Pay & Benefits
OPM Starts the Process of Booting USPS Employees to a New Health Care Program
Health care premiums will likely go down for feds across the board as Medicare absorbs more costs, Biden administration predicts.
Workforce
Job Programs Help Communities During Tight Labor Markets
Katherine S. Newman and Elisabeth S. Jacobs join the podcast to discuss their new book.
Oversight
DHS Watchdog Alleges Harassment, Chilling Effect and Constitutional Violations
A lawsuit filed this week alleges the Homeland Security inspector general and his office have been harassed by the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency’s investigations, among other things.
Tech
Lawmakers Move to Elevate Leadership of Energy’s Cyber Office
Citing the threat posed by foreign adversaries, four Republican senators are pushing for a Senate-confirmed assistant secretary to helm Energy’s office tasked with cybersecurity.
Management
Here Are the Climate Programs Tribal Nations Can Access
A new guide from the White House outlines funding options available under the Inflation Reduction Act.
Tech
Meet the Next Four People Headed to the Moon – How the Diverse Crew of Artemis II Shows NASA's Plan for the Future of Space Exploration
The Artemis II mission is scheduled for launch in late 2024 and is a critical step towards NASA’s goals of establishing a permanent human presence on and near the Moon.
Pay & Benefits
This Is What the Proposed 5.2% Fed Pay Raise Might Look Like With Inflation
Even with a largest in decades pay raise, inflation could keep fed salaries trailing behind the private sector.
Defense
Military Readiness, the Pentagon and DEI Programs
Defense One's Kevin Baron joins the podcast to discuss recruiting.
Workforce
Union Accuses Defense Management of Imposing an Illegal Contract
Officials with the American Federation of Government Employees said the Defense Department unilaterally imposed a new contract on employees at an Illinois facility after refusing to bargain over issues made negotiable by a Biden executive order.
Management
New IRS Chief: Growing the Workforce Will Transform Agency ‘Armed Only With Their Calculators’
As a new commissioner is sworn in, the Biden administration will detail its $80 billion IRS spending plan this week.
Oversight
Following Concerns, Watchdog Advises DOJ on Ending Private Detention Contracts
The department’s inspector general says its recommendations on information sharing and documentation will ensure the proper stewardship of taxpayer dollars and that the department carries out the intent of President Biden’s executive order for the Marshals Service.
Defense
Migrant Deaths in Mexico Put Spotlight on U.S. Policy that Shifted Immigration Enforcement South
‘Extensive use’ of detention led to tragic fire, according to the UN special rapporteur for migrant rights. U.S.-Mexico policy has fueled the growth.
Management
The Veterans Benefits Administration is a Good Candidate for Tailored Reforms
Additional hiring flexibilities and compensation changes would allow the agency to respond faster to new legal requirements.
Workforce
Fixing Veterans' Preference Can Fix Federal Hiring
Angela Bailey and Jeffrey Neal join the podcast to discuss personnel modernization.
Oversight
Trump’s Indictment Stretches U.S. Legal System in New Ways – a Former Prosecutor Explains 4 Key Points to Understand
The Manhattan District Attorney will need to prove several different points in its prosecution of Trump. But securing an unbiased jury will also challenge the execution of this unprecedented case.
Management
FEMA Wants to Confront Growing Challenges With More Personnel
The Biden administration is expecting unique challenges this disaster season, and FEMA wants to do more with more.
Oversight
Another Bipartisan Push for More Financial Transparency and Accountability
“Congress must have a clear understanding of what regulatory and supervisory failures occurred to allow the collapse of both Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank,” said one Republican senator.
Pay & Benefits
Most TSP Funds Recover From February Slump
Only one of the portfolios in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program ended March in the red.
Oversight
Social Security Trustees Predict Benefit Cuts in 2033 without Congressional Action
The projections say that, without action, Social Security would have enough money to pay about 77% of the total scheduled benefits.
Tech