Veterans

VA Is Increasingly Leaning on Contract Nurses as COVID-19 Cases Surge

Employees lament staffing shortages even as VA has brought on 66,000 new workers since the novel coronavirus pandemic began.

Eric Katz
December 16, 2020

VA Is Increasingly Leaning on Contract Nurses as COVID-19 Cases Surge

Employees lament staffing shortages even as VA has brought on 66,000 new workers since the novel coronavirus pandemic began.

Eric Katz
December 16, 2020

Court Affirms Senior Executives in Government Have Only Limited Appeal Rights

Court also issues another defeat to President Trump's signature civil service reform law.

Eric Katz
December 14, 2020

VA Flags Potential Staffing, Resource Hurdles in Vaccine Distribution

The department will start with a small distribution of doses, but expects a series of hurdles in inoculating its entire workforce and network.

Eric Katz
December 9, 2020

Senators Raise Concerns Over Burrowing In, Other 'Midnight' Activities at VA

Rushed policies and hiring decisions "should be left to the incoming administration," lawmakers say.

Eric Katz
December 4, 2020

Internal Documents Detail Who VA Will Vaccinate First

The Veterans Affairs Department's multi-tiered plan prioritizes delivering COVID-19 inoculations to high-risk staff and patients.

Eric Katz
November 30, 2020

A Member of Your Household Tests Positive for COVID-19? VA Says Keep on Working

Department tells employees not to quarantine until they start feeling sick.

Eric Katz
November 24, 2020

Panel Deals Major Blow to Trump's Signature Civil Service Reform, Calls for Rehiring of Fired Workers

Labor authority says administration violated a contract in implementing a 2017 law.

Eric Katz
November 17, 2020

Federal Panel Strips VA Worker Rights in Latest Pro-Management Decision

Although the Federal Service Impasses Panel scolded VA for its overbroad reliance on management rights to eviscerate its contract with a labor union, the panel still ruled mostly in the department’s favor.

Erich Wagner
November 16, 2020

Federal Manager, Contractor Dead Following Explosion at VA Facility

Another contractor is missing, and three individuals are injured.

Eric Katz
November 13, 2020

How You Can Help Veterans Every Day

The rate of death by suicide is rising among veterans. The most common stressor is a serious relationship difficulty.

Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, The Conversation
November 10, 2020

Veterans Affairs Secretary Headlines GOP Fundraiser as COVID-19 Cases Surge

Electioneering by a cabinet secretary is unusual by historical standards, but Trump administration officials continue to show no reluctance to play politics.

Isaac Arnsdorf, ProPublica
October 22, 2020

White VA Employees Twice as Likely to Be Promoted as Black Workers

The American Federation of Government Employees said Thursday that new data it obtained via the Freedom of Information Act underscores its allegations of systemic racism pervading the Veterans Affairs Department.

Erich Wagner
October 15, 2020

Civil Rights Groups Pressure VA Ahead of GAO Racism Audit

GAO has agreed to investigate the prevalence racism at the Veterans Affairs Department after a survey revealed that the vast majority of bargaining unit employees had either experienced or witnessed acts of discrimination on the job.

Erich Wagner
October 7, 2020

Office Created to Protect Whistleblowers and Discipline Senior Execs Is Doing Little of Either

Trump has praised the office, but a new internal report shows it has recommended discipline in just 0.2% of cases.

Eric Katz
August 28, 2020

GAO: Federal Agencies Lag in Retaining Veteran Employees

Between fiscal 2014 and 2018, nearly 7% of veterans left federal service, compared with only 5% of non-veterans, the watchdog agency found.

Erich Wagner
August 25, 2020

Vast Majority of VA Employees Have Either Witnessed Or Experienced Racism at Work, Survey Finds

Nearly 76% of respondents to union survey have experienced "racially charged actions," and three-quarters of those who haven't experienced incidents themselves say they have witnessed them.

Erich Wagner
August 10, 2020

VA Should Better Protect Employees From Sexual Harassment, GAO Says

Inconsistent and outdated policies are coupled with management structures that leave employees vulnerable.

Eric Katz
July 16, 2020

Fired VA Employee, Facing Allegations of Poisoning Patients, Pleads Guilty to Seven Counts of Murder

VA facility first flagged the suspicious deaths two years ago.

Eric Katz
July 14, 2020

VA Significantly Boosts Hiring as COVID-19 Cases Among Employees and Veterans Spike

Coronavirus cases among VA workers are climbing much faster than in the general population.

Eric Katz
July 2, 2020

Union Files Grievance Over VA's Refusal to Bargain

The Veterans Affairs Department claims it doesn't need to negotiate with labor leaders until the pandemic is over.

Erich Wagner
June 16, 2020

GovExec Daily: Three-Dimensional Innovation at VHA

Sammie-nominated Dr. Beth Ripley joins the show to talk about her work creating an interconnected, hospital-based 3D printing network.

Ross Gianfortune and Adam Butler
June 5, 2020

Court also issues another defeat to President Trump's signature civil service reform law.

The department will start with a small distribution of doses, but expects a series of hurdles in inoculating its entire workforce and network.

Rushed policies and hiring decisions "should be left to the incoming administration," lawmakers say.

The Veterans Affairs Department's multi-tiered plan prioritizes delivering COVID-19 inoculations to high-risk staff and patients.

Department tells employees not to quarantine until they start feeling sick.

Labor authority says administration violated a contract in implementing a 2017 law.

Although the Federal Service Impasses Panel scolded VA for its overbroad reliance on management rights to eviscerate its contract with a labor union, the panel still ruled mostly in the department’s favor.

Another contractor is missing, and three individuals are injured.

The rate of death by suicide is rising among veterans. The most common stressor is a serious relationship difficulty.

Electioneering by a cabinet secretary is unusual by historical standards, but Trump administration officials continue to show no reluctance to play politics.

The American Federation of Government Employees said Thursday that new data it obtained via the Freedom of Information Act underscores its allegations of systemic racism pervading the Veterans Affairs Department.

GAO has agreed to investigate the prevalence racism at the Veterans Affairs Department after a survey revealed that the vast majority of bargaining unit employees had either experienced or witnessed acts of discrimination on the job.

Trump has praised the office, but a new internal report shows it has recommended discipline in just 0.2% of cases.

Between fiscal 2014 and 2018, nearly 7% of veterans left federal service, compared with only 5% of non-veterans, the watchdog agency found.

Nearly 76% of respondents to union survey have experienced "racially charged actions," and three-quarters of those who haven't experienced incidents themselves say they have witnessed them.

Inconsistent and outdated policies are coupled with management structures that leave employees vulnerable.

VA facility first flagged the suspicious deaths two years ago.

Coronavirus cases among VA workers are climbing much faster than in the general population.

The Veterans Affairs Department claims it doesn't need to negotiate with labor leaders until the pandemic is over.

Sammie-nominated Dr. Beth Ripley joins the show to talk about her work creating an interconnected, hospital-based 3D printing network.

Thank you!