OPM pushed to fast-track stimulus hiring

When was anything done quickly in the federal government?

Well, now is the time for government to move swiftly, given the urgency of the economic crisis and the need to get federal workers in place to implement the $787 billion economic stimulus package. Lawmakers and watchdog groups urged the Office of Personnel Management last week to throw out the old go-slow habits, and to fast-track former employees and recruit new workers to get the stimulus money off the ground.

Currently, agencies have to jump through hoops to hire new workers. For example, they must get OPM's permission to use direct-hiring authority; they also need OPM's approval to rehire federal annuitants. All of this takes time, and clearly, the waiting game needs to be thrown out to get the economic stimulus money flowing.

A few examples of what the government needs:

* The Government Accountability Office expects to hire about 100 workers to oversee stimulus spending.

* The Agriculture Department's inspector general expects to hire 20 to 30 auditors, 10 investigators and other administrative personnel.

This is only the tip of the iceberg for stimulus hiring. The big question now is, where are the workers and how soon can they be on the job?

For more on the need for fast-track hiring:
- check out this GovernmentExecutive.com article