Federal wildlife officers are on the front lines of protecting wildlife and Americans’ engagement with it.

On June 29, 2020, the United States Supreme Court held that restrictions on the President of the United States’ ability to fire a single director of a federal agency violates the separation of powers clause of the United States Constitution.

If you are thinking about jumping into a career as a federal employee or just started your journey as one, you may not be aware of the numerous opportunities and benefits that you get as a federal employee. From advancing your skills and education to discounts and loan forgiveness, there are dozens of programs and opportunities in place that federal employees can really benefit from.

On FEDtalk this week, join host Natalia Castro for a conversation regarding how systemic racism and discrimination impact the federal workforce. Guests will be discussing challenges the federal government faces when addressing issues of racial tension and combating systemic racism, as well as providing insight on how the federal workforce can move forward to become more representative of the people it serves.

On Friday, President Trump signed an executive order on Modernizing and Reforming the Assessment and Hiring of Federal Job Candidates. The order calls upon agencies to increase use of skills assessments and interviews with subject matter experts in the hiring process, with less of an emphasis placed on degree requirements. The goal, according to the Trump Administration, is to broaden the pool of potential candidates and create a more equitable hiring process.

Each year, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes trillions in government programs, is seen as a ‘must pass’ piece of legislation to which lawmakers can add various amendments relating to military and civilian personnel matters. Last week, U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) introduced the Deepfake Report Act as an amendment to the Senate’s FY 2021 NDAA.

With the announcement of another pharmaceutical company being charged for conspiring to fix prices for generic drugs, the Department of Justice has now charged five companies involved in this activity as the result of an ongoing antitrust investigation. Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., the most recently charged company, allegedly worked with Apotex Corp. to increase and maintain prices of Pravastatin and other generic drugs.

The National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum is deeply concerned about current events around the country. We are an organization that cares deeply about diversity, fairness, respect, honor, and justice. Our actions, both individually and collectively, can make a difference in our communities around the nation, and the National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum is committed even more to being one of those difference makers.

The FBI and the CIA are two of the most well-known federal agencies. Here is a look at their history, similarities, and differences.

The Office of Personnel Management issued guidance on several elements of annual leave and other paid time off (PTO) last week in a memo from Acting Director Michael Rigas to agency heads. The memo clarifies and provides additional resources for employees on annual leave “use or lose” provisions impacted by COVID-19, restoration of annual leave, compensatory time off for travel, compensatory time off for overtime, credit hours, and disabled veteran leave.

This week, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Lawful Access to Encrypted Data Act. The bill would require service providers and device manufacturers to assist law enforcement in accessing encrypted data or devices necessary for investigations after a court issues a warrant based on probable cause that a crime has occurred.

A federal grand jury returned a second superseding indictment this week charging WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with offenses relating to his involvement in the release of classified information. The indictment does not add any additional charges to the prior 18 count indictment, but broadens the scope of the conspiracy surrounding alleged computer intrusions with which Assange was previously charged.

On June 11th, FEDS President Tony Vergnetti and Director of Strategy and Development Brenda Wilson presented an instructive and timely webinar on “Law Enforcement Liabilities,” aiming to further inform federal law enforcement officers about how the FEDS federal employee professional liability insurance policy can help protect against the exposures and liabilities inherent in a federal law enforcement position.

Law enforcement officers across the country are using TikTok, a social media app, to connect with youth in their communities. Here is a compilation of cop TikToks.

House Government Operations Subcommittee Chairman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) sent letters to the Inspector General (IG) offices of 24 federal agencies requesting they develop assessment plans for reviewing their agencies’ plans for reopening. The letters criticize a lack of cooperation with oversight bodies from the Office of Management and Budget and Office of Personnel Management.

This week on 60 Minutes, Norah O’Donnell and the CBS investigative team did a deep dive into the federal agency responsible for providing federal employees with appeal rights should they be disciplined, demoted, or fired: the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). Since 2017, the MSPB has lacked a quorum of board members, preventing it from fully functioning. For over a year, the board has not had any members at all.

Nine pharmacists were charged in three separate indictments for their roles in a $12.1 million health care fraud scheme executed in Detroit and Southern Ohio. The pharmacists were each charged with various count relating to health care fraud and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud.

On FEDtalk this week, join host Tony Vergnetti for an inside look into the home healthcare industry. Guests will be discussing how the coronavirus pandemic has changed the landscape for long term planning and how healthcare workers are responding to ensure patients well cared for and kept safe.

This video from the CDC explains how to use their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Burn Rate Calculator, a tool to help departments track PPE supplies.

On June 15, 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States, by a 6-3 vote, held that an employer who fires an individual merely for being gay or transgender violates Title VII’s prohibition on sex discrimination.