Workforce
EPA Chief Says He's 'Absolutely' Concerned About Brain Drain at the Agency
While EPA has consistently pushed to slash its own workforce, administrator says he wants to prevent a mass exodus.
Management
Senate Panel Would Not Block USDA Science Agency Relocations in Spending Bill
Democrats vow to continue to fight to stop the Economic Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture from moving to Kansas City later this year.
Tech
SpaceX Missed Some Urgent Emails About a Satellite Standoff
Stopping collisions in space starts with good communication.
Management
Days Before Planned Move, USDA Delays Relocation Date for Some Science Agency Employees
Feds at two research agencies have begun receiving letters pushing back the report date to Kansas City, but that decision could imperil employees' $10,000 buyouts.
Management
How a CDC Program Is Changing Behavior to Reduce Mine Worker Injuries
Thousands of miners are injured each year; scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sought to learn why, and then do something about it.
Oversight
Lawmakers Call On Commerce Chief to Resign Over Alleged Threats to Fire Top NOAA Officials
Ross is said to have threatened to fire officials if they would not fix a statement contradicting the president’s claims Hurricane Dorian was likely to hit Alabama.
Management
Analysis: NOAA Politicized the Weather Report
The scientific agency sided with the president’s inaccurate forecast over the work of its professional staff.
Tech
Why Soviets Sent Dogs to Space While Americans Used Primates
Researchers didn’t know how people would react to weightlessness. So they sent animals first.
Management
When a Hurricane Hits, Neighbors Are the Real First Responders
The best determinant of how well a community fares in a storm is often not what happens after landfall, but what it was like before the wind and water hit.
Management
The Trump Administration Sides With Nurses Who Object to Abortion
HHS says the University of Vermont Medical Center required staffers to violate their conscience. The case underscores Trump’s religious-freedom agenda.
Management
USDA Taps Retired Former Employees to Cope With Mass Exodus at Science Agencies
With the majority of employees at the Economic Research Service and National Institute for Food and Agriculture slated to leave rather than relocate to Kansas City, the department is offering jobs to retired employees—in Washington, D.C.
Management
Viewpoint: Trump Wants to Nuke His Way Out of Big Problems
The president seeks bumper-sticker solutions to complicated problems, from hurricane prevention to border walls.
Management
Better Data Would Ease Gaps In Rural Public Health
Some of the data rural public health officials need to better serve their communities exists but is hard to access and use.
Management
DEA to Expand the Number of Legal Marijuana Growers
Currently, only one facility can legally grow pot for federally backed research.
Pay & Benefits
USDA Slashes Buyout Payments for Scientific Agency Employees By 60% Ahead of Relocation
Employees of research agencies have less than a week to decide whether to accept $10,000 voluntary separation payments, despite being offered upwards of $25,000 in June.
Management
Decoding the Language of Behavioral Science for Government Officials
Before the techniques can be used to improve program outcomes, it’s helpful if we can agree on what the terminology actually means.
Management
USDA, Union Reach Deal to Ease Relocation Impact on Feds
Employees who agree to move to Kansas City will be given a financial incentive and a transition period of at least three months during which they can continue to work from Washington.
Oversight
Lawmaker on USDA Office Relocations: 'This Fight is Not Over'
Department officials reaffirmed they will allow employees to change their mind about whether to move to Kansas City until late September, but management has resisted setting that in stone.
Management
USDA Employees Who Didn’t Already Opt to Move to Kansas City May Be Out of Luck
Department officials say July 15 was the hard and fast deadline to accept reassignments, despite previously indicating there was wiggle room until September.
Management