Workforce

NIH Fellows Hope Union Bid Will Bolster Pay and Protections

Organizers hope that forming a union at the National Institutes of Health will help increase pay, benefits and worker protections across academia.

The Cure for What Ails the Government’s Security Clearance Process: Automation

Most, if not all, of the manual steps traditionally done by federal employees or contractors can now be done by modern technologies, writes one expert.

An Effort to Make It Easier for Feds to Bust Their Own Union is Blocked by the FLRA

The American Federation of Government Employees applauded the decision, but with a FLRA-mandated union election scheduled for next month, the fight is far from over.

Congress Doesn’t Know How to Count the Number of National Security Professionals and That’s a Problem

Instead of addressing data security or IT policies around protecting classified information, Congress goes after numbers.

Feds Reported ‘Notable Levels’ of Perceived Banned Personnel Practices in 2021

This “data is only a starting point, not the finishing line,” said the Merit Systems Protection Board.

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.

Rehiring Federal Retirees 'Makes Sense,' If Agencies Can Get the Go-Ahead

Ron Sanders joins the podcast to discuss bringing back feds to federal service.

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.

New Hiring Methods Help FBI and CIA Combat Cyber Talent Shortage

Officials at the intelligence and law enforcement agencies say they’re facing the national cyber talent shortage head-on, from implementing a new approach to hiring top cyber talent to new training programs and incentives.

A Default on the U.S. Debt Would Be Far Worse Than a Government Shutdown. Here’s How

National security, transportation, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid would be impacted.

The Racial Gap in the Financial Industry

Jim Casselberry, CEO and co-founder at Known, joins the podcast to discuss DEI in the banking sector.

Federal Labor Law Applies to Civilian Technicians in State National Guards, Supreme Court Affirms

The state of Ohio had argued it did not fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Labor Relations Authority, despite the fact that “dual status technicians” are federal employees.

Union and Alaska Army Posts Resolve Differences Over Official Time and Illegal Contract, But Other Fights Remain

Despite agreeing to drop the illegal contract the agency unilaterally imposed on AFGE employees in 2019, union officials say management continues to resist the Biden administration’s pro-labor policies.

EEOC Alerts Employers to AI Discrimination Risks

The agency explains how existing civil rights protections apply to artificial intelligence applications in the workplace.

There is No Firm Plan Yet for Feds' Pay in a Debt Ceiling Breach

GovExec Senior Correspondent Eric Katz joins the podcast to discuss the ongoing negotiations as a default looms.

Pay Raises and Hiring Are Where Lawmakers Agree in DHS Spending BiIl

Other common ground on the Homeland Security Department's spending levels is harder to come by.

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.