GovExec Daily

Earlier this month, the federal government ended its COVID-19 public health emergency after three years. Nationwide, Americans likely may not notice the changes in the way the government treats the pandemic, but health insurance will not cover COVID-19 vaccines and treatment in the same way. Federal employees participating in the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program will see similar changes to their coverage because of the end of the public health emergency. Kevin Moss is a senior editor with Consumers’ Checkbook. Checkbook’s Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees is available now. He’s also a GovExec contributor and his latest post is “Fed Health Care Changes and the End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.” He joined the podcast to discuss the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program and the ways that it is changing because of the end of the public health emergency.

Hiring is a difficult task for any organization, but federal agencies have stresses that others do not. With waves of retirement happening at agencies like the IRS, Veterans Affairs Department and others, open positions go unfilled for extended periods of time. But, our guest today writes that retirees are a good source of talent for the federal government, if only it were not so hard to hire them back. Ronald Sanders was a federal civil servant for almost 40 years, serving in senior positions with the Defense Department, the IRS and the Office of Personnel Management. He is also of “Federal Retirees Could Be a Great Talent Source, If Only It Were Easier to Bring Them Back.” He joined the podcast to discuss his post and bring federal retirees to agencies. *** Follow GovExec on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/government-executive

The financial industry is behind other industries in adopting DEI principles. With DEI becoming more of a priority, financial organizations are grappling with both history and the present within the DEI framework. Jim Casselberry is CEO and Co-Founder at Known, LLC and has more than thirty years of experience in the financial advising and investment management industries. As part of our #MoneyMonday series, he joined the podcast to talk about diversity in the financial industry.

The debt ceiling hangs over federal employees as an unprecedented default could come as soon as the first week in June. Negotiations remain ongoing as President Joe Biden attends the G7 summit in Japan this week, but Speaker Kevin McCarthy said that the two sides are still far apart. Still, both sides remain optimistic that a deal will be struck before a default. GovExec reporter Eric Katz joined the podcast to talk about the debt ceiling negotiations and how they continue to affect federal employees. *** Follow GovExec on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/government-executive

In the last few weeks, both the World Health Organization and the U.S. federal government have lifted declarations of COVID-19’s crisis status. As the U.S. public health infrastructure moves away from that period, preparing for the next public health crisis will be paramount. Lessons learned from the COVID-19 response can provide better response to the next pandemic or emergency situation. Dr. Richard Stone is an Army Major General who served as the Deputy Surgeon General of the Army and as the Executive in Charge at the Veterans Health Administration during the COVID-19 crisis. He is the author of the recently released Save Every Life You Can: A Reflection on Leadership and Saving Lives During the COVID-19 Pandemic. He joined the podcast to talk about public health systems, leadership and his experience during the pandemic. *** Follow GovExec on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/government-executive

Before maximum telework, there was flexiplace and telecommuting. Agencies in the late 20th century had a version of telework, though that version seems like it belongs in the stone age to modern eyes used to VPNs, Slack and other modern components of telework. Tom Shoop is editor at large and the former executive vice president and editor in chief at GovExec Media. He is also the author of a post in his “That Time” series headlined “That Time Even Minimum Telework Was Viewed With Wonder and Fear.” He joined the podcast to talk about the history and evolution of telework at agencies. *** Follow GovExec on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/government-executive

The General Schedule was enacted into law in 1949 and remains to this day. Of course, much has changed in government since 1949 and the changes to the General Schedule have not kept up with the time. Our guests today write that the GS system has been described to them by feds as trying to work while wearing cement shoes. Doris Hausser and Kimberly Walton are former federal human capital senior executives. They are both Fellows of the National Academy of Public Administration, where they serve on the Standing Panel on the Public Service. They’re also co-authors on the latest in a series of posts on GovExec addressing the challenges that face government modernization headlined “The General Schedule System Needs An Upgrade, Now.” They joined the podcast to discuss their post and the General Schedule. *** Follow GovExec on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/government-executive

The United States Treasury Department reached the $31.3 trillion debt ceiling in January, prompting “extraordinary measures'' to keep the U.S. from a default. Economic experts have predicted an unprecedented default as soon as June. Negotiations around the debt limit are slow going, increasing the likelihood of major disruptions to government operations and dire consequences to the world economy. Dr. Patrick Gourley, PhD, is an associate professor of economics at the University of New Haven. He joined the podcast to discuss the debt ceiling landscape. *** Follow GovExec on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/government-executive

Since the COVID-19 pandemic came into our lives in 2020, remote work has become the norm in many organizations. Remote work gives hiring managers the ability to cast a wider net, it gives employees more flexibility and it is popular with the workforce. But, remote work can bring some heartburn, too and some organizations are slow to adapt to it. Shane Spraggs is the Forbes Books co-author, with Cynthia Watson, of The Power of Remote: Building High-Performing Organizations That Thrive in the Virtual Workplace. He is the CEO of Virtira, a completely virtual company that focuses on remote team performance. He joined the podcast to discuss remote work. *** Follow GovExec on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/government-executive

After more than three years, the federal COVID-19 public health emergency expires Thursday. While FDA and NIH officials have said that the end of the PHE will have minor impacts on their agencies, it has both symbolic and practical value for public servants. Telework and data collection will change, as well as things like free vaccines and tests for the public. GovExec's Courtney Bublé, Eric Katz and Erich Wagner have been covering the COVID-19 pandemic since before the public health emergency began in 2020. they joined the podcast for a reporters' roundtable on the end of the PHE and how it will affect government. *** Follow GovExec on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/government-executive

According to recent research, fewer employers see a meaningful relationship between a four-year college degree and job competency. According to a report from American Student Assistance and Jobs for the Future, 81% of employers believe that organizations should hire based on skills rather than degrees. John W. Mitchell is president and CEO of the global electronics industry’s trade organization, IPC. He’s also the author of the upcoming book Fire Your Hiring Habits: Building an Environment that Attracts Top Talent in Today’s Workforce. He joined the podcast to talk about the connections between hiring and skills or education. *** Follow GovExec on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/government-executive

Despite this week being Public Service Recognition Week, the professional civil service remains under threat. The conversation around bureaucracy remains fairly toxic, the courts have knocked down agencies’ abilities to executive some laws and public figures continue to talk about the end of the administrative state. Dr. Donald F. Kettl is professor emeritus at the University of Maryland and former dean of its School of Public Policy. He is the author of many books, including the upcoming Bridgebuilders: How Government Can Transcend Boundaries to Solve Big Problems. He is a GovExec contributor and the author of a post headlined “The Gathering Storm Threatening the Civil Service.” He joined the podcast about his post and the threats to public servants.

Government work is often complicated and difficult, but career federal employees often work in anonymity for the American people. Each year, the Partnership for Public Service awards the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal finalists to outstanding federal employees who serve the public good. This year’s finalists work in diverse parts of the federal government, ranging from diplomacy to space research to health data in cancer research and so much more. Max Stier is the president and CEO of the nonpartisan nonprofit, Partnership for Public Service. He joined the podcast to talk about the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals and Public Service Recognition Week.

ChatGPT has generated a lot of attention not only from consumers, but also employees in both in the private and federal sector. ChatGPT is a powerful tool, with the ability to generate human-like responses to written prompts. While this technology has the potential to revolutionize the way federal employees work, it also raises important questions about privacy, employment, accountability, and the role of AI in government decision-making. Bonnie Low-Kramen is the founder and CEO of Ultimate Assistant Training & Consulting. She is a TEDx speaker and the author of Staff Matters: People-Focused Solutions for the Ultimate New Workplace. She joined the podcast to explore the promises and pitfalls of ChatGPT and its impact on the federal and private workforce. *** Follow GovExec on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/government-executive

The generation born after 1996, commonly called "Gen Z" or "Zoomers," are now entering the workforce and bringing with them the unique characteristics that any generation brings to the workplace. Managing across generations is never easy, but according to a new survey from ResumeBuilder.com, managers are having some trouble working with Gen Z. Stacie Haller is chief career advisor at ResumeBuilder.com. She’s spent over 30 years in staffing and recruiting, career counseling, and job search coaching. She joined the podcast to discuss the ResumeBuilder.com survey on how managers perceive the Zoomer generation in the workplace.

The Office of Personnel Management announced that the maximum telework edict will end this month with the cessation of the national public health emergency on May 11, though OPM chief Kiran Ahuja has said that the change will not have a significant impact on agencies. Telework for feds has been a political football and the three years of the pandemic suggest that flexibility overrides almost everything else. Still, plenty are pushing for more in-office work and the matter seems far from resolved. GovExec Daily’s Adam Butler and Ross Gianfortune discussed the state of telework in the federal government and in D.C. as the public health emergency comes to an end this month. *** Follow GovExec on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/government-executive

Earlier this year, the White House announced a series of projects that agencies are undertaking as part of an effort to reshape how government delivers services by focusing on citizens' experiences like retirement and other life events. With the Biden management agenda’s focus on customer experience, that will mean getting service to as many people as possible… in whatever ways are available. Aaron Boyd is a Senior Editor at GovExec sibling site Nextgov. He’s also the author of a post on Nextgov headlined “The Low-Tech Side of Biden’s Push to Improve the ‘Life Experiences’ with Government.” which is part of a series exploring the Biden administration's push to improve citizens' interactions with government. He joined the podcast to talk about his series and CX in the Biden administration. *** Follow GovExec on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/government-executive

Passed last week by the House of Representatives, the 2023 Limit, Save and Grow Act would slash discretionary spending at domestic agencies to its fiscal 2022 levels. The bill addresses the looming debt default that would have catastrophic impacts on the U.S. economy and government operations. The bill sets up debt ceiling negotiations on something that can pass to avoid the potential disaster of a default. As part of our #MoneyMonday series, Eric Katz joined GovExec Daily to talk about the debt ceiling negotiations and how they affect federal employees. *** Follow GovExec on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/government-executive

Diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility are principles that the Biden administration has brought forward since it came into office. In June 2021, the president signed an executive order establishing a directive to agencies to seek opportunities to establish or elevate Chief Diversity Officers. Recently, Accenture Federal Services and the Partnership for Public Service launched the Chief Diversity Officer Bootcamp to provide agencies with more of a pipeline of public servants with proper training. Adam Jones is Talent & Human Potential Senior Manager in the Inclusion, Diversity & Equity Practice at Accenture and Kevin Johnson is a director at the Partnership for Public Service, where he leads the Partnership’s external diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility efforts across the organization. They joined the podcast to discuss the Chief Diversity Officer Bootcamp and DEIA in government. *** Follow GovExec on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/government-executive

Recently, the Office of Personnel management announced that it will end the use of maximum telework, following President Biden’s planned May expiration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. The implementation of necessary telework during the last three years is among the many complications involved with employee connection in public service. According to a new survey by Eagle Hill Consulting, more than a third of government employees say that their employers aren’t investing in employee connection. Andrew Edelson is Director of Client Solutions for Eagle Hill and a former GAO analyst. He joined the podcast to talk about the survey. *** Follow GovExec on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/government-executive