R-AL) has predicted stopgap measures will be necessary to avert a shutdown while negotiations continue.
A Day in the Life of Alesia Smith, Paralegal Specialist and NOW Generation Coordinator
Alesia Smith, the NOW Generation Coordinator for Blacks In Government (BIG), is a Paralegal Specialist at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and has been a member of the civil service for the last 5 years.
“S1-on-1": FEMA Administrator Criswell
Watch a one-on-one conversation between Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, the first female to hold the title since FEMA's inception. This is the first conversation in the new series “S1-on-1" where Secretary Mayorkas will interview leaders from across DHS.
TSA Ordered to Expand Workforce Protections and Rights
The Biden administration recently announced that it would extend Title 5 federal employee protections to workers at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). This includes granting them collective bargaining rights, access to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), and aligning their wages with the General Schedule.
Chief Data Officers Council Releases Results of CDO Survey
On May 31, 2021, the Chief Data Officers Council (CDOC) released the results of their survey of Chief Data Officers (CDOs) meant to assess the organizational reporting and grade for CDOs, the areas of responsibility for CDOs, and the most common challenges.
Two Dissenters Push Back on Federal Circuit’s Denial of Braun v. HHS Rehearing
We previously reported on the Federal Circuit’s December 21, 2020 opinion in Braun v. HHS, a case where the appeals court found that HHS could utilize its generic “for cause” procedures to terminate tenured scientists for at least some performance-based reasons, despite the existence of a performance process requiring additional process for “de-tenuring” prior to termination.
Lawmakers introduce TIPS Act to Promote Communication Between Federal Government and Citizens
Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Senator James Lankford (R-OK) recently introduced the Trust in Public Service (TIPS) Act, which would aim to increase citizen trust in the federal government by ensuring all interactions between the public and agencies are effective, easy, and positive.