Pay & Benefits
OPM lays out early plans for law enforcement-only pay raise
Federal employee groups decried President Trump’s plan to raise pay for most civilian employees by just 1% next year while giving military service members and law enforcement officers 3.8%.
Pay & Benefits
The milestone ages that matter most for retirement planning
From catch-up contributions to required distributions, federal employees face key ages that can shape retirement income, benefits and tax planning.
Management
OPM tech lead Greg Hogan leaves post
The personnel agency’s handling of sensitive agency data — and who can access it — has been at the center of many lawsuits since the start of Trump 2.0.
Management
Despite shutdown deadline, little movement in Congress on spending deal
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., declined to say during a press conference whether he will negotiate a stopgap spending bill with Democrats, or use the go-at-it-alone approach that succeeded in March.
Exclusive
Workforce
VA to set caps on its workforce, eliminate positions and tighten controls on hiring
The Veterans Affairs Department secretary is creating a new "baseline" that cannot easily be exceeded, according to internal memo.
Workforce
More unions sue following second edict banning them, alleging retaliation
Although left off the initial list of agencies where the Trump administration wants to ban unions, two labor groups said they were targeted after seeking to enforce their collective bargaining agreements.
Workforce
FEMA’s staffing shortages have hindered past disaster recovery efforts, GAO says. Now the agency has even fewer workers
A watchdog report found that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has had to reassign employees working on ongoing disaster recovery to respond to new disasters and deploy staffers to perform jobs they’re largely not trained to do.
Management
GSA deputy Stephen Ehikian to depart post
Ehikian — who, until recently, served as GSA’s acting administrator — is the latest day one Trump appointee to leave the government.
Pay & Benefits
Is FEGLI Option B really the best life insurance choice?
FEGLI plans remain a solid life insurance option for federal employees, but, depending on the coverage, it may also be wise to look to the private market.
Workforce
Shortly after laying off hundreds, State hires new class of foreign service staff
The hiring-firing combination is "the definition of wasteful government spending,” according to one staffer.
Workforce
CDC employees given 2 weeks to return to headquarters following recent shooting
Agency officials said that security has been heightened at the CDC’s Atlanta campus.
Workforce
Noem terminates 24 FEMA workers for failing to address cyber vulnerabilities
An internal FEMA email obtained by Nextgov/FCW ordered all agency employees to change their passwords “due to recent cybersecurity incidents and threats.”
Pay & Benefits
All TSP funds were back in the black in August
The Thrift Savings Plan’s international investments rebounded last month after lagging behind other portfolios in July.
Workforce
Secret Service is 73% short of the snipers it requires
Increasing needs have exacerbated "chronic understaffing," IG says.
Pay & Benefits
Trump intends to give feds 1% pay raise with some law enforcement officers getting more
White House officials had previously suggested that there would be no increases to federal employees’ salaries in 2026.
Tech
Advocacy groups ask OMB to axe Grok AI procurement
Citing vulnerabilities and biased outputs in the program, multiple advocacy organizations and nonprofits signed a letter to the Office of Management and Budget asking it to bar Elon Musk’s Grok from federal workflows.
Management
VA's suicide prevention lead departs government
Dr. Matthew Miller, the executive director for VA Suicide Prevention, has overseen efforts to explore the use of innovative solutions during his tenure.
Management
Bipartisan senators call for CDC oversight following firing of agency’s director
The removal of Director Susan Monarez was followed by the resignations of four other agency officials who criticized proposed funding cuts and politicization of public health.
Management
Federal collective bargaining is in the U.S. national interest
COMMENTARY | The president's recent executive orders on collective bargaining are a solution in search of a problem, and without a solid premise to stand on.
Management