OPM Releases Status of Telework Report for FY 2019
In March 2021, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) released its “Status of Telework in the Federal Government Report to Congress,” which showed the extent of federal telework in FY2019 (October 1, 2018-September 30, 2019). The report is the last governmentwide data collection on telework before the COVID-19 pandemic.
OPM Launches Federal Workforce Competency Initiative to Update Competency Models
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is launching the Federal Workforce Competency Initiative (FWCI), an initiative to better understand the skills and competencies of the federal workforce including which areas are working well and which ones have room for growth.
Federal Health Insurance Plans Are ‘Essential’ During Government Shutdowns
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) released a final rule on April 2, 2021 that states federal employees will not lose their health benefits during government shutdowns. The OPM rule implements provisions within the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2020 to make certain federal health and life insurance services “essential.”
OPM Issues Memo Requesting that Feds Assist at Southern Border
On March 25, 2021, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued an urgent memorandum for current GS-9 to GS-15 federal employees to volunteer for 120-day details to the southern border. The number of unaccompanied children at the southern border of the United States has increased significantly since the beginning of 2021, causing the Biden administration to request additional support to care for and place the unaccompanied children.
NAPA Releases Independent OPM Assessment
The National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) released a study report addressing the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) responsibilities toward the federal workforce and effectiveness in executing those responsibilities. As the previous administration attempted to merge OPM with other executive personnel offices, Congress directed OPM to contract with NAPA to conduct a comprehensive and independent study of the office’s functions.
OPM Launches Special Combined Federal Campaign for Texas Storm Victims
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced in a March 11, 2021 memo that it is launching a thirty day Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) charity giving drive to assist Texans who were impacted by the winter storm in February.
OPM Instructs Agencies to Restart Union Talks to Reverse Trump-Era Orders
An Office of Personnel Management (OPM) memo dated March 5, 2021 provides instructions on how agencies should reverse course on several Trump-era workforce policies. A number of executive orders were passed in 2018 that specifically restricted union activity and made it easier for federal employees to be fired.
Call for Nominations for FY2021 Presidential Rank Awards
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced in a March 3, 2021 memo that it would be opening nominations for the FY2021 Presidential Rank Awards (PRA). The awards program was suspended in 2020 by the prior administration. The PRA is one of the most prestigious awards that can be given to a career civil servant and was established in 1978.
OPM Memo States Marijuana is Not a Disqualifier for Federal Employment
A February 25, 2021 OPM memo announced that candidates for federal employment should not be barred from federal employment on the sole basis of marijuana usage.
OPM Releases Memo on Recent Pay and Leave-Related Legislative Changes
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) released a memo on February 16, 2021 detailing several legislative changes and extensions affecting federal employee pay and certain benefits with the implementation of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.
MSPB Evaluates Use of Direct Hire Authority in Federal Agencies
The Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) released a report evaluating federal agencies’ use of Direct-Hire Authorities (DHAs) when filling critical roles in government, including medical, information technology, and acquisition occupations.
Federal Employees to Receive 1% Pay Raise in 2021
President Trump recently signed an executive order granting federal employees a 1 percent pay increase in 2021. The order does not affect locality pay rates.
OPM Issues Presidential Transition Guide for 2020 Election
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) recently released a Presidential Transition Guide to ensure the smooth transition of responsibilities between the outgoing Trump administration and the incoming Biden administration. OPM’s responsibilities during a transition include ensuring the efficient departure of current political appointees and arrival of new ones, submitting a list of presidential appointments to candidates, and making updates to the Plum Book.
Federal Worker Pay Gap Narrowing, Still Disproportionally Impacts Certain Groups of Women
The overall pay gap between men and women in the federal workforce has “narrowed considerably” from 19 cents on the dollar in 1999 to 7 cents in 2017, according to a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report analyzing Office of Personnel Management (OPM) data.
Open Season with the Experts
On the latest episode of the FEDtalk podcast, join host Jason Briefel for a final sit down with Open Season experts to review coverage options, changes from previous years, and all the virtual ways feds can learn about their insurance options. The discussion features Jay Fritz from the Open Season Program Office at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and Joan Melanson, Director of Education and Outreach at FedPoint.
OPM Releases Policy Updates on Skills Based Hiring
A memorandum for Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCOs) released Monday announced draft updates to federal hiring policy based on the Executive Order on Modernizing and Reforming the Assessment and Hiring of Federal Job Candidates that was released by the Trump Administration in June 2020. The executive order directed agencies to expand the use of competency-based assessments and rely less on educational requirements when hiring for certain positions.
OPM Abandons Merger with GSA
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) recently announced that it would not be following through with its proposed merger with the General Services Administration (GSA). President Trump’s government reorganization initiative, which has been in the works for several years, included a push to combine GSA with OPM to form the new “Government Services Agency.”
OPM Revamping Modernization Efforts
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is launching an attempt to reboot its IT modernization efforts and update its technology. OPM’s Office of the Inspector General released a report that identifies IT modernization as a top priority for the agency. Chief Information Officer Clare Martorana and independent consultants have laid out a plan that would reform OPM’s technology and fix many of its IT issues.