Oversight
Energy Dept. Hatch Act Violator Agrees to Resign and Leave Government for at Least 3 Years
The employee gave a congressional candidate special access to a radioactive waste treatment plant despite warnings this would violate ban on political activity while working.
Pay & Benefits
The Index: 2020 Edition
A guide to the most important and relevant Retirement Planning columns of the past 14 years.
Defense
As Putin Schemes to Extend His Reign, Expect New Forms of Internet Repression
Russia under a president-for-life will likely grow more insular and less open to Western influence.
Oversight
GAO: Trump Administration Violated the Law by Withholding Ukraine Aid
The administration pushed back on the findings, and has said GAO decisions are not binding.
Management
Federal Judge Blocks Policy that Allowed Gov. Greg Abbott to Ban Refugees in Texas
The decision comes just days after the Texas governor became the first state leader to opt out of the program. The move drew a harsh rebuke from the Texas' Catholic bishops.
Route Fifty
In California, a Landmark Labor Law’s Turbulent Rollout
The enactment of the new “gig worker” guidelines has been celebrated by some and assailed by others, and may offer lessons for states pursuing similar policies.
Workforce
Supreme Court Justices Skeptical of Current Standard for Federal Worker Age Discrimination Cases
Justices appeared to find the Trump administration’s egg-less baking analogy difficult to stomach, but also probed the hypothetical limits of installing a lesser standard to prove age was a factor in personnel actions at federal agencies.
Pay & Benefits
A Paid Leave Update, and a Bill to Improve Feds’ Due Process Rights
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
Management
4 Strategies for Pitching Ideas to Your Project Leader
To successfully pitch creative ideas to your project leader, the first step is determining which of two creative types they are.
Route Fifty
2019 Capped the Hottest Decade on Record
The past decade was the hottest in recorded history, and 2019 was the second-warmest year, according to data released Wednesday by NOAA and NASA.
Oversight
Top Democrat Asks Secret Service How Much It Has Spent Protecting the Trump Family on Trips
Request comes in preparation for the fiscal 2021 budget process.
Route Fifty
Federal Judge Blocks State, Local Veto Power Over Refugee Resettlement
A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from enforcing an executive order that would allow state and local governments to block the resettlement of refugees within their borders.
Nextgov
DOD Plans to Take Comments Before Finalizing Rule on Certifying Contractors’ Cybersecurity
Select requests for proposals are expected to include related requirements by the fall.
Workforce
Report: Feds Are Increasingly Interested in Leaving for Certain Private Sector Jobs
An estimated 50% pay gap in technology jobs could be a driving factor, researchers say.
Defense
The Navy Needs More Money, Its Top Admiral Bluntly Argues
The sea service is pushing for a fleet of 355 ships in the next decade, and that’s not counting unmanned vessels.
Management
Border Patrol Officials Dodged Congress’ Questions About Migrant Children’s Deaths
The chair of a House Homeland Security subcommittee reprimanded Border Patrol officials for concealing information about migrant children’s deaths. Officials did not respond to the chairwoman's criticism.
Oversight
Meet the House Republicans Who Want to Rein In Trump On War
After the Soleimani strike, a working group of moderate Republicans and Democrats trying to “clarify” Congress’s war responsibilities hope they can build momentum.
Nextgov
Senate Passes Legislation to Help Boost and Secure the Internet of Things
Billions of connected devices could offer new economic opportunities—and security challenges—over the course of the next decade.
Route Fifty
State Health Officials Say Medicaid Expansion Helped Combat Opioid Epidemic
Health officials from Rhode Island, Massachusetts, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania testified before a congressional committee about how states have used federal opioid funding.
Management