Late last week the US Office of Personnel Management sent a memorandum to federal agencies instructing them to reduce travel and conference costs. Undoubtedly the memo was released to counteract the negative image that government agencies have taken in the wake of the GSA Las Vegas conference scandal.

Conference expenses are capped at $500,000 per conference unless the head of the agency holding the conference grants a waiver. The memo also calls for high level scrutiny of conference planning expenses greater than $100,000.

You can read more in a Federal Daily story.

Crossing guards are part-time school district employees who ensure that children safely cross streets on their way to and from school. Because children can be absent-minded when it comes to safety, crossing guards are critical to protecting the lives of children and of individuals who drive near schools.

Crossing guards are strategically placed at intersections and crosswalks where the risk of auto-pedestrian accidents are the greatest. When crossing guards see drivers operating their vehicles agressively or recklessly, they report the vehicles' license plate numbers to school and police officials. Similarly, they report bad behavior by students to the appropriate teacher or principal.

Read more: Government Job Profile: Crossing Guard | Careers in Public Education

Employee engagement is critical for organizations to attain and maintain excellent levels of performance. Countless studies have shown that organizations with engaged workforces experience low turnover, high quality, low absenteeism and other benefits. Private sector, government and non-profit organizations work toward higher levels of employee engagement.

Organizations survey their staff to see where staff believe management needs to spearhead improvements. Finding out the problems is only the first step. In order for employees to take subsequent employee engagement surveys seriously, they need to see management taking action on the feedback provided. If management fails to do this, management's credibility takes a hit.

Read more: Government Careers Glossary: Employee Engagement | 2011 Rankings of the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government

Public Service Recognition Week is in full swing in Washington, DC, and across the country in federal, state and local government offices. This year PSRW falls on May 6-12, so DC area federal employees are right in the thick of the events put on by the Partnership for Public Service. PSRW is a time to honor government employees for the service they provide to the country through their vocations.