Route Fifty
Power to Rework Criticized Police Contracts Lies With Elected Leaders
In the wake of protests over police brutality, new attention is being focused on police unions and their contracts, known to stymie reforms. Will mayors and city council members force changes?
Oversight
IG Flags ‘Inappropriate and Dangerous Events’ During Federal Prisons Training
The training exercises led to staff members getting injured.
Pay & Benefits
CBP Walks Back Furlough Threat
As many as 8,000 customs officers and other employees could be sent home without pay.
Nextgov
37 IGs Report on Agency Tech Challenges Related to $2.4 Trillion COVID Relief Package
A new report shows similar issues with bandwidth, cybersecurity and aging IT systems across government, exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.
Nextgov
Pentagon Says it Needs ‘More Time’ Fixing JEDI Contract
The JEDI contract will not be awarded until at least August.
Benefits
Some unused leave restored for essential pandemic workers
New regulations will allow workers designated essential during the coronavirus outbreak to have their unused leave restored.
Management
Building a Better Experience for Government’s Customers
The pandemic is spurring some agencies to retool the way they interact with the public.
Pay & Benefits
OPM: Some Feds' Leave Canceled Because of COVID-19 Will Be Restored
The federal government's HR agency said it will issue regulations allowing for agencies to restore federal workers' use-or-lose annual leave if it is canceled due to essential coronavirus response work.
Workforce
Coronavirus Roundup: Watchdog Finds Issues With HHS Emergency Responders’ Training; FDA Expands Its Data Gathering Efforts
There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Management
The Trump Administration Paid Millions for Test Tubes — and Got Unusable Mini Soda Bottles
The plastic tubes supplied for coronavirus testing by Fillakit, a first-time federal contractor with a sketchy owner, don’t even fit the racks used to analyze samples. And they may be contaminated anyway.
Oversight
Democratic Senators Call for USAID to Investigate Anti-LGBT, Anti-Muslim Comments by Appointees
The Democrats’ request comes as the agency grapples with internal frustration over its approach to racism and bias.
Management
There's No Going Back, But Be Wary of the 'New Normal'
Like it or not, you're now in the change business.
Employee Policy
GAO urges State Department to improve diversity
The State Department must expand racial and ethnic diversity among its full-time, permanent, career workforce, the Government Accountability Office said.
Employee Policy
Same mission, different pay for National Guard
National Guard troops are usually are called up for domestic duty by governors, not by the Department of Defense, and — just as with other state workers — their pay and benefits vary widely even as they do similar jobs.
Management
GovExec Daily: Security and the November Election
Mark Testoni, CEO of SAP National Security Services, joins the podcast to discuss how government can thwart threats to the upcoming election.
Oversight
Watchdog: HHS Hasn't Done Enough to Catalog Reports of Sexual Misconduct in Migrant Children Facilities
In a six month period in 2018, the Health and Human Services Department IG found more than 700 possible sexual incidents of varying severity, including 48 incidents of misconduct by an adult against a minor.
Management
Pandemic Response and Racial Justice Efforts Delay 2021 Spending Process, Increasing Risk of a Shutdown
Bipartisan attempts to avoid a lapse in appropriations this fall hit a snag.
Nextgov
NSA Revises Guidance on Teleworking Services for Government Users
The agency now notes end-to-end encryption may not be an option for some use cases.
Oversight
Inspector General for 2008 Economic Recovery Program Offers Lessons for Pandemic Oversight
“We'll do whatever we can to help [the special IG for pandemic recovery] be successful,” says Christy Goldsmith Romero in an interview with Government Executive.
Route Fifty