Management
Revenge of the Obamacrats
Obama’s top environmental official wanted nothing to do with politics after leaving the government. What did it take to bring her back?
Management
GovExec Daily: The Pandemic Divide Between Public and Private Sector Workers
Brian Michael, VP & GM Public Sector at Medallia and Sheri Petras, CEO at CFI Group, join the podcast to look at a survey on the ways employees are handling the COVID-19 .
Route Fifty
A City Looks to Expand Its Virus Tracing Workforce in Distressed Neighborhoods
Chicago is one of the latest jurisdictions around the U.S. seeking to beef up its contact tracing program. Experts say it’s a key step towards reopening the economy.
Oversight
Acting HHS Inspector General Outlines Plan To Review the Coronavirus Response
Christi Grimm says the president’s rebuke of a report from her office will not have a chilling effect on her work.
Workforce
Agencies Start Reopening Offices, Though Approaches Vary
VA, EPA and IRS are among the agencies bringing employees back to their offices despite worker anxieties.
Nextgov
DARPA Funds Earthworm-Inspired Soft Robot to Rapidly Dig Military Tunnels
As part of the Underminer program, General Electric’s innovation arm is perfecting a soft robot to boost battlefield operations.
Nextgov
Defense Department’s AI Center Seeks Own Acquisition Authorities
Having its own mechanism for purchasing artificial intelligence will increase speed, according to the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center’s chief.
Workforce
Coronavirus Roundup: DHS Strengthens Cyber Protections for HHS and CDC; Federal Contract Spending on the Pandemic Passes $13 Billion
There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Oversight
Bill Barr Promised to Release Prisoners Threatened by Coronavirus — Even as the Feds Secretly Made It Harder for Them to Get Out
Celebrity prisoners like former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort have been granted home detention, but a secret Bureau of Prisons policy has kept all but 1.8% of federal inmates behind bars, where the virus rages.
Workforce
It Pays to Work In the Nation’s Capital
Working in or for the federal government, especially in Washington, looks like a good bet during the pandemic.
Defense
Defense Companies Scramble to Make Virtual Internships Work
Despite the economic crisis, the industry has too much to do, and not enough people to do it.
Management
Work Stress May Be Killing You
If you've got too much on your plate at work or feel like you don't have control over your job, the stress may lead to depression or a higher risk of death.
Tech
GovExec Daily: Fighting Bad Information About the Pandemic
The University of Arizona's Diana Daly joins the podcast to talk about how governments and organizations can counter conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 crisis.
Workforce
How You Can Avoid ‘Zoom Fatigue’
Zoom meetings can feel more taxing than face-to-face meetings, a psychologist says.
Management
The Feds Gave a Former White House Official $3 Million to Supply Masks to Navajo Hospitals. Some May Not Work.
Zach Fuentes, former deputy chief of staff to President Trump, won the contract just days after registering his company. He sold Chinese masks to the government just as federal regulators were scrutinizing foreign-made equipment.
Management
Social Security Continues to Drag Its Feet on Paid Sick Leave, Telework Advancements
Labor leaders say agency officials have proposed setting preconditions on employees’ use of recently enacted partial paid sick leave, potentially in violation of the law.
Route Fifty
Weeding Out Fraudulent Unemployment Claims Just Became More Difficult
Millions of out-of-work Americans are filing for unemployment during the coronavirus pandemic and fraudsters are using the unprecedented crush of filings to take advantage.
Workforce
Take Care of Your Mental Health — Your Job May Depend On It
Many are turning to alcohol and drugs to cope with stress. You should rethink that strategy, especially if you have a security clearance.
Pay & Benefits
Employees Concerned After Agency Threatens Furloughs Over Budget Shortfall
Employees ask Congress to "please bail us out."
Nextgov