Federal Daily - February 1, 2010

DoD Offers New Sittercity Portal

DoD on Jan 28 announced the launch of a customized Web portal that will give military families free access to an online network of caregivers that provide a range of services from babysitting, to elder care to dog walking.

The site, at www.sittercity.com/dod, provides military families, including active-duty, Guard and Reserve members, with a paid membership to Sittercity, the nation’s largest online source for local caregivers. These include babysitters, nannies, elder care providers, dog walkers, housekeepers and tutors. Although membership to the site is free, users are still responsible for hiring and paying caregivers, officials reminded.

The membership gives military families entry to a customized Web portal where they can match up caregivers to their situation; gain instant access to caregiver profiles that include background checks, references and reviews; and find military-certified care providers, as well as caregivers who are military-subsidized and have authorized access to military installations.

“Because of the mobile nature of military life, trusted community resources are often difficult to identify and locate,” said Tommy T. Thomas, deputy undersecretary of defense for military community and family policy. “These online tools will help service and family members attain the best match between resource and need.”

:: Back to Top ::

FEW Survey Cites Less Diversity at Top

Although the federal workforce is generally diverse, the ranks of supervisors could be moreso, according to a majority of employees surveyed by Federally Employed Women, a nonprofit advocacy group.

In response to a request by the Office of Personnel Management, FEW surveyed its members on ways that the federal workplace could be improved. It looked at four major areas: diversity, training, awards and performance.

Of those surveyed, 75 percent said that the government could do a better job at diversity, FEW said. Survey respondents said that while in the lower pay grades, the representation of women, minorities and the disabled was quite diverse, diversity is severely askew in the higher pay grades.

FEW members suggested that agencies could offer more targeted recruiting efforts, provide increased funding for Federal Women’s Programs and Special Emphasis Programs, and furnish more mentoring and training opportunities.

Members were also critical of federal awards programs, mainly because of the complexity of the process and the subjective nature of the awards, FEW said. The group suggested that the process be revamped so there is less red tape, and that managers be trained on how to fairly bestow awards.

“We know some change is coming down the road and we wanted to ensure that federal employee representative organizations were part of the process,” said Cecelia Davis, FEW’s national vice president for congressional relations.

To see more, go to: http://few.org/docs/legislative/OPM%20Position%20Paper.pdf.

:: Back to Top ::

USPS Consolidation List Continues to Shrink

The U.S. Postal Service on Jan. 29 announced that postal facilities still remaining on its list for review for possible closure or consolidation now numbered 162, six fewer from the last update in December. No final decisions have been made regarding specific office consolidations, USPS said.

That’s a far cry from the 3,243 facilities on the initial list when USPS began the review last year. That was about 9 percent of the more than 36,000 post offices, stations, branches, and contract and community post offices operated by the Postal Service. 

The new list was released in the wake of a new USPS Office of Inspector General report which concluded that the Postal Service has failed to establish criteria for identifying consolidation opportunities.

To see the list, go to: www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/stationbranchop.pdf.

:: Back to Top ::

DoD Expands Free Online Tutoring Service

DoD on Jan. 27 announced it is expanding a free, Web-based tutoring service to all servicemembers and their families.

The site—www.tutor.com/military—has offered Marine Corps and Army families access to the program for the past year. The expansion effort now will give access to all military servicemembers and their families. The site offers round-the-clock professional tutors who can assist with homework, studying, test preparation and resume writing.

“We are pleased to expand this program to all U.S. military families and provide peace of mind that their children are never alone when it comes to learning—there is always a certified, professional tutor available to help,” said Tommy T. Thomas, deputy undersecretary of defense for military community and family policy

Those eligible include active-duty servicemembers, Guard and Reserve members on active duty in a deployed status, DoD civilians in a deployed status, and their dependents. Along with test preparation, the site is open to students of any age, from kindergartners to high school seniors, for one-on-one help in math, science, social studies and English.

The tutoring network includes more than 1,800 professional tutors and career specialists who have delivered more than 5 million one-on-one tutoring sessions since 2001, officials said. Each tutor is certified through the site and all sessions are recorded for quality control.

To see more, go to: www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123187544.

:: Back to Top ::