Posts By Alicia Mazzara

GovBytes: A Workplace Without Email?

Could you imagine doing your job without email? Many of us spend a large portion of our working hours sending and responding to messages, but that could all change. According to a new survey by Robert Half Technology, a majority of CIOs believe that real-time communication tools, like instant messaging, will eventually supplant workplace email.Read… Read more »

Daily Dose: Did BART Violate Free Speech?

This month, San Francisco’s Bay Area Rapid Transit system disabled service in an effort to thwart protests organized by the group Anonymous. Although cell phone service was only disrupted for a few hours, experts are debating whether BART violated the first amendment or were simply acting in the public safety. BART officials point to theRead… Read more »

GovBytes: To Crowdsource or Not To Crowdsource?

Cities and states are increasingly turning to the internet to allow citizens to participate in government. While it’s often easier for people to send in a comment online rather than attend a public meeting, local governments are still trying to figure out the best way to engage in crowdsourcing. According to a recent article inRead… Read more »

Daily Dose: How Would You Promote Diversity and Inclusion At Work?

Could your agency be doing a better job fostering diversity during the hiring process? Or maybe your agency does a good job recruiting diverse candidates but struggles with retention or employee development. While there are already structures in place to promote fair hiring, the White House wants the Federal workforce to become “a model ofRead… Read more »

Daily Dose: “Supercommittee” Uncertainty Over Federal Benefits

Federal workers have been wondering what employee benefits might be up for cuts under the new Congressional “Supercommittee”, but last week’s appointments don’t necessarily shed light on what the future might hold. The Washington Post has dug into the committee members’ voting records and found that most have little to no history in federal benefits.Read… Read more »

GovBytes: FBI Releases Child Protection iPhone App

According to the FBI, a child goes missing approximately every 40 seconds. Parents can now improve their chances of locating a lost child with the FBI’s new Child ID iPhone application. The free app allows parents to store photos and othe identifying data on their phone. In the event that a child goes missing, theRead… Read more »

Daily Dose: Postal Service Running Up Against Debt Limit

The Postal Service may be faced with a debt ceiling crisis of its own come September 30th. The agency is reporting third quarter losses in excess of $3 billion and anticipates that they will default on payments to the federal government by the end of the fiscal year. The loss for the quarter that endedRead… Read more »

Pentagon Seeking Social Networking Help

I ran across this blog post in the New York Times and thought it was pretty interesting. The Pentagon has put out a call for assistance with using social media to monitor political unrest and “the spread of ideas.” Proposals can apply for funding to the tune of $42 million dollars. As social media playRead… Read more »

GovBytes: California to Launch Electronic Traffic Ticket Pilot

The California Highway Patrol would like to eliminate paper traffic tickets in favor of an e-ticket system that would save time, money, and cut back on clerical errors.The state is launching a pilot program to test a series of hand-held devices to administer traffic citations, according to Government Technology. Aside from eliminating the need toRead… Read more »