With the U.S. job market still relatively tight, the federal government is working to stand out as an employer of choice, especially for workers embarking on their careers.

The Office of Government Ethics (OGE) released a proposed rule this week removing limitations for federal employees who accept donations to pay their legal fees.

Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Mike Braun (R-IN) introduced last week legislation to overhaul hiring in the federal workforce and proposing to remove recruiting obstacles.

The White House released President Joe Biden’s full fiscal year 2022 budget on Friday. The budget proposal includes a pay raise for federal employees and pledges to focus on strengthening the workforce.

The Postal Service Reform Act of 2021, introduced in the House by House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Ranking Member James Comer (R-KY), could raise health insurance costs for both employees and retirees in the federal workforce.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reshaping its workforce training and hiring strategy to better respond to global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. At the DHS Centers of Excellence Summit, held at George Mason University, department leaders said they were looking to hire and retain a workforce that can adapt to change in a dynamic environment.

On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package that expands benefits for the federal workforce and Americans.

The federal government’s efforts to modernize and rationalize its workforce vetting policies and protocols continue to move forward, with actions coming at the tail end of the last administration and in the first month of the Biden administration.

The African American Federal Executive Association, Executive Women in Government, Senior Executives Association, and Management Concepts partnered to present "It Starts with Us: Forging the Future of Federal Leadership.” The event featured Ambassador Susan Rice, current head of the White House Domestic Policy Council, as a keynote speaker and then continued with a panel discussion on the role of leaders in increasing equity, diversity, and inclusion in the federal leadership cadre of the future.

Last week on the FEDtalk podcast, host Jason Briefel was joined by Jessica Klement, the Staff Vice President, Policy and Programs at the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE); Randy Erwin, the National President of the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE); and Chad Hooper, the Executive Director of the Professional Managers Association (PMA).