Workforce
Feds will probably have to work on Christmas Eve, but a holiday miracle would not be unprecedented
Because Christmas falls on a Thursday this year, President Donald Trump may give government workers Dec. 26 off rather than Christmas Eve.
Defense
Hegseth broke rules, DODIG concludes, even though he said Yemen strike details were ‘safe to declassify’
Inspector general’s Signalgate report arrives two months after SecDef alleged the office had been “weaponized.”
Management
Democrats argue Ingrassia should be removed from government following nomination withdrawal
While no longer the special counsel nominee, Paul Ingrassia is now a senior official at the General Services Administration.
Pay & Benefits
Just days remain to lock in 2026 health and benefit choices
Open Season closes Dec. 8. Review FEHB and PSHB plans, savings opportunities, HDHP and FSA options and enrollment rules before the deadline.
Sponsor Content
GovExec TV: Five Questions with Blake Shiver
Discover how leadership and strategy come together in this insightful episode of “Five Questions with Blake Shiver” - a must-watch for anyone curious about the future of public service and organizational resilience.
Management
Trump’s Education Department transfers illegal, Senate Dems say
Four Democratic senators blasted an Education Department plan to move certain operations to other departments through interagency agreements as “outrageous,” and “illegal,” saying it circumvented appropriations law.
Workforce
EPA workers fired over dissent letter appeal to MSPB
Only a fraction of the more than 130 employees who signed an open letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin accusing the Trump administration of “recklessly undermining” the agency’s mission were ultimately terminated, purportedly because they worked in “public-facing” roles.
Management
Plan to break up the Education Department would strain other agencies, Democrats and students warn
Lawmakers and student leaders say shifting major Education Department programs to other federal departments after deep layoffs and downsizing would create service gaps, weaken oversight and leave vulnerable students without support.
Sponsor Content
Rethinking security as a driver of efficiency
In this eBook, an industry expert from Commvault discusses how teams are leveraging FedRAMP, zero trust and data resilience to drive mission success.
Management
After NASA shed 4,000 employees, Trump’s pick to lead space agency vows to attract new talent
A "reinvigorated culture" focusing on the "near-impossible" will allow NASA to rebuild its workforce, Jared Isaacman says.
FEATURED INSIGHTS
Management
CISA tells staff to not speak with reporters, internal email shows
“CISA does not comment on leaked internal emails, especially when they’re about leaking internal emails,” CISA Director of Public Affairs Marci McCarthy told Nextgov/FCW when asked for comment.
Workforce
HHS adds new conditions to telework for employees with disabilities
The Trump administration has sought to largely prevent federal employees from working remotely.
Workforce
State becomes the latest agency to proceed with RIFs despite statutory pause
The deal to end the shutdown placed a moratorium on any action to implement layoffs, but some agency are moving forward anyway.
TSP TICKER
FUND
G
F
C
S
I
DEC 04 CLOSE
$19.5276
$20.8638
$109.6036
$102.0595
$54.2359
DAILY CHANGE
0.0023
-0.0392
0.1258
0.5098
0.2439
THIS MONTH (%)
0.05
-0.35
0.14
1.11
0.71
FUND
L 2070
L 2060
L 2050
L 2040
L 2030
L INCOME
DEC 04 CLOSE
$12.6285
$21.3097
$41.3455
$67.4647
$57.8389
$29.1354
DAILY CHANGE
0.0352
0.0595
0.0909
0.1303
0.0924
0.0218
THIS MONTH (%)
0.46
0.46
0.36
0.32
0.27
0.14
FUND
DEC 04
CLOSE
CLOSE
DAILY
CHANGE
CHANGE
THIS
MONTH
MONTH
G
$19.5276
0.0023
0.05
F
$20.8638
-0.0392
-0.35
C
$109.6036
0.1258
0.14
S
$102.0595
0.5098
1.11
I
$54.2359
0.2439
0.71
L 2070
$12.6285
0.0352
0.46
L 2060
$21.3097
0.0595
0.46
L 2050
$41.3455
0.0909
0.36
L 2040
$67.4647
0.1303
0.32
L 2030
$57.8389
0.0924
0.27
L INCOME
$29.1354
0.0218
0.14
Workforce
House panel advances bills extending probationary periods to two years
Democrats decried the measure as a Trojan horse aimed at more easily screening new federal workers and job seekers on ideological grounds.
Tech
Democrats bring back AI civil rights bill
The reintroduction of an anti-algorithmic discrimination bill comes as the advocacy for a decade-long moratorium on state-level AI regulation recirculates in Congress.
Defense
NSA has met 2,000-person workforce reduction goal, people familiar say
A broader Pentagon goal to shrink the nation’s defense budget over the coming five years could potentially subject the agency to further downsizing.
Workforce
Government transformation is badly needed
COMMENTARY | The federal civil service could use an update, but it's not the workforce that's the problem, it's the culture. And there's already a proven playbook on how to fix it.
Exclusive
Management
Amid unprecedented hiring push, ICE and CBP both lose HR chiefs
One of the executives was fired without explanation, while the other voluntarily moved to a different agency.
Pay & Benefits
TSP funds mostly flat in November
Though only one of the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program’s portfolios lost value last month, none exceeded 1% in returns.
Management
Agencies will have to contend with tight budgets even after Trump, contracting association predicts
While agencies are currently facing reduced budgets, the Professional Services Council expects that trend will continue due to the potential exhaustion of Medicare and Social Security funding.
Management
FEMA’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year
On its third acting administrator this year, the disaster management agency has faced workforce cuts, leadership instability and an uncertain future in the Trump administration.
Management
Trump says he is voiding Biden executive actions signed with autopen
In a social media post, the president declared any Biden-era orders, pardons or laws authorized with an autopen “terminated,” leaving legal authority unclear and federal agencies uncertain about whether any directives are actually affected.
Updated
News
2 National Guard members from West Virginia wounded in 'targeted' shooting in D.C.
Officials say both guardsmen are in critical condition and a suspect is in custody. President Trump says the attacker will “pay a very steep price.”
Management
OPM reassures managers of ‘extremely narrow’ liability in performance management actions
The federal government’s HR agency reminded federal supervisors that they can be partially reimbursed for insurance against lawsuits that may arise from taking adverse actions against subordinates.
Management
Suit to block Education Department closure expanded amid agency transfers plans
A cadre of unions and school districts seeking to stop the White House's plan to shutter the Education Department have now added to their ongoing lawsuit interagency agreements transferring department operations to other offices.
