Updated Workforce

Labor Dept. to require workers to spend half of work time in-person, angering union

The National Council of Field Labor Locals said Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su shirked her collective bargaining responsibilities by reducing telework while the union’s negotiability appeal is still pending before the Federal Labor Relations Authority.

Management

GSA’s coworking pilot could help better plan the future of work, but first, it needs to define long-term success

A new GAO report found that before the agency can further scale up the program to consolidate federal office spaces, it must find out how to measure its cost-savings gains.

Oversight

Republicans criticize EEOC over nixed one-day furlough

The agency said that no additional funding and a high pay increase for federal employees helped create its budget shortfall, but GOP leaders called it a failure to adjust spending.

Workforce

Teleworking feds are spending 60% of their time working in person, OMB says

In a congressionally mandated report, the Office of Management and Budget rebuffed many common complaints by congressional Republicans about the popular workplace flexibility.

Workforce

What should agencies consider for their remote work plans?

A new memo from OPM Acting Director Robert Shriver details specific factors agency leaders should consider when designing their remote work strategy for the federal workforce. 

Management

The General Services Administration celebrates 75 years as the federal government’s landlord

The agency is central to efforts to promote green buildings and right-size the federal real estate portfolio.

Workforce

Gen Z is underrepresented in the federal workforce. Here’s how some experts would fix that

People younger than 30 represent 7% of the full-time civil service despite being 20% of the overall U.S. labor force.

Management

Biden administration pledges to help agencies offload more federal buildings

The government's real estate czar calls the post-pandemic building underutilization "concerning," but warns agencies will have to spend money to save money.

Workforce

Burnout among government workers is decreasing but still high, according to new pulse survey data

Leader of the consulting firm that sponsored the poll says the burnout rate could cause public employees to leave their jobs.

Workforce

Put the telework debate to rest by focusing on productivity

COMMENTARY | Civil servants say telework improves productivity, but Congress wants data to prove it. Here’s one way OMB can reconcile the differences.

Oversight

IRS is reducing its physical footprint but needs a better long-term plan, its IG says

The IRS has reduced its office space by 2 million square feet since fiscal 2018, but the watchdog said it could save millions in real estate costs with additional steps.

Oversight

Telework questions pervade recommendation that GSA work on space utilization data

While the amount of office space required by federal agencies has been a longstanding issue, there’s more attention on it due to the increased use of telework since the pandemic.

Workforce

Space Force inches closer to classified remote work

The platform could be a popular remote-work solution for Space Systems Command.

Workforce

OPM’s new acting director defends federal telework, anti-Schedule F regulations

Rob Shriver defended the Biden administration’s workforce policies, citing new data suggesting fewer federal employees telework than their private sector counterparts.

Workforce

As one telework reform measure advances, another is delayed

A measure that would codify remote work in the U.S. Code and improve telework data reporting advanced by a 9-2 margin in Senate committee, but consideration of another bill aimed at improving telework data was postponed.

Workforce

House Dems ask agencies about their progress offering telework to military spouses

The fiscal 2022 National Defense Authorization Act requires federal agencies to offer remote work options to employees whose spouses are deployed overseas.

Workforce

Surgeon general says telework’s flexibility should be balanced with purposeful connection to promote mental health

The nation’s top doctor urged federal bosses to better promote workplace social connections to counter the feelings of isolation that telework may induce.

Workforce

Senators’ latest telework legislation could imperil remote work

A new bill from Sens. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., would cap all telework at 40% of an employee’s work hours, potentially endangering the federal government’s nascent remote work program.

Workforce

OMB leader defends administration’s approach to telework

House Republicans continued to demand better data from the Biden administration regarding the prevalence and effectiveness of telework at federal agencies.

Workforce

State, Defense departments announce deal to expand military spouse access to remote work jobs

The move to allow federal employees to telework while overseas with their service member spouses is part of a larger effort to boost recruitment of military spouses.