Pay & Benefits
OPM, HHS Move to End Surprise Medical Billing, and More
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
Route Fifty
As Variant Spreads, Some Regions Bring Back Mask Advisories
In St. Louis and Los Angeles, officials are urging vaccinated residents to wear masks as cases of the Delta strain of Covid-19 are on the rise.
Management
Agencies Ramp Up COVID-19 Deployments Again to Address Outbreaks
White House launches “surge response teams” just as agencies were starting to bring back federal personnel.
Management
COVID-19 Vaccines Likely Activate Strong, Lasting Immunity
How long does immunity from COVID-19 vaccines last? Researchers have found the immune response to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines could last a long time.
Oversight
Oversight Groups Express Concern About Future of the Housing Finance Agency IG Office
Three wrote to the president following the IG’s resignation announcement.
Nextgov
IG: SBA’s Cybersecurity ‘Not Effective,’ In Part Due to COVID
The pandemic created new cybersecurity problems for the Small Business Administration, according to the agency’s annual FISMA report.
Workforce
Coronavirus Roundup: Early Talks on Possible Military Vaccination Requirement; DHS to Maintain Telework Post-COVID
There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Management
OPM Asks Watchdog to Review Assessment Process for Prestigious Fellowship Amid Diversity Concerns
The agency acknowledged an “unacceptable decline” in finalists in certain demographic groups and is taking steps to improve inclusivity within the program.
Defense
How JEDI’s Ghost Will Bring Bitter Rivals Together
The death of the Pentagon’s controversial cloud computing mega-contract likely puts Amazon and Microsoft in a new sort of partnership.
Management
GovExec Daily: How Biden is Managing Government So Far
Courtney Bublé joins the podcast to discuss the administration's rollback of its predecessors' policies.
Route Fifty
Pandemic Growth Led This State to Slash Taxes, Issue Rebates
Tax policy experts and state officials believe Idaho’s rapid economic growth will offset the tax cuts, making them feasible under federal funding rules.
Management
White House Tells Watchdog It Won’t Comply With Some Priority Suggestions to Improve Government
OMB has 153 open recommendations from GAO and a lower completion rate than the rest of government.
Pay & Benefits
White House Moves to Bolster Wildland Firefighter Pay
President Biden previously expressed outrage that some federal firefighters make less than $15 per hour.
Management
Office of Government Ethics Seeks Feedback on Upcoming Strategic Plan
New objectives are slated to focus on equity and broader outreach.
Route Fifty
This Week in Federal Funding
In the July 6 edition we look at how states have approached their American Rescue Plan Act allotments so far.
Nextgov
Pentagon Cancels JEDI Cloud Contract
The Defense Department will opt for a new multibillion-dollar, multi-vendor contract.
Defense
DoD Makes Recommendations to Close ‘Troubling Gap’ in Sexual Assault Response
Improving victim care, focusing on prevention and removing prosecution from the chain of command are some top priorities of the 300-page report.
Management
GovExec Daily: The State of Vaccine Progress
Dr. Jessica Holzer joins the podcast to discuss public health and the pandemic.
Workforce
Women in the Biden White House Earn 99 Cents for Every $1 Earned by Men
The Biden White House has the narrowest wage gap since the country started tracking it in 1995, according to salary data released Thursday.
Route Fifty