Nextgov

Security Clearance Reformers Tout Progress Amid COVID-19

The pandemic pushed adjudicators to conduct more virtual interviews, though that progress might be undone when the crisis passes.

Defense

Build Allies Into Tomorrow’s Battlefield Network, Army Leaders Say

The service is trying to build a communications network that’s big enough to include coalition partners but small enough to fit on a truck and drive off to war.

Tech

Researchers Publish Encouraging Early Data on COVID-19 Vaccine

The director of the National Institutes of Health is "confident that we will be able rise to the challenge of ending this pandemic that has devastated so many lives."

Oversight

Your Coping and Resilience Strategies Might Need to Shift as the COVID-19 Crisis Continues

As the pandemic drags on, uncertainty and fears about health and safety mix with confusion and challenges tied to re-opening society. You need flexibility when picking your coping strategies.

Oversight

GovExec Daily: Government Customer Service and the 'New Normal'

Nextgov's Frank Konkel joins the podcast to discuss how the pandemic is changing the way government contact centers do business.

Management

Senate Democrat Asks Agencies for Their Reopening Plans

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., wants to ensure employees are protected from the novel coronavirus upon return.

Defense

To Block Trump's Troop Withdrawals, Congress Turns An Old Tactic Upside Down

Congress historically has tried to force presidents to bring troops home. But in the last three years, lawmakers have repeatedly tried to make laws to do the opposite.

Route Fifty

Hoping to Spur Participation, City Unleashes the Census Cowboy

The "census cowboy" will ride on horseback to 10 neighborhoods in Chicago with the lowest participation rates in the federal census, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said this week.

Pay & Benefits

Looking to Cut Costs, New USPS Leader Takes Aim at Overtime and Late Trips

Postal Service acknowledges some mail delays are likely, but says ultimately the system will be more efficient.

Defense

US May Need to Nationalize Military Aircraft Industry, Air Force Says

That’s unless the Air Force can find a way to keep both competition and the few remaining U.S. plane-makers alive, the service’s acquisition chief said.

Workforce

To Close Wage Gaps, Ban Asking about Salary History?

Employers can't legally ask applicants their salary history in 14 states. New research indicates banning the question can make salaries more fair.

Oversight

GovExec Daily: What We've Learned About the Federal Coronavirus Response

Eric Katz, Courtney Bublé and Katherine McIntire Peters join the 100th episode of the podcast to look at the pandemic response through the lenses of the federal workforce, oversight and leadership.

Management

Viewpoint: COVID-19 Exposes Why the Postal Service Needs to Get Back into the Banking Business

Millions of Americans are financially excluded from the banking system, which makes them even more vulnerable during the current crisis.

Management

Retired Diplomats Urge State Dept. to Address Mistreatment of Minority Foreign Service Officers At the U.S. Border

There are “debilitating effects on the morale of our Black, Hispanic and other minority officers [from] this systemic discrimination,” said the organization. 

Route Fifty

New York Requiring Air Travelers to Provide Contact Info for Quarantine

To prevent a resurgence of coronavirus infections, the state is requiring any travelers from states with hotspot outbreaks to abide by a 14-day quarantine and provide contact information or face a $2,000 fine.