Employee Policy
DHS employees get relief from possible shutdown
On the last day of the funding deadline last week, both houses of Congress passed an appropriation for, at this time of rising terrorism worldwide, the crucially important Department of Homeland Security, but it's only for seven days.
Employee Policy
USAJobs posts high pay position
Defending the country against hackers—and electronically taking the fight to hostile powers abroad—is becoming increasingly important, and increasingly competitive in terms of who winds up with a growing swath of cyber security posts in the federal government.
Route Fifty
New York State’s New 90-Day Email Purge Policy Raises Big Questions Over Transparency
Lawmakers in Albany grill state CIO Maggie Miller, who affirms the Cuomo administration’s controversial guidelines: It’s “consistent with accepted practice.”
Management
Democrats to the Rescue: Congress Averts Shutdown for One More Week
Republicans could not muster support for the three-week bill and had to move a one-week measure instead.
Nextgov
White House Cyber Force Has a $140,000 Opening
Our cyber defenders are always on guard. Take that, China.
Oversight
FOIA Reform Draws Backing from Ex-Archives Ombudsman
Bill would codify powers of the office responsible for mediating disputes between requesters and agencies.
Oversight
Ted Cruz Wants to Reform Federal Hiring
Lawmaker better known as the architect of the 2013 shutdown looks to add a hiring preference.
Nextgov
GAO: Pentagon's IT Planning is Too Sluggish
GAO's third examination of the Defense Department's major IT programs found some projects spent an average of five years, two months and $452 million before establishing cost and schedules.
Management
VA Watchdog Finds Data Manipulation of Disability Claims at Arkansas Facility
Employees -- complying with headquarters guidance -- changed the dates in dozens of cases so that older claims appeared newer.
Oversight
How a Treasury Watchdog Found Long-Lost Lois Lerner Emails in Just Two Weeks
During evening hearing on the discovery, House members tangle over alleged ‘criminal’ acts and IG bias.
Insights
Attitudes on Customer Service Quality Differ between Federal Managers and the Public
More than two-thirds of federal managers say their agency's customer service quality is at least comparable to the private sector standard. Unfortunately, the public is less optimistic.
Management
NASA Satellite Program Shows Rain Information in Detail
The Global Precipitation Measurement gives an unprecedented view of global precipitation available in near real time.
Management
Bad Weather: Better for Work, Terrible for Everything Else
Now is the winter of our productivity.
Oversight
Play of the Day: The Plight of the Whistleblowers
The Daily Show looks at protections for feds who blow the whistle on waste, fraud and abuse.
Nextgov
Anthem Health Care Hack Snared Federal Employees Who Weren’t Anthem Customers
But who knows how many?
Route Fifty
Arizona ‘City’ With Escaped Llamas Isn’t Actually a Municipality
Sun City doesn’t have a mayor and there’s no local government. But there’s a Sheriff’s Posse and plenty of residents in orange safety vests.
Management
Vet Group Wants to Turn Veterans Health Administration Into Amtrak
Proposal would transform federal agency into a government-chartered nonprofit and give vets a private health care option.
Route Fifty
Chattanooga, Tenn., and Wilson, N.C., Celebrate FCC’s Municipal Broadband Ruling
The two cities had petitioned commissioners to block state red tape that limits expansion of high-speed networks built by local governments.
Management
Stressed? It’s Not How Much You Do, It’s How You Do It
Fighting anxiety, especially in high-pressure situations, can be a drain on the body’s resources.
Management