Route Fifty
More Crucial Than Ever, EMS Agencies Are Short Staffed and Overworked
COMMENTARY | Adequately staffing emergency medical services has been a problem for some time, potentially putting lives at stake. The pandemic threatens to make shortages worse.
Management
The GS System Is a Barrier to Effective Governance
The rigidity of the General Schedule, the political pressure to control payroll costs, the importance of tenure and the restricted authority of managers all impede effective workforce management.
Tech
Did Trump Delay the Arrival of At-Home Coronavirus Testing?
Some experts think that at-home testing can stop coronavirus outbreaks, and that the government should have been doing more to produce the tests.
Tech
Regulators Can Help Clear the Way for Entrepreneurial Energy Companies to Innovate
A study points to one way to speed up adoption of innovations in clean energy technology – more flexibility among state regulators.
Defense
GovExec Daily: The Shakeup at the Pentagon
Defense One's Katie Bo Williams joins the podcast to discuss the leadership overhaul at the Defense Department.
Route Fifty
Rural Public Health Staff Strained by Covid Surge, Public Backlash
STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | Two Minnesota state senators switch from Democratic caucus to independents, citing polarization … Plans for historic dam removal moving ahead … Matthew McConaughey for Texas governor?
Workforce
Extolling Productivity During Pandemic, Agencies Say They’ll Make Some Telework Permanent
More remote work can lead to cost savings and a broader applicant pool, officials say.
Route Fifty
Ahead of Thanksgiving, Cities See Surge in Demand for Covid Tests
Leaders in San Francisco warned the city’s testing capacity is being overrun by people looking to travel, and urged people to just stay home.
Route Fifty
Why One Election Official Blocked Her Mother's Mail-In Ballot
Sara Knotts, elections director for North Carolina's Brunswick County, helped her mother complete her mail-in ballot. But then Anne Ashcraft died three weeks before Election Day, making her vote ineligible under state law.
Oversight
House Considers New Whistleblower Protection Rules
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer’s proposal would protect the identities of federal whistleblowers.
Pay & Benefits
New TSP Recordkeeper Will Ease Management of Retirement Savings, and More
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
Management
Trump’s Purge of Defense Agencies Comes at a Vulnerable Time for U.S. National Security
Investigations of the 9/11 attacks show that a short, unstable transition between two presidents can weaken U.S security. Trump's sweeping staff changes compound the risk, experts say.
Nextgov
Lawmakers Want to Know Why a Controversial Immigration Figure Was Appointed to a High-Level NIST Job
The pair asked Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross for details about the creation of a deputy undersecretary position and why Congress was not informed.
Workforce
Coronavirus Roundup: HHS Cancels Celebrities Campaign; FDA Approves First Rapid At-Home COVID-19 Test
There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Management
Viewpoint: Whistleblowers are Democracy’s Last Defense
When brave individuals speak up against wrongdoing, they can mitigate the damage and prevent further harm.
Management
Dozens of Senators Introduce Bill Blocking Trump’s Order to Politicize the Civil Service
Legislation from a group of 40 Democrats would rescind President Trump’s executive order creating a new Schedule F classification of federal employees without civil service protections.
Defense
Trump Orders Hasty Afghanistan, Iraq Drawdowns to Beat Biden Inauguration
Majority Leader McConnell leads chorus of bipartisan, shocked opposition to the 11th hour order read by Acting Defense Secretary Miller.
Nextgov
VA Plans for COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced partnerships with other agencies Tuesday in an effort to prep for a possible COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
Tech
GovExec Daily: The Tech Priorities For the Incoming Administration
Nextgov's Frank Konkel joins the podcast to discuss the the Biden White House's plans for when they take office in January.
Tech