Route Fifty
One-Third of U.S. Workers Want Permanent Remote Work
A new Morning Consult survey finds many workers would like to continue working from home after the coronavirus pandemic recedes and some would likely move to a new city or state if remote work becomes permanent.
Management
OPM Delays Annual Workforce Survey Again Four Days Before Kickoff
The federal government’s human resources agency declined to explain the reasoning for the last minute postponement aside from allowing agencies to “focus on critical missions.”
Workforce
Surge in Coronavirus Cases Raises New Questions About Agencies' Office Reopenings
Return of employees at the Defense Department has corresponded with a 35% spike in cases there.
Nextgov
Energy IG Finds Science Offices Skirt Security Rules for Peripheral Devices
Officials tell internal watchdogs securing devices like printers and flash drives is just hard, expensive and inhibits collaboration.
Workforce
Recent Legal Developments Are Good News for Feds
There are some bright spots for federal employees ahead.
Route Fifty
Dribble, Don't Spit: University Debuts New Saliva-Based Covid Test
The test is free for students, faculty and staff at the University of Illinois, where it was developed. Results are available in 24 hours, but it's unclear whether testing would be mandatory.
Oversight
South Texas Landowners Are Hoping to Use President Trump's Own Words Against Him in a New Border Wall Lawsuit
Landowners are alleging that the construction of the barrier is driven by little more than racism and politics and is therefore unconstitutional, according to a new lawsuit.
Workforce
Coronavirus Roundup: National Archives Took on Black History Project During Telework; CDC and Outside Experts Are Working to Determine Who Gets Vaccine First
There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Management
Supreme Court Upholds American Indian Treaty Promises, Orders Oklahoma To Follow Federal Law
Land in what is now eastern Oklahoma, which was granted to the Creek Nation by Congress in 1833, is still under tribal sovereignty, the Supreme Court ruled.
Nextgov
COVID-19 Could Change Government Contact Centers Forever
The pandemic has forced major changes in the way federal agencies serve customers.
Defense
Top U.S. General Slams Confederacy As ‘Treason’, Signals Support For Base Renaming
“Those generals fought for the institution of slavery,” Gen. Mark Milley told a House hearing.
Employee Policy
Feds reopening plans endanger National Capital Region, senators say
Senators from Maryland and Virginia have voiced their opposition to the federal government’s plan to require agency workers in the National Capital Region to return to their workplaces.
Employee Policy
FLRA rule allows feds to opt-out of union dues
Unions blast decision to allow workers to discontinue their payments at outside the traditional annual "window."
Tech
Digital Contact Tracing’s Mixed Record Abroad Spells Trouble for U.S. Efforts to Rein in COVID-19
Effective national leadership and trust in government appear to be prerequisites for countries to achieve widespread digital contact tracing.
Oversight
GovExec Daily: The OPM-GSA Merger and the Threat to the Civil Service
POGO's Nick Schwellenbach joined the podcast to discuss a recent investigation that found that the Trump administration "could not lawfully" go forward with the merger.
Route Fifty
Job Prospects In Cities Dim For Workers Without College Degrees, Study Finds
The research shows an erosion of middle-income jobs for this group of workers between 1980 and 2015, which has been particularly devastating for those who aren’t white.
Route Fifty
It Can Be Difficult to Revoke a Police Officer's License. Some States Are Trying to Make it Easier.
Nearly all states require police officers to be certified, but not every state has a process for revoking that license, even in the face of egregious misconduct.
Management
Congress Can Shrink the Deficit by $63B by Boosting IRS Funding and Staffing
The tax agency has lost nearly half of its revenue officers since 2010.
Oversight
Lawmakers Seek to Ensure Agencies Comply with Watchdog Review of WHO Funding Halt
They cited the Trump administration’s “history of obstruction.”
Nextgov