Pay & Benefits
Kaptur reintroduces legislation to expand Gold Star survivors benefits, Neguse wants to offer vets firefighter training
The Ohio congresswoman brought back her bill to lower health care costs for fallen service members’ partners for longer, while Rep. Neguse wants to offer veterans more job support.
Workforce
TSA union urges judge to block ‘retaliatory’ order outlawing bargaining at agency
An attorney representing the Trump administration argued that U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman did not have jurisdiction to hear the case and described the administration’s approach to labor groups as “a different management style.”
Defense
Pentagon orders civilian employees to submit money-saving ideas
It’s the last step in the "5 bullet points" weekly email exercise.
Workforce
Appeals board creates new path to renew reversals of probationary firings
At least some fired feds can pursue their case through a class action, administrative judge says.
Workforce
DHS says it won’t eliminate oversight offices but is still pursuing layoffs
Progressive legal organizations are suing to stop the Trump administration from winding down the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties as well as two ombudsmen focused on immigration.
Management
Rewrite of market research rules aims to give agencies more flexibility
A new version of Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 10 removes prescriptive requirements and adds a "practitioner album" with the goal of streamlining research processes.
Defense
The DOD’s tech agency braces for 10% workforce cut
The agency hopes to bring some staff back in a “surgical rehiring,” said Lt. Gen. Paul Stanton, head of the Defense Information Systems Agency.
Management
New SSA chief praises DOGE for ‘making things better’
Frank Bisignano said he has no current plans to institute further reductions in force and hopes to use AI to make the historically sluggish Social Security disability determination processes move faster.
Workforce
Most major agencies are now indefinitely barred from issuing mass layoffs
The Trump administration's plans to reorganize agencies are "likely unconstitutional," judge says.
Workforce
More than 2,100 GSA employees have accepted deferred resignations
Combined with those employees that have been impacted by reductions in force, the losses amount to nearly a quarter of what the agency’s workforce totals were last fall.
Workforce
Agencies are violating the law on administrative leave, and taxpayers are paying the price
COMMENTARY | Administrative leave must be brief and directed toward furthering, not frustrating, agency operations.
Breaking News
Oversight
Supreme Court allows Trump to fire federal employee appeals board members at will
In dissenting opinion, justices say the decision will provide Trump the most subservient executive branch “maybe ever.”
Management
Judge says she is inclined to further pause layoffs at most major agencies
RIF plans have been frozen for two weeks, but federal court suggests they are unconstitutional and implementation will remain prohibited indefinitely.
Oversight
GAO: Transportation Department can’t withhold electric vehicle infrastructure program funds
The Government Accountability Office determined that the DOT and the Federal Highway Administration ran afoul of the Impoundment Control Act when they suspended appropriations for the Biden-era grant program.
Pay & Benefits
Answers to some of your frequently asked questions about federal retirement
If you're thinking about retiring from federal service, here's what you need to know first.
Pay & Benefits
House passes reconciliation bill that cuts federal employee retirement benefits
Though Democrats were able to excise a plan to base federal retirees’ annuity payments on their highest five years of salary, rather than the current high-3, proposals to eliminate the FERS supplement and to charge employees for their civil service protections remain on the table.
Breaking News
Workforce
Judge bars Education Department from carrying out mass layoffs
Education is unable to carry out its statutory responsibilities and the Trump administration must receive congressional approval before dismantling the department, judge rules.
Defense
Space Force losing 14% of its civilian workers
That’s more than other military branches, and it means the service will end the year with nearly 1,000 fewer people than expected.
Defense
Pentagon accepts Qatari jet to use as Air Force One
The Air Force is preparing to award a contract to modify the luxury jet.
Oversight