Blog

21 Sep

The General Schedule system is unresponsive to labor market dynamics and agency staffing needs.

Take a look at this old report written by the Office of Personnel Management in 2002 titled “A Fresh Start for Federal Pay: The Case for Modernization”. It was written based on conversations and feedback collected by many key personnel over 3 years. However, it’s distressing to note how many critical concerns voiced in this report are yet to be addressed effectively.
There were 6 reasons given by the authors as to why the existing pay system wasn’t of much […]

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14 Sep

Feds’ Pay Increase Doesn’t Make House-Passed Funding

The House Committee on Appropriations has evaluated and approved the FY 2021 general funding legislation, albeit without any provisions for a pay hike for federal employees.
The bill was approved and passed by the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, which was then presented to the full committee on July 8. The bill deals with funding provisions required by the government and other financial services.
The general government appropriation legislation is also generally used for setting the federal pay hike […]

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08 Sep

Degree requirements are on the way out for federal jobs

Friday saw the Office of Personnel Management release a new timeline that removed all degree eligibility requirements from numerous job listings at the federal level. This move is part of a new policy that seeks to transform the hiring process into an assessment-based system.
This transition will commence from August 7, with agencies coordinating with their counterparts at the OPM to establish revised hiring requirements.
The OPM will then publish a draft version of all proposed modifications to the General Schedule […]

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01 Sep

How the United States’ Massive Failure to Close the Digital Divide Got Exposed by Coronavirus

75% of Americans who do not have broadband access in their homes have the necessary infrastructure present in their neighborhoods. The problem is, they just can’t afford it. Unlike other wealthy countries, the US federal government hasn’t imposed any cost controls for making broadband connections more affordable to the public. The result – an unacceptable level of inequality in what’s widely considered to be among the world’s most basic utilities.
In rural America, companies that bagged government contracts never got […]

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24 Aug

Order seeks to place less emphasis on applicants with college degrees.

President Donald Trump signed a new executive order on Friday to overhaul the requirements required by federal agencies while evaluating potential job candidates. The order seeks to place graduates and non-graduates on a more level playing field.
The new order mandates that agencies increase their usage of interviews and skill assessments to judge the qualifications of an applicant, instead of merely filtering them based on their educational achievements. While degree requirements won’t be done away with completely since certain positions […]

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17 Aug

Officials warn VA’s protective equipment supplies inadequate for second wave of coronavirus

Dr. Richard Stone, the executive in charge of the VHA, stated in a Senate committee hearing on Tuesday that the current thirty-day supply of PPE was only about 50% of what was actually needed and 5 months less than what may be needed in case a second COVID-19 wave hits the US during the fall.
But Stone believes that these problems had not prevented his department from responding to the crisis this spring in a laudable manner. He added that […]

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10 Aug

Disagreements continue over government role in pandemic reopening

Democrats and Republicans in Congress are disagreeing about what sort of example the US federal government has to establish for returning back to work.
Certain conservative members argue that it’s the government’s responsibility to take the lead by resuming in-person operations and reopening all federal offices. On the other hand, many Democrats have repeatedly stated that government officials should establish comprehensive safety measures first and give precedence to permitting flexible work arrangements wherever possible, thus boosting confidence in the private […]

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05 Aug

Supreme Court Makes It Easier For Federal Workers To Sue Administration

The latest Supreme Court decision on Monday has made it even easier for federal employees over the age of 40 to sue the administration on charges of age discrimination.
The court ruled 8-1 in favor of the federal employees, thus lowering the hurdle before them compared to their private-sector counterparts. Chief Justice Roberts, who is a 65-year-old from the Baby Boomer generation referred to the infamous ‘Ok, boomer’ phrase as the arguments were being presented in January.
The opinion was issued […]

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13 Jul

The USPS Begins Initiatives For Protecting Its Workers From The Coronavirus

The USPS has began starting initiatives for protecting its workers from being infected by coronavirus, including the use of widespread testing and temperature readings at pivotal postal facilities.
The agency has taken a huge blow due to the pandemic, with over 2400 workers presumed or testing positive for the infection. Over 17,000 employees have also had to be quarantined due to potential exposure, which is around 3% of the organization’s 630,000-strong workforce. Over 70% of these workers are now fit […]

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09 Jul

What Happens to My Retirement If I Resign?

Are you wondering about the effect of your retirement savings if you resign now? There are three retirement scenarios that you could possibly be looking at. Let’s look at what benefits you are eligible to qualify for if you turn in your resignation letter at various levels and ages of service.
If You Resign Before Reaching Your Minimum Retirement Age
Let’s assume you are not disabled, eligible for discontinued service retirement, or being approved for discharge under VERA, it all comes […]

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