Management
White House finalizes rule requiring states to target vehicle pollution
The controversial requirement will almost certainly meet resistance from Republicans both in states and Congress, who question the legal basis for the new rules.
Pay & Benefits
OPM finalizes new locality pay areas ahead of 2024 pay raise
The combination of creating four new locality pay areas and a broad update to underlying maps means that around 33,300 federal workers will see larger pay raises beginning next year.
Pay & Benefits
Shutdown worries still loom in the new year, while wildland firefighters welcome a bill removing overtime caps
Pay and benefits news you may have missed.
Management
Ahead of busy Thanksgiving travel, improvements to air transportation touted
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg highlighted a low airline cancellation rate, airport upgrades and the hiring of more air traffic controllers. He also cautioned that funding squabbles in Congress could hurt progress.
Tech
Employee data hit in Idaho National Lab cyberattack
The lab confirmed that it has been in touch with federal law enforcement agencies concerning the attack on its servers.
Workforce
The people problem behind the government’s AI ambitions
As agencies move to fulfill requirements laid out in Biden’s AI executive order, workforce gaps remain “one of the biggest barriers” according to a White House official.
Oversight
Diversity in the federal workforce has improved slightly over the last decade
But Latino representation among federal employees continues to lag behind a nationwide benchmark.
Oversight
Still concerned about the Dakota Access pipeline? The feds are asking for comment, 7 years later.
The controversial pipeline near Standing Rock united the climate movement. Now regulators want the public to weigh in on the project’s environmental impact.
Management
Stefanik calls for fraud officer to protect veterans from scam in new bill
The New York congresswoman partnered with House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mike Bost, R-Ill., to sponsor new legislation that would create an officer to help warn veterans about potential scam and identity theft schemes.
Tech
FCC wants to improve cyber protections for schools, libraries
Faced with a growing number of cyberattacks on school districts nationwide, the agency announced a three-year pilot program to gather data on the best cyberdefenses.
Defense
DOD strategy warns emerging tech is ‘at the forefront’ of information threats
The Pentagon’s updated strategy for operations in the information environment calls for “a cultural shift” to protect national security interests.
Workforce
Apprenticeship programs are growing as the public sector faces workforce shortages
Registered apprenticeships, infrequently used by state and local governments in the past, are gaining the attention of staff-starved agencies.
Workforce
Reports of agency’s toxic workplace and widespread harassment lead to bipartisan calls for investigations
Many women say they had to quit due to the workplace culture.
Management
Porter reintroduces a bill that would form a natural disaster safety board
The California congresswoman redrafted a bill with Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., to establish an agency to help investigate and mitigate the effects of natural disasters in the U.S.
Defense
The Biden administration announces its new acting cyber director, as nominee awaits Senate vote
Drenan Dudley, the deputy national cyber director for strategy and budget, will helm the ONCD until the Senate confirms a permanent leader.
Oversight
A new Social Security report shows the growing overpayment problem tops $23b
For the past several years, the agency routinely distributed between $6 billion and $7 billion in new overpayments each year.
Pay & Benefits
OPM proposes making it easier to approve some recruitment and relocation incentives
Under proposed regulations, the federal government’s HR agency would no longer need to approve waivers of traditional incentive payment caps in advance, potentially speeding up the hiring and relocation processes.
Management
Federal buildings’ deferred maintenance costs are soaring, GAO says, here’s how agencies can help
The cost of delayed repairs to federal facilities swelled 58% between fiscal 2017 and 2022, and the watchdog said that agencies can be doing more to inform about the backlog.
Management
USPS looks to raise rates for packages, too
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy continues an aggressive pricing strategy despite concerns over volume losses.
Defense