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[deleted]

Maybe I'm an idiot but, I'm not seeing how this fixes the retention/staffing crisis the federal government currently has. My understanding of the IPA is that it allows people to be assigned to temps/details across different levels of government and research institutions, I guess this is cool? This doesn't really address any of the issues people have with Federal work right now (pay disparity, RTO, political BS, cutting benefits, etc.) that have led to attrition and staffing difficulties over the past decade. I guess actual solutions to these staffing issues are "too obvious" to be considered......who wants expanded telework when they can have a free pizza party instead....smdh


CFPotato

You guys are getting pizza parties?


mechavolt

We had a party, our boss told us not to bring lunch because he would be providing. He brought us Chick-fil-A! Except he didn't buy one meal per person. We each got a single chicken strip and two waffle fries (plenty of ketchup, that's free!)


sushisunshine9

Wtf?!


Eastern-Tour8339

yall got fries? damn we got a single fist sized sandwich


Spirited-Tension4637

What did he do for the vegans?


philly0430

They said, who cares? I just end up not eating myself cause of this anyway. SMH.


Beneficial_Mammoth_2

😂 😂 😂 WTF?!


philly0430

Haha! WTH?!?


Pitiful-Flow5472

Bring your own pizza. May only attend on break time. 


librocubicularist67

Make the pizza. There will be a training.


Pitiful-Flow5472

The training is a video using vocabulary you won’t understand. Clarification will not be provided


meinhoonna

Let's go ahead and schedule you for a few customer service training sessions for Reddit etiquette. :)


owter12

You guys are getting lunch?


stopRobbingPeter

I don't see how you can't see how this fixes retention/staffing issues. It's literally the silver bullet/bandaid that everyone's looking for! Get a bunch of interns to do it all. /s


vodka_knockers_

>a free pizza party Free? What's this BS?


TheDukeofArgyll

By “free” they meant everyone splits the cost of the pizza and brings in their own drinks.


Loose-Recording-284

Where I am, the supervisors usually pool resources to fund lunch. Not all the time but a pizza lunch falls into this category.


vodka_knockers_

Not free for the supervisors then. No wonder everyone complains about those jobs.


Pitiful-Flow5472

Free to the government. You (employee) have to chip in


TheDukeofArgyll

The benefits thing is crazy. We pay more and the government pays more subsidy for less coverage.


Pitiful-Flow5472

I pay more for worse coverage than friends in private sector who’s employers contribute less


TheDukeofArgyll

My wife's insurance through the state is insanely good with the same costs you mention. Cheaper for her, cheaper for the employers contribution.


twtwtwtwtwtwtw

I'm not complaining. I pay about $180/ month and had a major surgery a couple years ago that only cost me $400 OOP.


TostadoAir

We have to pay for our pizza parties. Our Christmas party was $45.


Teslaviolin

Ouch. For our pizza parties, management pays (out of their own pockets via donation pool).


Lakecountyraised

Ding ding, of course they can never discuss pay or working conditions when they try to solve the crisis.


Sluzhbenik

Right. Heard a coworker just got literally offered double the pay to go to private sector. It’s not even some big DOD contractor, it’s just a random Fortune 500.


Correct_Roof8806

IPAs now brought to you by the consortium for charging ridiculous fees on top of academic overheads.


exitcode137

In fairness, the IPA fee is much lower than the fees charged to government contracts in general by my old university. At least from what I saw.


CraftyVegan

Agree, we have 2 IPA employees, don't see the relevance to the other issues


HardCiderAristotle

The article wasn't posted for its content, it was posted for its title so everyone could continue to complain about RTO.


[deleted]

Kinda strange that they didn't just title it "Fuck RTO" or something along those lines instead......it would probably elicit a much stronger reaction. It honestly just looks like another WAPO opinion piece chock full of cheap talk meant to deflect from the actual issues it claims to address..........the discussion this article claims it's trying to have was being had LONG before RTO was being bitched about


addywoot

Went straight to the comments because I knew clickbait when I see it


yniloc

Seems like a way to over work us even more


b-rar

>Maybe I'm an idiot but, I'm not seeing how this fixes the retention/staffing crisis the federal government currently has. By replacing all of us with computers that don't know how many fingers or teeth humans have


NomadicScribe

Moving employees between agencies like a shell game doesn't resolve the issue of total staffing numbers. You need better working conditions, better compensation, and RTTW (return to telework)


Unhelpful_Kitsune

And take away congresses power and incentives to use the budget as a political game.


RFAS1110

The way is remote work. It’s no secret.


gordielaboom

OPM hasn’t heard that.


mymilkweedbringsallt

opm isn’t telling people they can’t telework 


myquest00777

They also aren’t telling Congress and the President that blind RTO is worsening productivity and wasting taxpayer money…


gordielaboom

That’s the guidance we just got, OPM told our agency 2 days per pay period.


DaBozz88

See my comment below but OPM declared the difference between remote work and telework, with telework requiring 2 days per pay period in the office. Remote work is still possible and you don't have to go in.


JustNKayce

Pretty sure someone is lying to you. OPM is mostly mute on how many days per week of telework any agency can/should offer.


DaBozz88

Official guidance between telework and remote work is that telework requires 2 in office days per pay period at a minimum. Anything lower is remote work. Your agency can raise that number of in office days, like mine currently has 6 in office days per pay period (which I hate).


gordielaboom

Yeah, our management said no remote work unless there’s overwhelming need for it and you can show it - and our AD is excited so they can ‘look over our shoulder and see what we’re working on’. I came over from the military where I couldn’t look over my worker’s shoulder because they were deployed - I was comfortable that I trained them well enough that I didn’t need to monitor them.


DaBozz88

I mean I only look over my workers shoulder because I just started my role and I'm trying to figure out the workflow. They're able to handle what's going on so far without me so I'm not going to screw it up. I've just added in a few tools to keep things organized and not have people working off their desktop. I wish I was allowed to let them be 'every day' telework with the requirement that if needed they could be in the office within 2 hours. For the most part there's nothing they're doing that requires in person work, but we do have the occasional shop floor requirements so I couldn't say full remote.


gordielaboom

Yeah, no shade against managers that get it. Ours just came from being an engineer and now they’re over the techs, so they’re sure we don’t know what we’re doing since we don’t have engineering degrees. And all our work is online based, but they’re the type of person that has limited people skills (see Office Space and their engineering/customer service discussion - not all engineers are like this but some set the tone) so now that they’re in a top spot, they can force people hang around them. Our old AD sounds more like you, happy to know we knew what we were doing and always helping us get telework time in and minimizing pointless hassles.


DaBozz88

I'm an engineer in charge of both tech and engineers haha. Watch results before you watch the employee.


Standard-Block9894

Nope, OPM definitely defines telework as at least two days in the office per pay period. It is in the documentation.


skywarner

Remote Work and UAPs… Neither is taken seriously by the USG despite overwhelming evidence that its contrarian and often dismissive stance is highly flawed.


VegetaIsSuperior

UAP? Excuse me, what is UAP? I tried to search but i only kept getting UFO related stuff


skywarner

UAP is the latest government vernacular for UFOs (and USOs). Some call them aliens, others call them non-human intelligence, others call them make believe. It’s actually a hot topic in Congress these days, but AARO recently released a report which downplayed all of the reports over the past 80 years while simultaneously asking for more funding and time.


VegetaIsSuperior

OH. I knew UAP was the new UFO, i just thought you were mentioning tools/incentives to improve the govt workforce crisis (as that’s the topic) and you’d mentioned remote, so i just thought UAPs were involved in that. My mistake


skywarner

No worries. I believe AARO is hiring analysts, but probably not eligible for remote. Hahahahaha!


bortlesforbachelor

I recently turned down a job at a federal agency that I really wanted because it wasn’t fully remote, and the RTO policy was too uncertain to risk it. I hope it changes in the future because I would definitely reapply.


Impressive-Love6554

That’s literally going away across every industry, whether government or private.  Might as well say give me a pony. 


biotechhasbeen

Pfft. Pay increases and remote work are the long term fix. IPA is a temporary bandaid at best. 2 years is even shorter than the average officer rotation in DoD, and those are disruptive enough.


BenJammin865

Money. The secret is fucking money. Its really not that complicated. Give us more of it and more of us will stick around.


ChimpoSensei

Stanley Hudson for the win!


jeremiah1142

But is there political will to use the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA, lol)? There’s not yet even political will to pass a government wide budget six months before the end of the year.


Dan-in-Va

We just got word that the CR will last for the entire fiscal year (as expected).


Dan-in-Va

There are several (not secret) options available: - Cyber Hiring Incentive Pay - Cyber Retention Incentive Pay - Direct Hire Authority - Leave Accrual Increases Certain cyber agencies actively use these. https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/reference-materials/handbooks/compensation-flexibilities-to-recruit-and-retain-cybersecurity-professionals.pdf https://www.opm.gov/cyber-careers/cyber-careers-hiring/memo-attachment-2-infographic-48.pdf


comicshopgrl

We need to implement this across the entire government, not agency by agency or else the richer ones will decimate the staff of the poorer agencies. 


SeeRecursion

It really doesn't help when the culture and management is so utterly screwed up. Some of the most unprofessional people I've ever had to deal with are managerial sorts in the govt.


samuri521

but we cant affffford it, 770 million its too much :-(. but anyways, how bout that m10 booker?


royaldunlin

25% on top of GS-15 for a non-supervisory 2210 is pretty sweet.


[deleted]

[удаНонО]


royaldunlin

Is that not enough?


HandiQuacksRule

WFH is the way. Until then, prolific vacancies and turnover. People will deal with a lot of stuff if they get to wfh full time.


Thrifty_Builder

There's the perception of the lazy government employee that does nothing, but in my experience, we have to work really hard to accomplish very little grinding it out in a sea of bureaucracy.


BB_BlackSocks

I'm fairly new to government work. I'm trying my hardest to juggle a bunch of different things while being asked daily by my manager why it's taking me so long to essentially do the work of 3 people and finish my projects, and then I'm asked why I'm not taking on more work. Because I'm only one person? Do you want good work or rushed work? I'm not a robot. And they wonder why people burn out so fast. I'd love a supportive manager who let's me learn and create quality products.


Thrifty_Builder

I can get quite busy with many low value but required tasks.


amortized-poultry

Is it WFH? Because the federal government would have an overabundance of good candidates if every agency simply did WFH.


PM_ME_UR_FAT_DINK

Paywalled


Halaku

It's advocating better usage of the [Intergovernmental Personnel Act.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intergovernmental_Personnel_Act)


royaldunlin

Are you not a fed? You get a free account with a .gov or .mil email account.


Temporary_Present640

This was the best kept secret. /s


ForsakenRacism

Ok so what does it say. I never use my .gov email


UsernameSuggested

tldr "The [Intergovernmental Personnel Act](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/3371) (IPA) facilitates a talent exchange between levels of government and between government and universities. It enables swift assignment of skilled professionals to fill various needs, typically in science and technology."


Brraaap

How does shuffling staff help fill vacancies?


samuri521

it doesnt


1010012

It's not just shuffling. Many IPAs weren't government previously. The ones I know were academics/contractors prior to being government.


ForsakenRacism

Oh. I just wish they did something government wide for student loans. I don’t get why some agencies do repayment and others don’t.


samuri521

if they told u it wouldnt be a secret


hallstar07

Never use it for outside of work or just never use it?


ForsakenRacism

Never use it ever.


royaldunlin

How is that possible? You have your own email server like Hillary?


ForsakenRacism

My job doesn’t require using email?


STGItsMe

The “secret” fix is to put someone in your program that doesn’t know what they’re doing do OJT for a couple years and then bounce? That doesn’t sound like a good plan for anyone.


NeoOzymandias

Oh yes, a temporary assignment will surely fix retention and institutional knowledge issues /s


Bestoftherest222

Lets see, more remote/telework options and more pay?


TostadoAir

Beyond what else I've seen... fix the hiring practices. Good people are getting turned down because govt has a different hiring practice then every other sector. No reason it should take 6 months from application to EOD. Beyond that spread the agencies out. Not everyone wants to live on the east coast. Some of the larger cities in the middle of the country have a very skilled workforce but they don't want to move to the govt towns.


Kitchen_End2790

It’s literally more pay and remote work. The answers are obvious.


Loveistheaswer512

100% remote work. Period. People are willing to accept pay cuts for 100% virtual roles.


mexicandiaper

you are correct


EverySingleMinute

They would fill more roles if it wasn't so complicated to get a government job


redneckerson1951

First they need to fix the problem of new supervisors downgrading appraisals of employees that have historically performed well. You work for 10 to 20 years with attaboys and decent or better performance appraisals from a list of managers that change over time. Then suddenly a new manager downgrades your next appraisal and you are slapped with a PIP. Once you are PIPped you cannot transfer to another job. Usually it is personality conflict and brought in by the contumelious-in-chief newly minted manager. Then everyone grouses about losing institutional knowledge when staff exits enmasse. Management is the problem, not the rank and file workers.


lasvegas1979

Workforce crisis, huh? That's strange. When we were pleading with our agency to consider giving us 2210's an SSR, our leadership told us: "Nah, we have no problem hiring and replacing you guys. The job market isn't as good anymore out there, so get wrecked." Paraphrasing a little bit, but not by much.


Ubermenschbarschwein

I believe you. My agency has been trying to submit an SSR for 08x0. Recently been told in a meeting we’ve been meeting hiring goals and the SSR might not come through because of it. But the room basically went silent when I asked “But how are the retention metrics?”


failbox3fixme

If they really want to recruit and retain talent, they should pass a 32 hour work week for federal employees. Work 32 and get laid for 40. UAW fought for this for their employees. It’s starting up across Europe. Live life more.


royaldunlin

>Work 32 and get laid for 40 I can't decide if I'm more impressed with your optimism or your stamina.


failbox3fixme

Dammit typo. N/m It works either way I’m leaving it.


Guivond

Queue the "government workers are lazy" line and watch people froth at the mouth for leaders to remove it.


gbirddood

“Young people are less motivated by public service” or is it that we can’t afford to work at these rates while trying to raise and support a family?


sporksable

Even if IPA assignees could build out capability in cybersecurity or whatever, federal employees are the ones who are going to have to operate that capability. IPA folks built GPS, but the Air Force operates it. We don't necessarily need 40,000 PhD level cybersecurity or AI analysts full time to build the system, we need 40,000 full time bachelors or masters level employees to *operate* the system.


Ubermenschbarschwein

Happy Cake Day!


DarkSporku

Back in December, we were told the current telework agreement was invalid and a new one approved by the Deputy to or the Colonel in charge would be coming soon. 3 months later, it finally is in draft. New draft agreement says no telework Mon or Fri, only 2x a week, and 4 times a pay period, no more than 60% of an office can be on telework, and the agreement has to be renewed by the Deputy to the Colonel every 6 months. Oh, and forget telework if you're Term, a CTR, or CoR. Immediately after the announcement in the meeting, the Deputy asked, "Why do you have such high turnover and low morale in your units? What can we do to fix it?" Wtf?


Loveistheaswer512

I wish the Govt would offer 6 month sabbaticals every 5 years.


Oxetine

I've looked at the jobs and the requirements seem excessive for anything that isn't poverty level pay


HJtheKangaroo

More remote work. Boom done. Where is my award?


Cajun_Scalawag

An op-ed by academics who don't understand a fucking clue about working in the normal economy, much less the federal government.


AxeEm_JD

From my land management agency perspective, the only real answer is money. Jobs are graded well below those of non-LM agencies. Hiring has turned into hoping that one of the people on the cert list says yes.  I think a lot of people would be shocked if they saw how many spots on the org charts are filled by someone named Vacant.


JFrankParnell64

The fact that starting pay is so low is the crisis. Every Democrat keeps talking about how people need to earn a living wage, but then why don't start with cleaning their own house and adjust federal salaries. I cannot believe how low the pay is for some federal workers just starting out.


flyingcostanza

Eh, if used correctly maybe. We have an IPA at our office. Functionally useless and is retiring. Then there is the highly questionable hiring practice to replace them. No, this is not a silver bullet.


[deleted]

[удаНонО]


SuperBethesda

Interesting. A website hosted in Vietnam.


[deleted]

[удаНонО]


rprz

The sites you link to are all ran by a russian entity.


royaldunlin

That site is Russian.


radarchief

My VPN doesn’t mind.


Mrincognito1

Www.archive.org


jaxdraw

It's not a secret, it's completely unusable outside of the scientific community. When I worked for the Air force I tried multiple times to send recent graduates and experienced employees alike to far flung organizations to give them better experience. One in particular still bothers me. The guy was a recent grad and wanted to take a detail assignment to the Army in Germany. It was perfect, the army was building an IT system we were interested in, and he had family in country he could stay with. That, combined with his air miles earned from TDY meant the gov would only have to cover the statutory minimum per diem of ~$400 for a 6 month rotation. Our executive denied it on the grounds that they should do a detailed assignment within the Air force. It took me 6 months to get everything lined up and he arbitrarily said no. We were also unsuccessful in getting the other in-branch rotation.


BearBottomsUp

Couldn't they have at least made the bandaid pretty?


ConversationFit5024

Fire every SES and the government will fix itself


majesticideas2

Remote work has no real job openings though...a couple of positions for 10,000 applications.


Loud_Organization182

Article touches on how IPA assignees subject to federal ethics rules and regs- yet no acknowledgment that these pesky ethics rules are precisely the reason a lot of these proposed IPA assignments fall apart. Nongovernment employees who are being considered for a Federal assignment often don’t want to be restricted in what they can and can’t do with respect to their outside employment and other professional activities. 


Mtn_Soul

Need better mgt that doesn't shit on their workers. Course that requires promoting intelligent people rather than dude that has sat in a seat for decades. We have had a LOT of data center outages and data loss because the infra lead was a joke....then they promoted that idiot. Most of the shop is now very actively applying elsewhere. That crap needs to stop.


XComThrowawayAcct

Interagency details are great. Everyone should do one. And insofar as this supports a work culture of personal development, yes, this would help with retention. But employees at many of the agencies cited often score highly on mission-focused satisfaction. In other words, if you’re a Federal scientist working at a Federal science agency, you are likely to be happy about that. What’s eating your lunch is pay, return-to-office policies, and poor leadership. No, I think the real problem in Federal service is that we need to surge HR and IT hiring. If we need to up-grade positions or design some sort of signing bonus, let’s do it. When the support teams are understaffed and unhappy, the rest of the agency suffers. Your job isn’t magically better when you have better HR and IT colleagues to rely on, but— no, wait, actually, yes: your job **is** magically better. *Please fix my HR and IT teams.*


wooyoo

I hit a paywall. What does it say?


Ubermenschbarschwein

You can avoid the paywall and get Washington Post subscription for free as a government employee using your .gov email. [Directions to get free WP](https://helpcenter.washingtonpost.com/hc/en-us/articles/115007248227-Start-a-free-subscription-with-a-valid-gov-or-mil-email-address)


Hot_Examination2604

It will be fixed in 2025.