Watching the updates for the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal contractors is like watching a tennis match, but in slow motion. Rewind back to the summer of 2021 when the talks of a mandate started to float around, and then in the fall, the various mandates for military, federal employees, federal contractors, and large corporations were served. Since then, many states and organizations have submitted lawsuits to the government, and then, the timeline for federal contractors and larger corporations was pushed to January. However, just a couple of weeks ago, a decision by a Georgia judge seemed to put the whole January 4 timeline back on hold. But as of Friday, 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati lifted the injunction from November, reinstating the mandates for large businesses. Within hours though, petitions went to the U.S. Supreme Court. Time will tell if anything will change for businesses in the federal contracting space.
Layoffs Impacting the Cleared Industry
| Boston Scientific |
Boston Scientific has plans to close its Silicon Valley facility and layoff 170 workers. “To improve our operating performance and meet anticipated market demands, we continuously assess the way we are structured and resourced to deliver value to patients and our customers,” the company said in a statement to Fierce Medtech. “As part of a restructuring plan announced in 2018, we are transferring the work currently performed at our Baytech site in San Jose, California, to other Boston Scientific sites. Transferring work among our facilities helps us align our products, capabilities, technologies and resources to support our business strategies,” the statement continued. “Our priority is the employees who have been impacted by the decision, and they have been given adequate notification and are being offered transition assistance.” |
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Hiring impacting the Cleared Industry
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Space Perspective |
Space Perspective has plans to move to Florida, building a campus on the Florida Space Coast and adding 240 jobs – all by 2026.
“We’re witnessing a revolution in space access and Florida’s Space Coast is now the place for production, as well as launch,” said Lynda Weatherman, president and CEO of the Space Coast Economic Development Commission. “With its selection of Titusville, Space Perspective joins Lockheed Martin, Astrotech, Boeing and others in what is quickly becoming a significant aerospace hub across the causeway from Cape Canaveral.” |
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Cleared Employer at Work: CISA
Federal agencies like CISA know they need professionals with a cross section of experience in order to be successful. Help Defend Today, Secure Tomorrow. Find job opportunities.
Opportunity to Watch
OPM is looking to play a key role in helping federal agencies with their “talent surge” needed for the new Infrastructure investment and Jobs Act. OPM Director Kiran Ahuja detailed two new tools for agencies in a memo to chief human capital officers. OPM provided a Talent Surge Executive Playbook and the Talent Surge Hiring Authorities Fact Sheet.
“Significant work must be done across the Federal government so that we have a workforce in place to meet the current moment,” wrote Ahuja. “We know that we must be strategic in building for the long-term, assessing the needs of the Federal government for the future. This will require a commitment by agency leaders to develop short, medium, and long-term strategic workforce plans. OPM is ready to work with our agency partners to develop these plans.”
While the playbook is a reference point hiring managers with all the necessary information at their finger tips, the fact sheet provides the 411 on hiring authorities and flexibilities. The key here is information and communication so that agencies can attempt to meet their hiring needs in less time than normal for the federal government.
“We hope agencies will strategically use these hiring authorities to support their efforts to fulfill their missions,” wrote Ahuja. “These tools are the latest in a series of guidance documents issued by OPM to help agencies ensure that they have the talent they need to address our challenges head-on.”
