Author Archive
Emerging Tech
AI compounds discrimination against disabled
Organizations are responsible for ensuring their hiring and performance management tools do not discriminate against individuals with disabilities, federal civil rights officials say.
Cybersecurity
ICE's 'surveillance dragnet' built with DMV photos, report says
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has used facial recognition to search through the driver's license photos of one in three adults in the U.S., according to a new report by Georgetown Law's Center on Privacy and Technology.
Data & Analytics
Measuring the administrative burden of government programs
Current measures of customer experience don't include the learning, compliance or psychological costs people face when applying for government services.
State & Local
Senate Dems seek full UI administration funding
Decades of underfunding unemployment insurance programs has left state agencies understaffed, saddled with old tech and vulnerable to fraud, lawmakers said.
State & Local
USDA opens grants to streamline SNAP
Grants to state and local governments are designed to improve customer experience, streamline operations and expand enrollment to underserved populations.
Data & Analytics
Labor Dept. pilot taps state data for a new look at who is getting UI
Data on access to unemployment insurance broken down by demographics can help program administrators make sure that they help everyone entitled to the benefit access it, the Labor Department says.
State & Local
Tailoring services delivery to life events, not org charts
Pointing to Michigan's "benchmark" work streamlining benefits applications, the White House says cross-government services should revolve around the needs of Americans.
Emerging Tech
Remaking government to meet the moment
The future of government service delivery will depend on growing customer experience skills at the state level, Healthcare.gov alum and founder of New America’s New Practice Lab Tara Dawson McGuinness said.
Emerging Tech
House panel launches probe into ID.me
At least 30 state governments also use the identity verification service, lawmakers say.
State & Local
Code for America's CEO on this moment in civic tech
Amanda Renteria talks about the recent customer experience executive order, the non-profit's work in federal and state government service delivery and what's next.
Cloud & Infrastructure
White House budget seeks $3.4 billion for UI programs, including IT modernization
The president's budget aims to "modernize, protect and strengthen" the unemployment insurance system and includes $150 million for program integrity efforts including identity verification services for states.
State & Local
3 trends driving public sector planning
A new report identifies cooperation, resilience and service delivery as key themes as governments plan for a post-pandemic future.
State & Local
New bill looks to modernize 50-year-old rulebook for federal-state cooperation
A new Senate bill would require updated guidance and a strategic plan on intergovernmental cooperation, specifically how agencies can give technical and specialized services to states and local governments.
Data & Analytics
There's no final number yet for pandemic fraud, oversight leaders tell Congress
Total fraud levels in pandemic relief programs are upwards of $100 billion, but getting a clear estimate is made difficult by data gaps and ongoing fraud recovery efforts, officials said at a Senate hearing.
Cybersecurity
Data and the cyber workforce
A Bureau of Cybersecurity Statistics could help government collect more granular data and metrics on the state of cyber employment.
Cloud & Infrastructure
USDA looks to modify a key nutrition program for the online age
Some states are testing online WIC ordering options with in-store or curbside pickup, others are pursuing pilots that waive the cashier requirement.
State & Local
Biden announces new anti-fraud measures covering COVID relief
In his State of the Union address, the president touched on Paycheck Protection Program fraud and called on Congress to give more resources to a the DOJ task force and increase penalties for pandemic fraudsters.
Cybersecurity
Agencies shouldn't use facial recognition for ID verification, groups say
More than 45 organizations signed onto a letter asking government agencies to stop their use of ID.me or any facial recognition for identity verification, and Senate Democrats are also still asking questions.
Cloud & Infrastructure
Labor, USDS pilot new unemployment insurance tech
A pilot project underway in New Jersey and Arkansas focusing on the experience of claimants for unemployment insurance is new territory for the Department of Labor. The agency is working with the United States Digital Service to develop pieces of tech for states to use in unemployment claims.
Data & Analytics