Federal Eye - February 27, 2011

How sailors are learning about a post-DADT world

The Navy is instructing sailors on the end of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy by using one of best-used training tools in the business: PowerPoint.

By Ed O'Keefe | March 4, 2011; 12:00 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Military
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Government updates weather closings policy

In response to a series of flubs during recent winter storms, federal employees in the Washington area may now leave even earlier than permitted on days the government closes early due to inclement weather.

By Ed O'Keefe | March 4, 2011; 10:40 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Workplace Issues
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Average time to hire new federal workers improves

Addressing the chief concern of federal job applicants, the average length of time it takes agencies to hire new employees has dropped by more than two weeks, according to new government figures.

By Ed O'Keefe | March 4, 2011; 9:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (28)
Categories: Workplace Issues
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More carry-ons costing TSA millions each year

Choosing to carry luggage onto a plane instead of checking it with an airline might save a few bucks at the ticket counter, but it is costing taxpayers about a quarter-billion dollars a year.

By Associated Press | March 4, 2011; 8:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (10)
Categories: Agencies and Departments
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National Zoo revises manure plan if shutdown occurs

If another shutdown occurs, the National Zoo has a manure plan.

By Ed O'Keefe | March 4, 2011; 6:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Eye Opener, Government Shutdown
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Rahm Emanuel meets Twitter impersonator

Former White House Chief of Staff and Chicago mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel, who is scheduled to meet with President Obama on Friday, vowed to give $5,000 to charity if the person behind a fake Twitter handle impersonating him came forward.

By Ed O'Keefe | March 3, 2011; 9:34 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Administration, Video Report
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Sen. Mark Warner talking up federal workers

Continuing a tradition launched by a former colleague, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) is devoting some of his Senate floor speeches to highlight the work of rank-and-file federal workers.

By Ed O'Keefe | March 3, 2011; 2:36 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Congress, Workplace Issues
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Reaction to Westboro Baptist Church court decision

The Supreme Court's decision protecting a fringe church's anti-gay protests at military funerals is garnering a mostly negative response from veterans groups and other commentators.

By Ed O'Keefe | March 3, 2011; 10:19 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (28)
Categories: Military, Supreme Court
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Government ending telework center funding

Despite a new law allowing federal employees to work from home or other sites outside the office, about a dozen telework sites across the Washington region are losing federal funding.

By Ed O'Keefe | March 3, 2011; 7:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (10)
Categories: Eye Opener, Workplace Issues
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Tips on how to fix the Senate confirmation process

Senators are expected soon to introduce legislation that would drop the confirmation process for about 400 federal agency nominees. While they're at it, some veteran observers of the process on Wednesday said the Senate should make other changes to how it confirms a president's nominees.

By Ed O'Keefe | March 2, 2011; 2:50 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Confirmation Hearings, Congress
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Postal Service suspends deliveries to Libya

The U.S. Postal Service is suspending the delivery of mail to the country due to a lack of transportation.

By Ed O'Keefe | March 2, 2011; 12:17 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Postal Service
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Government shutdown averted (Video)

The Federal Eye appeared on Wednesday's "Fox 5 Morning News" to discuss the potential political fallout of a government shutdown.

By Ed O'Keefe | March 2, 2011; 12:01 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Government Shutdown, Video Report
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Federal workers union gathers uneasily for conference

Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.) kicked off the annual gathering of the National Treasury Employees Union on Tuesday with a call to federal workers to "gird yourself for battle" against Republican-led attacks on their ranks.

By Lisa Rein | March 2, 2011; 10:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: From The Pages of The Post, Unions
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White House revamping plan to sell federal buildings

The Obama administration is abandoning its original plans to sell off thousands of federal buildings and plans to rely instead on a new independent advisory panel to determine which office towers, courthouses, warehouses and shacks the government no longer needs.

By Ed O'Keefe | March 2, 2011; 6:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Eye Opener
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Government shutdown avoided for now, with a two-week funding extension

House and Senate leaders on Tuesday bought themselves a little more time in their efforts to avoid a government shutdown, agreeing to a two-week funding extension that also includes $4 billion in spending cuts.

By Karen Tumulty and Ed O'Keefe | March 1, 2011; 11:05 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: From The Pages of The Post, Government Shutdown
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How a potential government shutdown is impacting federal workers

Earlier this week we asked federal workers and contractors to share their thoughts on how a potential government shutdown might impact them -- and you've responded well.

By Ed O'Keefe | March 1, 2011; 2:28 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Government Shutdown
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Postal Service aid plans would jeopardize federal retirement funds, watchdog says

Helping the cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service by drawing money from retirement and health insurance funds for federal employees could jeopardize those accounts and result in an indirect taxpayer subsidy to the independently-funded mail agency, according to a new watchdog report.

By Ed O'Keefe | March 1, 2011; 11:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (13)
Categories: Postal Service
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Federal workers on possible government shutdown (Video)

Federal employees and contractors at L'Enfant Plaza and Federal Triangle express their opinions and perspectives on the potential government shutdown.

By Ed O'Keefe | March 1, 2011; 10:42 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Government Shutdown, Video Report
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Poll: Majority backs government workers in unions

A new national poll delivers some encouraging news for federal employees and their unions: Most Americans oppose weakening the collective bargaining rights of public employees and oppose cutting their pay or benefits to reduce deficits.

By Ed O'Keefe | March 1, 2011; 8:02 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (18)
Categories: Government Shutdown, Workplace Issues
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Government overlap costs taxpayers billions, GAO reports

According to a Government Accountability Office report, the U.S. government has more than 100 programs dealing with surface transportation issues, 82 monitoring teacher quality and 80 for economic development. Five work to ensure the federal government uses less gasoline.

By Ed O'Keefe | March 1, 2011; 6:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (29)
Categories: Eye Opener, Oversight, Turf War
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Federal Eye: February 27, 2011 - March 5, 2011