Pay & Benefits
Feds Are Likely to Get a Half-Day Off on Christmas Eve This Year
President Obama gave civil servants an extra half-day off on Dec. 24 the last two times Christmas fell on a Friday.
Oversight
White House Trade Adviser Violated Hatch Act Multiple Times, Watchdog Finds
The Office of Special Counsel recommended disciplinary action, but the Trump administration has been weak on enforcing the law prohibiting political activity in the federal workplace.
Management
Good Government Group Urges Feds to Lobby Congress Against Schedule F
In a rare move, the Partnership for Public Service asked the public to contact lawmakers to muster opposition to the Trump administration’s effort to politicize the federal civil service.
Pay & Benefits
White House Now Supports 2021 Pay Freeze, but Only for Civilians
The announcement marks a reversal for the Trump administration, which previously proposed a 1% across-the-board pay increase for all federal employees.
Defense
EXCLUSIVE: Details Revealed in Trump’s Lame-Duck Pentagon Budget Draft
Some of the numbers are “fabricated,” says one official. But they shed light on GOP lines of attack awaiting Biden.
Defense
Democrats See GOP Electioneering in Air Force Choice of Georgia for C-130 Base
A Trump appointee wants Air National Guard planes sent to the state that holds the key to Senate control.
Management
Transition Roundup: Biden Team Makes Contact With Over 50 Agencies; Progressives Target OMB and Regulatory Affairs Picks
There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Oversight
Trump Races to Weaken Environmental and Worker Protections, and Implement Other Last-Minute Policies, Before Jan. 20
The Trump administration is rushing to approve dozens of eleventh-hour policy changes. Among them: The Justice Department is fast-tracking a rule that could reintroduce firing squads and electrocutions to federal executions.
Management
Transition Roundup: Trump Refuses to Concede; Biden Teams Prepare to Go Into Agencies
There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Management
OMB Advises Agencies on Contractors’ Limiting Their Use of Foreign Workers
The agency issued a memo to supplement President Trump’s executive order in August.
Management
A Brief History of Presidents Snubbing Their Successors – and Why the Founders Favored Civility Instead
'Mind your manners' isn't just something your mother told you. Manners – and civility – are an essential component of how things get done in government, and the Founding Fathers knew it.
Management
Biden Team Says Transition Delay Could Hinder Vaccine Distribution
“More people may die if we don’t coordinate,” with the Trump administration, said President-elect Joe Biden earlier this week.
Tech
Did Trump Delay the Arrival of At-Home Coronavirus Testing?
Some experts think that at-home testing can stop coronavirus outbreaks, and that the government should have been doing more to produce the tests.
Workforce
GovExec Daily: Schedule F, Firing and the Private Sector
Dr. Donald F. Kettl joins the podcast to discuss the White House order on firing and accountability.
Management
Over 170 Groups Call for Biden Administration to Take Up Ethics Reforms Immediately
President-elect Biden addressed many of their concerns in his campaign platform and transition plan.
Management
Biden’s Transition Team Brings in Diverse Coalition of Experts, at Least Half of Whom Are Women
The members of Biden’s agency review teams represent communities “historically underrepresented in federal government.”
Management
What Will Regulatory Policy Look Like Under President Biden?
Experts predict the incoming Biden administration will work immediately to undo four years of deregulation under Trump.
Management
Rolling Back Trump Workforce Policies Won’t Be As Simple As Rescinding Executive Orders
President-elect Biden has vowed to rescind on his first day a series of Trump-era directives aimed at weakening federal labor unions and politicizing the civil service, but repairing the damage could take much longer.
Defense
Foreign Leaders Congratulate Biden, Ignore Trump’s Claim to Reelection
NATO allies France, Germany, and UK quickly recognized the president-elect’s win. Turkey and Russia remain quiet.
Defense