Workforce
TSA Prepares for Busy Season Surge, but Officials Still Warn of Potential 'Train Wreck'
The agency will offer new hires up to $5,000 in bonuses and mandate overtime.
Management
States Have Yet to Spend Hundreds of Millions of Federal Dollars to Tackle COVID Health Disparities
A year ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded states and local health departments $2.25 billion to help people of color and other populations at higher risk from COVID. But a KHN review shows public health agencies across the country have been slow to spend it.
Oversight
The Plot to Keep Meatpacking Plants Open During COVID-19
Newly released documents reveal that the meatpacking industry’s callousness toward the health of its workers and its influence over the Trump administration were far greater than previously known.
Oversight
Here Are Some Lessons from Homeland Security’s Early COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign
Issues early on hampered DHS meeting its vaccination goals, but then vaccinations became widely available.
Workforce
Why Won’t More Older Americans Get Their COVID Booster?
Approximately 1 in 3 Americans 65 and older who completed their initial vaccination round still have not received a first booster shot. The numbers dismay researchers, who say the lag has cost tens of thousands of lives.
Management
Former Trump Official: The Program to Develop COVID-19 Vaccines Was a Success, But Communication Could've Been Better
Paul Mango was involved in virtually all aspects of Operation Warp Speed, a public-private partnership.
Management
Sweeping, Limited, or No Powers at All? What’s at Stake in the Mask Mandate Appeal
Dictionaries, public comments, and even an old court case that involved underwear pricing could play a role as the government appeals a ruling that sharply limits federal authority during pandemics.
Workforce
EEOC Union Decries Agency’s Unilateral Decision to Return to Office
The American Federation of Government Employees Council 216 has filed an unfair labor practice complaint, alleging the agency bypassed ongoing negotiations over the return to traditional work sites and engaging in “surface-level” bargaining.
Workforce
As Turnover Soars, Most VA Employees Say They Were Not Emotionally Supported During the Pandemic
Front-line staff were largely unaware of VA's offerings to support employee well-being, new survey finds.
Management
A Guide to Help You Keep Up With the Omicron Subvariants
How different are the seemingly endless stream of emerging omicron subvariants from one another and how protected are we?
Workforce
Coronavirus Roundup: The FDA Limits Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Authorization
There’s a lot to keep track of. Here’s a list of this week’s news updates and stories you may have missed.
Management
The Trump White House Altered Early Pandemic Guidance and Muzzled Career Scientists, Documents Show
White House advisors said CDC's guidance on religious services was "problematic" and "offensive."
Workforce
Coronavirus Roundup: A Watchdog Highlights Concerns of Payment Integrity in COVID Funds
There’s a lot to keep track of. Here’s a list of this week’s news updates and stories you may have missed.
Workforce
Federal Employees Are Growing Less Engaged and Less Satisfied With Their Jobs
Response rates for the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey also fell 10 points from 2020, amid an abbreviated fall survey period due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Oversight
U.S. Supreme Court Hears Arguments on whether Biden Can Toss Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” Policy
The Biden administration had ended the policy that forced 70,000 migrants to wait in Mexico. But a federal judge in Texas forced the administration to restart the program in December.
Workforce
Staring at An Image of Yourself on Zoom Has Serious Consequences for Mental Health – Especially for Women
Mirrors, selfies and knowing other people are looking at you all cause people to think of themselves as objects. Video calls are all three in one and are likely increasing the harms of self-objectification.
Oversight
A Top Lawmaker Wants a Briefing on COVID-19 Vaccines for Young Kids
Separately, the FDA approved the first COVID-19 treatment for kids under 12 on Monday.
Tech
A Majority of Americans Support Mask Mandates on Planes
A majority of Americans support mask mandates on planes and public transit, a new survey finds.
Workforce
VA Has Fired Just Six Employees Over Its COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate
The department was carved out from an injunction on Biden's governmentwide mandate, offering a preview of how the soon-to-be-resumed requirement may play out.
Oversight