Employee Policy
Postal labor rejects negative depiction of USPS financials
While the U.S. Postal Service last week framed its quarterly results in largely negative terms, postal unions reacted by highlighting USPS operating profits and blaming the losses on the unique requirement to prefund retiree health care costs that Congress placed on the agency.
Employee Policy
Retired Forest Service agents call for ouster of director
Citing "negative leadership," a group of retired Forest Service special agents and law enforcement officers are urging Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to reassign a top Forest Service official.
Defense
China and the US Are Racing to Turn Poor, Naive Millennials into Spies
Unsuspecting Chinese students, some of them as young as 16 years old, are being lured into working for foreign intelligence agents.
Oversight
Poll: Americans Have More Faith in Themselves Than in Uncle Sam
The public believes individuals and local organizations are better than the federal government is right now at tackling major challenges facing the country.
Management
Agencies Could Track Feds’ Speeding to Reduce Fuel Costs
More data could help lower federal fleet expenses, watchdog report says.
Management
How to Lead Change When You’re a Middle Manager
Building new organizational capabilities can be difficult when you lack full authority.
Nextgov
It Took the VA Hospital in Phoenix 10 Years to Install an Electronic Waitlist System
The system was available and deployed elsewhere in the agency since 2001.
Management
USPS Loses $1.9 Billion in Second Quarter Despite Operating Profits
Retiree health benefits and other liabilities continue to drive the Postal Service into the red.
Nextgov
It Took Feds 13 Days to Unravel a TSP Cyber Hoax Perpetrated by... Feds
Documents acquired by Nextgov show how retirement fund officials scrambled to dissect a misguided Army cybersecurity exercise.
Defense One
How Climate Change Affects Terrorism
Climate change not only threatens the environment, it can lead to greater instability and fuel global conflict and terrorism. By Jon Gensler
Management
Homeland Security Moves Closer to Getting Off GAO's High-Risk List
Continuing problems include poor morale.
Nextgov
Not Everyone Loves the DATA Act
Some agency employees fear an added workload for the transparency cause.
Defense
Office of the Director of National Intelligence Now Requires Employees To Pretend Leaks Never Happened
All ODNI employees (both current and former) may not use any information from "known leaks, or unauthorized disclosures of sensitive information" in anything they release to the public.
Oversight
Play of the Day: How a State Defines Snacking
New York debates yogurt as its official state snack.
Defense
Republicans Have Created Their Benghazi Select Committee. Now What?
The House approved the special panel, with little Democratic support.
Oversight
Obama Wants $2B in Energy-Efficiency Upgrades to Federal Buildings Over the Next 3 Years
President is announcing the goal along with other executive actions to improve the environment.
Benefits
More USPS losses; CFO says prefunding fix is no cure
The U.S. Postal Service recorded yet another quarter of net losses in spite of cost-cutting measures, and warned that without reform legislation it would miss yet another payment to prefund retiree health benefits.
Employee Policy
Thousands apply for CBP officer slots
Customs and Border Protection announced that it has closed the window to apply for 2,000 new CBP officer positions—only one week after opening it.
Pay
House bill lets higher military pay raise go forward
The House Armed Services Committee May 8 approved defense funding authorization legislation that would allow a 1.8 percent military pay increase to go through for next year.
Defense One