Pay & Benefits
OPM Should Do More to Prevent Improper FEHBP Payments
The Government Accountability Office on Monday reported that OPM has no fulsome way to monitor the eligibility of participants in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.
Management
The State of Government-Speak in 2022: A Slight Dip in Agency Writing Grades, But Within That ‘A Far More Positive Story’
A nonprofit issued its annual report card on 21 executive branch agencies’ writing quality and organizational compliance with a 2010 law to combat jargon.
Workforce
Clawing Back IRS Funding Is Just the Beginning for Agency Spending Reductions, House Republicans Say
The House on Monday voted to unwind an unprecedented spending surge at IRS and Republicans promised more such efforts are on the way.
Management
Inflation Costs Present Both Barrier, Opportunity For Contractors In 2023
With a fiscal 2023 federal budget in-hand, contractors face both the prospect of a robust year and countervailing cost trends, Deltek says.
Oversight
Interior’s Cyber Practices Allow for Easily Crackable Passwords, Watchdog Finds
An OIG investigation found that the Interior Department has not fully implemented multifactor authentication and that its “outdated and ineffective” password requirements leave employees’ accounts vulnerable to exploitation.
Management
New Year, New You: How to Grow in Your Career in 2023
Andrew Feldman joins the podcast to discuss how managers make improvement a goal for 2023.
Workforce
Supreme Court Justices Seem Skeptical of State Challenge of FLRA’s Jurisdiction Over National Guard Civilians
“Is Ohio just crazy” for repudiating collective bargaining obligations with civilian technicians of the Ohio National Guard, asked one conservative jurist.
Management
The DHS Is Going to Have to Start Buying More Uniforms and Equipment from Small, Domestic Firms
This requirement was included in the fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act.
Management
McCarthy's Deal to Secure the House Speakership Puts Agencies at Risk of Severe Budget Cuts
Republicans will demand non-defense spending cuts of up to 25%, putting Congress on a collision course with a shutdown.
Workforce
How to Unlock Your Creativity – Even if You See Yourself as a Conventional Thinker
New research highlights how anyone can train their creative muscles by rethinking the anxiety, frustration and anger they encounter in daily life.
Oversight
Joe Biden Tours El Paso for First Border Visit of His Presidency
He was greeted by Gov. Greg Abbott upon arrival at the El Paso airport. Abbott has been a chief critic of Biden’s immigration policies and has frequently called on him to visit the border over the past year.
Workforce
Diversity of U.S. Workplaces Is Growing in Terms of Race, Ethnicity and Age – Forcing More Employers to Be Flexible
Employers need good strategies to hire and retain more workers of color and older workers. The mandatory diversity training and requisite skills tests many of them now rely on don’t measure up.
Workforce
Retirement, Savings and Learning from Financial Classes
Sidney and Saundra Curry join the podcast to discuss financial wellness programs can serve public servants.
Defense
What We Know About U.S.-Backed Zero Units in Afghanistan
Deadly night raids. Faulty U.S. intelligence. A “classified” war loophole. Reporter Lynzy Billing’s investigation offers an unprecedented insight into the civilian casualties of Afghanistan’s Zero Units.
Oversight
VA Is Much Slower at Setting Appointments When Sending Vets to the Private Sector for Care
The department is failing to meet its less ambitious goals for health care appointments outside its own system.
Tech
‘We Have Nothing’ Showing UFOs Are of Alien Origin, Defense Official Says
So far, data has not shown unidentified anomalous phenomena to be from an alien source, according to defense officials.
Management
Coronavirus Roundup: A New Year Brings New Priorities, Including Another COVID Oversight Panel
There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s this week's list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Oversight
Ancient Greece Had Extreme Polarization and Civil Strife Too – How Thucydides Can Help Us Understand Jan. 6 and Its Aftermath
The insights of an ancient historian show that the causes of civil unrest are often the same over time and across societies.
Workforce
Working in Isolation Can Pose Mental Health Challenges – Here’s What Anyone Can Learn from How Gig Workers Have Adapted
Gig workers navigate the challenges of solo work by seeking out relationships and cultivating skills to cope with emotional turbulence.
Management