Pay & Benefits
OPM Has Authorized Another Round of Paid Leave For Feds to Get COVID-19 Boosters
As part of the Biden administration’s efforts to encourage Americans to receive the latest COVID-19 booster, federal workers will get up to four hours of paid leave for the shot.
Workforce
Coronavirus Roundup: Current and Former IRS Employees Face COVID Fraud Charges
There’s a lot to keep track of. Here’s a list of this week’s news updates and stories you may have missed.
Defense
The Army's Climate Plan Relies on Technology That Doesn’t Exist Yet
The most “complex” aspect of the implementation plan is “building a force to operate in the future that still has to operate in the present,” officials said.
Employee Policy
Can federal employees take part in political campaign activities? Election do’s and don’ts
This is the third installment in a series on the rules and policies federal employees should know ahead of the midterm elections.
Benefits
Lawmakers call for permanent leadership at Social Security
Nearly two years into his tenure, President Biden has yet to name his choice to lead SSA, despite low morale, mounting attrition and lack of progress in labor-management relations.
Management
I Was a Presidential Science Adviser – Here Are the Many Challenges Arati Prabhakar Faces as She Takes Over President Biden’s Science Policy Office
The director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy plays a critical role in achieving the president’s science goals. Facilitating cooperation among the dozens of research agencies is key.
Employee Policy
National Archives plans customer service research
NARA says that a new research agenda will help it understand what people who use the archives need, want and expect—and how the agency can meet those demands.
Workforce
GovExec Daily: Can Members of Congress Trade Stocks Using Insider Information?
Rep. Abigail Spanberger joins the podcast to discuss why legislators have more lax rules around ethics than federal employees.
Management
Lawmakers Are Calling for Permanent Leadership at Social Security
Nearly two years into his tenure, President Biden has yet to name his choice to lead the agency, despite low morale, mounting attrition and lack of progress in labor-management relations.
Employee Policy
Report: Trump document misuse began early, worsened …
The former president's document-management problems—and abuses—ultimately led to conflict with NARA and the FBI search and recovery at Mar-a-Lago in August. Multiple officials from his administration report that the issues got more intense over time.
Employee Policy
A 9-year-old case alleging discrimination by NASA can proceed
An administrative judge last week certified classes of Black and Asian American employees at the agency who allege its performance appraisal system discriminates against them—allowing the case to move forward.
Employee Policy
Interior Department releases body-camera policy for LEOs
The news comes as among the department’s actions aimed at implementing an executive order from the president to increase police accountability.
Benefits
The CDC scientist who couldn’t get monkeypox treatment
As a Black man and a senior CDC scientist, William L. Jeffries IV knows a lot about health inequities and infectious diseases in America. Still, it took visits to 3 doctors — and a desperate call to a colleague — for him to get treatment for monkeypox.
Oversight
A Second Guilty Plea in the Case of Impersonating DHS Officials
Haider Ali pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy, bank fraud and unlawful possession of a large-capacity ammunition feeding device.
Tech
CISA and FBI Say Malicious Cyber Activity is Unlikely to Compromise Election Infrastructure
The joint public service announcement said “extensive safeguards in place” make it difficult for bad actors to interfere in upcoming midterm elections.
Management
Hawaii to U.S. Navy: Quit Polluting Our Waters
A $9 million fine and a sewage leak into Pearl Harbor are just the latest in a series of water crises.
Management
National Archives Plans Customer Service Research
The National Archives and Records Administration says that a new research agenda will help it understand what people who use the archives need, want and expect–and how the agency can meet those demands.
Oversight
The Best Way to Protect Infrastructure Spending from Waste and Fraud Is to Set Up an Oversight Body—Right Now
The new entity would need sufficient authority and resources to tackle the job.
Oversight