Management
Senate Confirms Ahuja as OPM Director in Close Vote
With Vice President Kamala Harris breaking a tie, lawmakers installed the first permanent director for the federal government’s HR agency in more than a year.
Pay & Benefits
Most Federal Employees Will Receive Friday Off for Juneteenth
President Biden signed a bill Thursday afternoon making the anniversary of the end of slavery a federal holiday, and OPM confirmed that federal workers will have Friday off.
Pay & Benefits
Juneteenth Will Be a New Holiday for Feds, Although It’s Unclear When
The holiday would typically be observed Friday, but a lack of lead time to implement a newly passed bill could delay when federal workers see a new day off.
Pay & Benefits
Federal Employee Health Program Insurer Offers Cash for Vaccinations, and More
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
Management
OPM Finalizes Rule Easing Rehiring of Ex-Feds
Under new rules, federal agencies will be able to rehire former federal workers at a higher pay grade than when they left government.
Management
OPM Urges Agencies to Support Feds’ Mental Health
The government’s HR agency this week will host a panel discussion of mental health issues for officials and share tips for managers to support work-life balance initiatives.
Oversight
OPM Failed to Notify Employees of Coworker COVID Infections, Require Mask-Wearing, IG Says
The watchdog said many of the problems related to the agency’s coronavirus response have been solved by a new workforce safety plan finalized earlier this year.
Management
OPM Extends Deadline for Agencies to Implement Competency-Based Hiring
Citing “concern” from agencies, the federal government’s HR shop is giving officials until the end of 2021 to implement a Trump-era executive order overhauling federal hiring.
Management
Biden’s OPM Nominee Advances from Committee
All Republican senators voted against Kiran Ahuja over her past support of diversity and inclusion programs and abortion rights.
Management
The Agencies that Saw the Biggest Gains in Employee Satisfaction in 2020, and the Few that Saw Losses
Only six agencies with at least 100 employees saw decreases in their job satisfaction score on the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.
Management
Feds’ Engagement and Job Satisfaction Rises Despite—or Because of—Pandemic
Officials who administered the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey warned against making sweeping conclusions about the 2020 results, due to changes in the survey's timing and some of its content.
Pay & Benefits
OPM Waives Premium Pay Cap for Border Detailees
The federal government’s HR agency declared that the influx of children at the southern border is an emergency for the purposes of waiving restrictions on how much premium pay federal employees can earn.
Management
OPM Nominee Sails Through Confirmation Hearing, Pledging to Support Feds and Uphold Merit System
Kiran Ahuja outlined her vision for the federal workforce and the need for the Office of Personnel Management to transform to become a 21st century personnel policymaking agency.
Pay & Benefits
A Survey to Improve Personnel Policies, and More
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
Management
OPM Looks to Update Federal Job Competencies
Officials hope an updated list of skills required for jobs throughout the federal government will better inform federal personnel policy.
Management
Collaboration Between OPM and OMB: Is It Even Possible?
Could government's HR office really “work in concert” with the White House budget office, as a new report recommends, in light of OMB’s clear attempt to eliminate the independent personnel agency?
Pay & Benefits
OPM Finalizes Rule Ensuring Feds Can Change Insurance During Shutdowns
During the 35-day government shutdown, some workers were unable to make changes to their health benefits because the employees responsible for processing those changes were furloughed.
Management