The White House issued an executive order on October 5 directing several Federal agencies to create a Coronavirus Mental Health Working Group. The group is charged with mounting an “all of government” response to “mental-health conditions induced or exacerbated” the coronavirus pandemic, including issues related to suicide prevention. […]
On Sept. 30, the House of Representatives approved by voice vote, the Chai Suthammanont Remembrance Act, which is legislation that aims to protect Federal employees from COVID-19. […]
In a discussion about creating more diversity in the field of cybersecurity, Department of Agriculture CISO Venice Goodwine encouraged cyber professionals not to let anyone put them in a box, to invest in themselves, and to be deliberate in their career decisions. […]
A new report from the Greater Washington Partnership revealed that employers in the National Capital Region that responded to their survey plan to have 72 percent of their employees return to the office by summer 2021, but a third of those respondents are still unsure of their reopening plans that far in advance. […]
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is launching the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) on September 14 – after months of delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. […]
In hopes of creating a coherent strategy for growing and sustaining the Federal cyber workforce, the Cyberspace Solarium Commission released a new white paper with recommendations on improving government pay flexibility and implementing more upskilling programs. […]
While the COVID-19 pandemic has had wide-ranging effects on the Federal workforce, one positive impact has been to boost the efficiency of Federal agency employees in how they approach their day-to-day duties, said Bryan Ware, Assistant Director for Cybersecurity at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). […]
A new report from Uptime Institute drives home the importance of data center workforce diversity – finding companies that commit to diverse and inclusive workplaces have more effective employee-ambassador recruitment, higher employee retention rates, and better employee career satisfaction scores. […]
Deputy Federal CIO Maria Roat asserted at the Billington Cybersecurity Summit that the Federal government is using a DevSecOps approach to integrate security into every aspect of modernization, but she insisted that the workforce must be cyber ready to be entirely secure. […]
Former National Security Agency (NSA) Deputy Director Chris Inglis knows something about cyber education. Inglis is a professor – currently serving as the Looker Distinguished Visiting Professor of Cyber Studies at the U.S. Naval Academy – and he says the nation needs more coordination and investment in cyber education to meet its needs going forward. […]
The Defense Department (DoD) recently issued an information sheet to provide service members and their families with online mental health resources, specifically providing help to those who are survivors of sexual assault. […]
Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., released a statement today on the General Services Administration (GSA) Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) report that found the Public Buildings Service (PBS) did not always receive timely notice of positive COVID-19 test results from building occupants or provide timely notification of positive COVID-19 cases. […]
The telework landscape has changed what the future of the Federal workforce could look like, pushing Fed IT leaders to prioritize new hiring initiatives and embrace the benefits of working from home. […]
A new report released August 26 from the Partnership for Public Service recommends data-driven hiring and innovative talent management to maintain a strong Federal workforce and overcome mission-critical skills gaps. […]
After success with last year’s Federal Cyber Reskilling Academy, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is launching a virtual data science training program to teach Feds data skills relevant to their current roles. […]
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) should help agencies analyze employee feedback data to uncover effective strategies for increasing retention of military veterans that the agencies hire. […]
A survey of 2,200 Federal workers released yesterday by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) revealed that most Feds feel unsafe returning to on-site work and believe agencies are not doing enough to protect them. […]
To help universities protect COVID-19 research, Reps. Andy Barr, R-Ky., and Frank Lucas, R-Okla., introduced legislation to give those universities and research institutions tools to protect from cyberattacks from foreign cyber actors. […]
House Government Operations Subcommittee Chairman Gerry Connolly, D-Va., asked Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Acting Director Michael Rigas in an August 12 letter to explain the continuing postponement of the 2020 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS). […]
Tasked by Congress with devising an approach to defend the nation in cyberspace, the Cyberspace Solarium Commission submitted its report in March, but Solarium staff said today that the plan for a crucial component of defending the nation in cyberspace is not yet complete. […]
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is investing in introducing quantum information science (QIS) into K-12 schools, awarding a $750,000 award to an Illinois-based organization that is looking to spread quantum-related curricula. […]
The Trump Administration has released guidance on implementing an executive order (EO) for agencies that emphasizes hiring based on skills rather than whether the potential hire has a college degree. […]
Switching to telework for half of the workweek after the pandemic ends would save Federal employees up to $4,000 each year and the Federal government up to $11 billion annually, per a Global Workplace Analytics calculation discussed at the July 29 Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works hearing on remote work. […]
A group of six Democratic senators led by Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, introduced legislation on July 29 to establish labor task forces that would provide Federal workers with an outlet to express needs for personal protective equipment (PPE) and establish health precautions for returning to the workplace. […]
Top officials with the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence on July 29 detailed their recommendation that Congress create a Digital Service Academy to increase the government’s overall technological capabilities. […]
House Government Operations Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., is helping to lead the charge for a 3 percent Federal pay raise in Fiscal Year 2021 budget legislation. […]
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) identified cybersecurity as one of the high-risk mission critical occupations that the Federal government lacks, and is helping agencies create action plans to bolster cyber workforces, according to its July 2020 President’s Management Agenda (PMA) update. […]
The General Services Administration (GSA) attributes the FedRAMP program’s success to building a culture that prioritizes continuous improvement, and aims to continue program growth through its recently launched FedRAMP Agency Liaison Program. […]
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has had to move quickly to support American staff abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic. […]
Across the board, Federal agencies have made a massive shift to telework in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, agencies are beginning to look at how to safely bring employees back to worksites. While the Department of Defense (DoD) is taking a slow, phased approach, leadership is grappling with whether the culture of increased telework is here to stay. […]