Route Fifty

Trump Says He Is Shutting Down Covid-19 Stimulus Negotiations Until After the Election

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had been in discussions with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over a possible new deal.

Management

USPS, CBP Not Implementing Law to Stop Flow of Opioids Into the Country

The Postal Service is not receiving the data that makes it easier to detect illicit goods coming from overseas.

Management

Opioid Use Among Injured Federal Workers Fell Sharply Since 2017

The director of the Labor Department’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs says that efforts to mitigate dependence on addictive pain medication are paying off.

Management

Trump Orders Agencies to Tackle Coronavirus-Related Mental Health Challenges

A multi-agency working group must develop a plan within 45 days.

Pay & Benefits

Lawmakers Revive Push to Make Feds’ Payroll Tax Deferral Optional

The effort to pressure the Trump administration into allowing federal employees to opt out of the controversial initiative to delay collection of Social Security taxes until next year is now bipartisan.

Workforce

Coronavirus Roundup: White House Objects to FDA’s Proposed Vaccine Guidelines; EPA Union Members Vote ‘No Confidence’ on Wheeler

There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.

Management

What Stakeholder Public Service Would Look Like

Leading companies have made commitments to their employees. Government should do the same.

Oversight

GovExec Daily: The Census Deadline

Eric Katz joins the podcast to discuss the Census Bureau's work on the 2020 count.

Route Fifty

Texas AG Says He Won’t Resign After Staff Accuse Him of Bribery and Other Wrongdoing

STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | Thousands of kids in Miami-Dade return to classrooms … Maine’s marijuana industry expected to get off to a sputtering start … de Blasio, Cuomo at odds over shutdown orders in some New York City neighborhoods.

Route Fifty

Local, State Officials Scramble to Recreate Covid-19 Restrictions After Court Strikes Michigan Governor’s Orders

The Michigan Supreme Court found that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer did not have the authority to extend emergency coronavirus orders this spring, invalidating dozens of restrictions she put in place without collaboration with state lawmakers.

Management

How Federal Managers Can Improve Hiring Practices Right Now

We need to stop thinking of this as a selection process and start imagining what we can do to recruit better.

Pay & Benefits

Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Protect All Feds’ Leave Following COVID

Although OPM’s current policy only waives the 30-day annual leave cap for essential employees who are unable to use their leave due to their duties responding to the coronavirus pandemic, Democrats in Congress want to extend the waiver to all federal workers.

Management

Biden Promises Cash Infusion, End of Prefunding Mandate for USPS

Former vice president says he would never privatize the Postal Service.

Nextgov

DHS Exempts Expanded Insider Threat Program From Key Privacy Act Provisions

The agency will be allowed to collect large amounts of data without having to follow several provisions regarding disclosure, relevance and the sharing of that information.

Insights

Defense One Tech Summit

Top 5 Takeaways

Management

OPM Memo Puts Pause on Diversity Training Across Government

The Trump administration is pushing forward with its controversial purge of training it deems “un-American.”

Workforce

Fauci and Other Exceptional Feds to Be Honored at Service to America Awards

Ten government winners among 27 finalists will be recognized at the annual “Oscars of government service.”

Management

We Have the Manufacturing Might to Fight COVID-19

What we lack is a national plan and coordination.

Workforce

Coronavirus Roundup: Secret Service and Doctors Condemn Trump’s Hospital Drive-By; White House, Not CDC, Pushed for Pandemic Migrant Policy 

There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.

Defense

Pentagon Downplays National Security Concerns From Trump’s Diagnosis

...and some experts say they’re probably right.