Management

It’s Been 6-Plus Years Without a Permanent Head of Governmentwide Financial Management

The last presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed controller at the Office of Management and Budget left in January 2017.

Workforce

Phil Kiviat, Long-Time Advocate for Better Government, Dies at 85

He will be remembered for his work to foster closer relationships between government and industry through building trust.

Pay & Benefits

TSP Participants Sue Agency Over ‘Botched’ Recordkeeper Transition

A class action lawsuit filed last week alleges that the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program repeatedly failed to pay out participants’ withdrawal and loan requests for months following the transition to a new recordkeeping vendor.

Workforce

Biden Killed the Vaccine Mandate for Feds. He’s Still Threatening to Take the Case to the Supreme Court.

The administration is looking to avoid a potentially far-reaching decision that would limit presidential authority over the federal workforce.

Oversight

Struggles With Air Quality in Federal Offices Put Occupants At Risk of COVID Exposure

Leadership at the General Services Administration agreed with recommendations to address the issues from its watchdog.

Tech

State Department Works Toward Electronic Health Record for Diplomatic Corps

The department leans on a paper-based system to manage health care support for 75,000 people around the world.

Oversight

House Oversight Chief to Biden: It’s Time to Finally Nominate State, USAID and Treasury Watchdogs

Two of the positions have been vacant for more than 1,000 days, and the other has sat empty for over 850 days.

Pay & Benefits

Why Every Federal Employee Should Consider a Health Savings Account

The annual HSA contribution limit is increasing in 2024. Here are some of the benefits of having one.

Workforce

NIH Fellows Hope Union Bid Will Bolster Pay and Protections

Organizers hope that forming a union at the National Institutes of Health will help increase pay, benefits and worker protections across academia.

Management

Lawmakers Flock to Prevent Birds From Dying in Collisions With Public Buildings

Animal protection advocates in Congress have been trying for over a decade to get the government to take steps to make federal buildings more bird-friendly.

Oversight

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Investigation Finds Multiple Failings in the Death of 8-Year-Old Girl in Federal Custody

CBP acting Commissioner Troy Miller said in a statement that the in-custody death was “deeply upsetting” and an “unacceptable tragedy.”

Workforce

The Cure for What Ails the Government’s Security Clearance Process: Automation

Most, if not all, of the manual steps traditionally done by federal employees or contractors can now be done by modern technologies, writes one expert.

Pay & Benefits

TSP Portfolios Report a Mixed Bag of May Returns

Most of the funds in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings plan finished last month down, amid concerns that the United States could breach the debt limit.

Oversight

Thousands of HUD Contractor Employees Need Better Whistleblower Protections, Watchdog Says

Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis warned of a possible “chilling effect” that could make the contractors hesitant to report wrongdoing.