Pay & Benefits
Why a Health Savings Account is a Secret Weapon in Saving for Retirement
Many federal employees can save money by switching to a high deductible health insurance plan with an HSA when they have the chance.
Management
Democrats Ask Pentagon to End Birth Control Costs for Military Families
While active service members receive full contraceptive coverage, more than 700,000 military spouses and dependents of reproductive age still have copays for pills, implants, IUDs and other preventive measures.
Workforce
Coronavirus Roundup: Watchdog Outlines More SBA Fraud Concerns; Tax Help for Military Service Members
There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Employee Policy
Court block of contractor mandate does not bar workplace safety measures
A block of the Biden administration order that contractors be vaccinated against COVID-19 or test regularly has been in place since December.
Employee Policy
Fact Check: Why no WH mandates on Congress?
A new fact-checking report corrects misleading social media about the White House's currently paused vaccine mandate, as it has been applied to federal civil servants.
Defense
Pentagon Puts 8,500 Troops On ‘Heightened Alert’ Over Russian Threat To Ukraine
The force would not seek to stop an invasion, but to protect NATO’s Eastern flank.
Management
Citizen Satisfaction With Federal Government Services Hits All-Time Low
The American Customer Satisfaction Index 2021 Federal Government Report showed citizen satisfaction in government services in a freefall over the last four years, with declines across all driving indicators of satisfaction.
Workforce
GovExec Daily: A Pause of the Vaccine Mandate for Feds
Eric Katz joins the podcast to discuss the injunction that stops enforcement of the vaccine rules.
Workforce
Labor Authority Continues Effort to Bust Immigration Judges Union, Without Management Support
It was unclear Monday how the controversial and “unprecedented” decision to decertify the National Association of Immigration Judges would play out, just six weeks after the Justice Department began voluntarily recognizing the labor group again.
Workforce
Biden Administration Confirms It Will Mostly Pause Punishment of Unvaccinated Feds
White House issues new guidance as it appeals nationwide injunction.
News
State Department Authorizes Some Federal Employees to Leave Ukraine
“Decisions were made out of an abundance of caution,” said a department official.
Employee Policy
SSA: Workers to return to offices, possibly in March
SSA has reached agreement with all of its unions regarding reentry to government workplaces—raising hopes for more collaborative labor-management relationships going forward.
Management
Why Medicare Doesn’t Pay for Rapid At-Home Covid Tests
The laws governing Medicare don’t provide coverage for self-administered diagnostic tests, which is precisely what the rapid antigen tests are and why they are an important tool for containing the pandemic.
Management
Culture Counts: Three Ways to Achieve Better Outcomes
Employees who describe their organization’s culture as healthy are more likely to collaborate with colleagues and less likely to leave their jobs.
Management
GovExec Daily: Vaccines, Public Health and Pandemic Guidance
The University of New Haven's Dr. Anthony J. Santella joins the podcast to discuss the public health consequences of the COVID-19 crisis.
Employee Policy
Court orders nationwide pause on federal vaccine mandate
A judge has put at least a temporary stop to the vaccine mandate for federal employees. Biden overstepped his presidential power, federal judge says.
Management
Biden’s ‘A-Team’ Turnover Shows ‘Return to Normalcy,’ Report Finds
Staff’s professional experience and transition efforts were likely stabilizing factors.
Oversight
Biden Administration’s Rapid-Test Rollout Doesn’t Easily Reach Those Who Need It Most
Two rapid-testing initiatives the Biden administration released in the past week are inaccessible to some residents of multifamily housing, people who don’t speak English well, or those without internet access.
Pay & Benefits
OPM Issues Guidance to Ensure 67,000 Feds Make at Least $15 per Hour
Agencies have until the end of this month to exercise special pay rates to implement a $15 minimum wage, in accordance with a Biden administration executive order.
Workforce