Top Obama appointees using secret email accounts
Some Obama political appointees using secret email accounts; White House defends practice
Labor Department's budget missteps led to Job Corps woes
The department's inspector general found that Labor officials did not have a sound budget or spending plan for the program or have a process in place to accurately project spending needs.
5 percent of federal workforce to be furloughed Friday
The Department of Housing and Urban Development, Internal Revenue Service, Office of Management and Budget and the Environmental Protection Agency will all shut down Friday because of widespread employee furloughs — giving feds a four-day holiday weekend. The Labor and Interior Departments also are telling employees to stay home.
Obama to nominate Katherine Archuleta as next OPM director
Katherine Archuleta, President Barack Obama's nominee for director of the Office of Personnel Management, served as his national political director in the 2012 election. Prior to that, Archuleta served as chief of staff to former Labor Secretary Hilda Solis.
Fire shuts down Labor Dept. building
An overnight fire at the Labor Department's headquarters has shut the building down for most employees.
Senate Democrats put off vote on Labor nominee
After Republicans raise concerns, Senate Democrats postpone vote on Labor secretary nominee
DHS, DoD asking OMB for sequestration reprogramming authority
Homeland Security, Defense and USDA are asking the Office of Management and Budget for the ability to reprogram agency funds to soften the blow of sequestration. DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano said the agency must cut $3 billion by Sept. 30 and every mission, contract and person will be impacted in some way. She said the Coast Guard already is feeling the impact of the cuts in mission areas.
Labor nominee Perez pledges open mind
Labor nominee Perez pledges open mind, willingness to work with business, labor to create jobs
GOP lawmakers blast Labor secretary nominee
GOP lawmakers blast Labor nominee over deal he brokered as top Justice official
Obama nominates Justice official to top Labor slot
Obama nominates Justice's Thomas Perez as labor secretary, Republicans raise concerns
Obama nominates Justice official for top Labor slot
Seeking to fill another second-term Cabinet vacancy, President Barack Obama nominated Thomas Perez, an assistant attorney general, to be the next secretary of labor.
Pentagon spends nearly $1B a year on unemployment
Pentagon sends nearly $1 billion a year in unemployment checks to troops who left voluntarily
$4 billion up for grabs and $1.6 billion potential cuts
On this week's Capital Impact show, Bloomberg Government analysts examine how the ongoing budget battle is affecting contracting.
March 14, 2013
AP source: Obama poised to pick Perez for Labor
AP source: Obama poised to nominate Justice Dept. civil rights official to head Dept. of Labor
Coburn calls for partial federal job freeze as sequestration nears
The Republican senator from Oklahoma is asking the Office of Management and Budget to require agencies to stop hiring for certain positions. Instead, he would like that funding put towards mission critical jobs that could be affected by sequestration cuts. Coburn, the ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, found 10 jobs listed on USAJobs.gov that he believes could be frozen. He says this would give agencies $1.4 million to spend on positions like border security officers and TSA screeners.
Labor Secretary Solis resigning
Labor Secretary Hilda Solis has told colleagues she is resigning from Obama administration. Solis, a former California congresswoman, has led the department for nearly four years, after being confirmed by the Senate in February 2009.
Feds with families hardest hit by proposed changes to workers' comp
Disabled federal workers with dependents would be among the hardest hit by proposed changes to federal workers' compensation benefits, according to an analysis by the Government Accountability Office. The Labor Department has proposed setting a uniform level of compensation — 70 percent of the pre-injury salary — regardless of dependents and further reducing benefits to 50 percent when employees reach retirement age. But in its report which simulated those proposed changes, GAO raised concerns about the effects on beneficiaries.
NIST's Leaf to become Labor deputy CIO
Dawn Leaf takes over for Tom Wiesner who retired in June.
Budget showdown fizzles
Ever watch an inept team of trainees assemble then take apart an explosive device? If not, move to D.C. or watch live coverage of Congress on TV. With Congress, you get the political version which, more often than not, ends in a whimper rather than a bang, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
Labor Dept. says defense layoffs 'speculative,' no need for warning
Defense industry executives have spent the last few weeks warning that across-the-board budgets cuts that go into effect in January, could force them to issue notifications to employees in the fall to warn of impending layoffs. However, in a new memo issued Monday, the Labor Department said the lack of clarity about how the cuts would be applied means it would be "inappropriate" to issue Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notifications.



