Oversight
From shutdown prospects to anti-telework bills: 5 things to watch when Congress returns
Pending legislation could affect federal employees' work-life balance, civil service protections, TSP investment options and more.
Pay & Benefits
Expanded telework, a benefit now under threat, effectively boosts pay for hundreds of thousands of feds
Working from home pinches far more than pennies.
Workforce
Pence ‘Day 1’ plan includes a telework rollback, spending freeze and ban on gender affirming care
The former vice president and Republican presidential candidate on Tuesday unveiled a laundry list of executive actions he would take immediately upon assuming office to reverse the Biden administration’s policies.
Pay & Benefits
OPM clarifies pay rules for teleworkers who must travel during work
Guidance aimed at stipulating when employees must be paid for their travel to traditional work sites comes ahead of an expected push by agencies to increase the amount of “meaningful in-person work” this fall.
Workforce
White House calls on agencies to 'aggressively' reduce telework this fall
Chief of Staff Jeff Zients instructed agencies to focus on executing plans to increase in-person work in September and October.
Management
Post-pandemic, most agency headquarters are only one-quarter full
Agency officials say they are worried telework policies will change and therefore they must retain their underutilized buildings.
Pay & Benefits
OPM reminds agencies of workplace flexibilities following disasters
A memo highlighting telework, paid leave and other benefits available to feds impacted by disasters corresponds with the beginning of hurricane season and a recent typhoon in the Pacific Ocean.
Management
How the federal government can help downtown Washington ‘return to work’
COMMENTARY | By giving up underused real estate, and disposing of it more effectively, federal agencies could free up space for hotels, residences, museums and businesses that would help revitalize the city.
Pay & Benefits
Draft spending bill cuts telework and bans transgender care for feds, but preserves 5.2% pay raise plan
A House subcommittee's fiscal 2024 spending bill does nothing to override the president’s planned average pay increase for federal workers next year, but it is riddled with policy riders.
Workforce
No Telework Cuts for Weather Service Employees, Under Union Settlement
Commerce Department employees represented by the National Weather Service Employees Organization are exempt from recent cuts to telework, though labor leaders bemoan deteriorating relationship with management.
Workforce
‘Flexibility’ Will Be Key to Agencies Retaining Military Spouses, Biden Says
President Biden signed an executive order last week tasking agencies with developing new plans to recruit and retain spouses of military service members and said telework will play a key role.
Management
With Feds Working 'Wherever Their Hearts Desire,' Agencies Should Sell Off More Buildings, Lawmakers Say
Officials contend bureaucratic tussling is preventing agencies from making billions in federal property sales.
Workforce
‘Protect the Health’ of Employees Amid Poor Air Quality, OPM Reminds Employees
Wildfires in Canada have encased much of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic in smoke and haze, raising health concerns for commuters and employees who work outside.
Workforce
Forcing Feds Into the Office Is a Mistake. Here's Why.
An arbitrary reduction in telework is likely to drive an exodus of qualified federal workers seeking flexibility to the private sector.
Workforce
GOP Lawmakers Demand Telework Stats from Federal Agencies
Congressional Republicans argued that the Biden administration’s recent efforts to scale back the use of telework are insufficient.
Workforce
Survey: 45% of Gov Employees May Walk if Agencies Reduce Remote Work Flexibility
The survey suggests more than half of government employees prefer to work for an agency that offers hybrid and remote flexibility.
Workforce
Remote Work Has Been Controversial For Decades
Tom Shoop joins the podcast to discuss the history of federal telework policy.
Workforce
Anti-Telework Bill Makes Its Way to the Senate
The SHOW UP Act, which narrowly passed the House in February, requires federal agencies to revert to their telework policies prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Workforce
Remote Work Can Bring Tensions, but Managers Can Calm Them
Shane Spraggs joins the podcast to discuss how organizations can successfully implement telework.
Workforce