Management
Understaffed Veterans Affairs Scrambles to Confront COVID-19
The nation’s largest integrated health care system has only limited protocols in place to protect elderly patients. Roughly half of the 9 million veterans who use the VA’s hospitals are at least 65 years old.
Defense
‘We Want to Be the Last Resort,’ Says Defense Secretary
Pentagon’s Esper says the U.S. military is ready to help fight the coronavirus, but may not be the best — or fastest — solution.
Workforce
GovExec Daily: How the Pentagon is Responding to Coronavirus
Defense One's Brad Peniston joins the podcast to explain the Defense Department's moves during the early stages of the pandemic.
Workforce
OPM Director Abruptly Quits
The government’s top HR manager Dale Cabaniss was reportedly frustrated by White House interference.
Route Fifty
Coronavirus Threatens to Blow Big Holes in State Budgets
States are dealing with financial uncertainty as they spend to combat the virus, but also face the possibility of lost revenues as the disease puts a major drag on the economy.
Management
TSA’s Decision This Year to End Payments for Janitorial Services at Checkpoints Has Some Worried
Airports are being forced to do more with less as cleaning efforts ramp up to prevent coronavirus spread.
Management
Native American Energy Department Employee Wins Significant Civil Rights Settlement
Jody TallBear was awarded $200,000, the restoration of 100 hours of sick leave, and executive training.
Pay & Benefits
Social Security Closes All Local Offices Amid Coronavirus Threat
Although officials said the agency is working to expand telework as much as possible, union leaders disputed that, describing “Kafkaesque” inaction.
Nextgov
Attorney General Prioritizes Prosecuting COVID-19 Scammers
William Barr directed federal attorneys to go after people behind phony cures and phishing schemes.
Route Fifty
Cities, States Halt Evictions During Coronavirus Pandemic
Growing numbers of cities and states are pausing evictions to help workers who've lost income during the coronavirus outbreak.
Management
A Leadership Reality Check
It doesn’t matter how good the plan is to combat the COVID-19 outbreak if leaders don’t lead.
Pay & Benefits
Federal Judge Dismisses Shutdown Lawsuit
A federal employee union had argued that forcing federal employees to work without pay during a lapse in appropriations constitutes a violation of the Anti-Deficiency Act, but a judge on Monday ruled that with the government open, the case is now moot.
Nextgov
Trump Relaxes Patient Data Rules to Allow Doctors to Use Personal Phones for Telehealth
The administration broadened telehealth coverage to all Medicare beneficiaries and eased HIPAA regulations for the duration of the pandemic emergency.
Workforce
Coronavirus Roundup: News About the Outbreak that Matters to Feds
There’s a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Management
Experts Agree that Trump’s Coronavirus Response Was Poor, but the U.S. Was Ill-Prepared in the First Place
Trump called coronavirus a hoax, and he dragged his feet in addressing it. But the U.S. health care system was ill-equipped from the start to deal with such a crisis. The pandemic shows the flaws.
Oversight
Reports of the Death of Congressional Oversight Are Greatly Exaggerated
Congress wanted an aide to President Trump to testify; Trump ordered him not to. Congress went to court over it, and the court told both sides to leave the courts out of it and negotiate a solution.
Management
After Discovering a Sailor With Coronavirus, the U.S. Navy Crowded Dozens Into One Space
On the USS Boxer, where the Navy discovered its first case of coronavirus on a ship, a sailor says his superiors called a meeting that crammed more than 80 senior enlisted sailors and officers together.
Workforce
How to Actually Stop Touching Your Face
Not touching your face is a simple way to protect yourself from COVID-19, but it's not easy. Here's how to break the habit.
Management
GovExec Daily: Coronavirus at the Bureau of Prisons
Courtney Bublé joins the podcast to explain how the pandemic could quickly spread through a federal prison, infecting inmates and staff alike.
Management