Management
CDC Says Masks Must Fit Tightly – and Two Are Better Than One
How well your mask works depends on how well it fits. Wearing two snug masks made of different materials offers 95% protection from exposure to aerosols that could contain the coronavirus.
Management
Reflections on Public Service During a Pandemic
A conversation with Paul Lawrence, the former Under Secretary for Benefits at the Veterans Affairs Department.
Management
CDC Report Signals the Agency Will Resume Work on LGBTQ+ Health, Advocates Say
The data itself is not new, and advocates are urging the Biden administration to step up efforts to reach queer Americans.
Workforce
GovExec Daily: The New FLRA Chief and Biden's Priorities for Feds
GovExec reporter Erich Wagner joins the podcast to discuss his interview with Ernest DuBester and how he fits into the White House workforce strategy.
Route Fifty
Snug and Doubled-Up Masks Can Help Stop Covid Spread, CDC Finds
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new research looking at the effectiveness of wearing two masks at once, or tighter fitting face coverings.
Nextgov
Experts Tell Lawmakers to Give CISA 'Operational' Federal Information Security Role
Former CISA director Chris Krebs said government contracts also need to change in order to facilitate cross-agency information sharing.
Workforce
Defense Is Documenting Just 3% of Estimated Cases of Civilians Experiencing Sexual Assault
Shortfalls in the Pentagon's approach with the civilian workforce give the Biden administration another challenge as it addresses the "scourge" at Defense.
Management
Senators Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Increase Transparency of Federal Spending
President Biden’s nominee for OMB director testified she would champion transparency and oversight.
Defense
Leaders Should Prioritize Troops Over Weapons Amid Defense Spending Cuts, Former Officials Say
There’s no “easy button” for finding items to cut the budget.
Management
Federal Judge Prevents Biden Administration from Pausing Deportations for Two More Weeks
Judge Drew Tipton originally issued a 14-day suspension of Biden’s moratorium on Jan. 26. The pause in deportations was part of Biden’s attempted day one overhaul of several of former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
Pay & Benefits
House COVID Relief Bill Includes 15 Weeks of Paid Leave for Federal Parents, Caregivers
Leave would be available to care for elderly family members and kids whose schools are closed or virtual, as well as for those who are sick themselves or forced to quarantine.
Workforce
Coronavirus Roundup: Transportation Secretary in Quarantine; FDA Gives Emergency Authorization to Another Antibody Treatment
There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Management
How the U.S. Mint Used the Shift to Remote Work to Reshape Its IT Mission
The pandemic upended operations, but that wasn’t entirely bad, says Chief Information Officer and acting Deputy Director Francis O’Hearn.
Workforce
GovExec Daily: How Feds are Burning Out During the Pandemic
Eagle Hill Consulting's David Witkowski joins the podcast to discuss his firm's survey results on how public servants are working during the crisis and handling the stress of COVID-19.
Route Fifty
Another Big Company Plans for Remote Work Beyond the Pandemic
Salesforce, one of San Francisco's top employers, says it expects the majority of its workers will be going into the office fewer than five days a week.
Route Fifty
Hackers Tried to Poison a City's Drinking Water Supply
The cyberattack used remote access to toggle levels of sodium hydroxide at a water treatment plant near Tampa, Florida, but an operator at the facility quickly fixed the problem, officials said.
Management
Arbitrator: Social Security Violated Labor Law Again in Dealings With Administrative Law Judge Union
Decision finding that SSA broke the law when it unilaterally implemented an incomplete union contract last year is the second time management has been cited for wrongful activity in the last year.
Management
House Leaders Reintroduce Bill to Grant TSA Employees Full Federal Protections
Since the agency’s founding following Sept. 11, 2001, workers at the Transportation Security Administration have had lower pay, abridged collective bargaining rights and fewer protections than other federal employees.
Route Fifty