Tech
TSA to allow mobile driver’s licenses after REAL ID goes into effect
The final rule will allow states that have issued mobile driver’s licenses to apply for TSA-issued waivers of certain REAL ID requirements.
Management
‘Put them in trauma’: Inside a key MAGA leader’s plans for a new Trump agenda
As OMB director, Russell Vought sought to use Trump’s 2020 Schedule F executive order to strip away job protections for nonpartisan government workers.
Management
Holding poor performers accountable can lead to better government
COMMENTARY | The current process for addressing poor performers in government is difficult for managers and confusing for employees.
Management
A new report includes calls for modernized federal recruitment and retention efforts
In an updated version of its 2018 report on strengthening the federal government’s organizational health and performance, the National Academy of Public Administration included the tools and best practices agencies can deploy for recruitment and retention in a post-pandemic world.
Management
Ethics office clears federal official for his Project 2025 involvement
The agency leader wrote a chapter for the document but did not break any ethics laws in doing so, OGE says.
Defense
White House issues AI guidelines for national-security agencies
The new memo requires agencies to monitor, assess, and mitigate AI risks related to invasions of privacy, bias, and other human rights abuses.
Management
OPM announces a program to make it easier for ex-interns to get full-time federal work
A new feature within USAJOBS’ Agency Talent Portal will allow agencies to hire former interns from other agencies into term or permanent federal positions.
Management
The government needs to up its game on technology and use of data to better serve the public
COMMENTARY | Despite pockets of progress, the government is still behind the curve when it comes to modern technology and AI, writes one good government observer.
Workforce
Facing tight budgets, agencies turn to workforce restrictions to rein in costs
Biden began his presidency seeking to boost the civil service and improve federal hiring. At many agencies, he is ending it by cutting back.
Management
White House memo on AI national security includes workforce training and streamlined immigration proposals
The new AI guidelines detail how select agencies should approach risks and challenges tied to the emerging technology, but also include elements of how the U.S. should procure and train talent to capitalize on its benefits.
Pay & Benefits
Revisiting the WEP and GPO
How the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset cause substantial, and often, unfair reductions in Social Security benefits for CSRS retirees.
Management
Without budget anomaly, SSA hiring is restricted and overtime is at 'historic lows'
Congress’ refusal to provide additional funding for the Social Security Administration in September’s two-month continuing resolution to prevent a government shutdown is kneecapping two tools that are key to combatting the agency’s customer service crisis.
Management
Fixing the broken federal hiring process is critical to improving government performance
COMMENTARY | It's time to fix what has become a convoluted and broken system.
Management
USPS is delivering ballots quickly and on time
The Postal Service says a few local issues have come up but they have rapidly been addressed.
Management
Democrats, stakeholders continue to warn Trump won't be ready to govern without transition participation
Presidential transitions are built for joint communication to prepare agencies and their potential new leaders, but Trump is so far sidestepping that process.
Workforce
Biden says Trump's civil service plans make him unfit for office
The president cited his predecessor’s support for reinstating Schedule F, a controversial plan to make tens of thousand of federal workers at-will employees, as he campaigned for Vice President Harris' White House bid.
Management
Trump says he’ll move thousands of federal workers out of Washington. Here’s what happened the first time he tried
The Bureau of Land Management’s headquarters moved from the capital to Colorado in 2020, causing an exodus of leadership. If elected, Trump plans to use the same tactic across more of the federal government.
Workforce
Government by Ted Lasso: Why mindset matters in the federal workplace
COMMENTARY | "While optimism might seem improbable in today’s climate, embracing it could transform our government at its core," writes one long-time federal employee.
Pay & Benefits
Why federal workers should consider an HSA
COMMENTARY | There is something exciting about having a health insurance plan that can reduce your taxes while also providing tax-free investment growth.
Pay & Benefits