Pay & Benefits
To fix air traffic controller shortage, Congress proposes changing retirement limits
The Control Tower Continuity Act would help address the ongoing staff shortfall of 3,000 positions by exempting personnel from mandatory retirement at age 61.
Workforce
Internal Veterans Affairs memo shows plan to scrutinize disability work from home accommodations
A department press secretary said the new policy is to ensure reasonable accommodations remain "necessary, reasonable and effective," while the American Federation of Government Employees contended it would push employees with disabilities out of the VA.
Management
Trump administration narrows effort to nix project labor agreements for federal construction contracts
The move to narrow the rollback of a Biden-era order mandating contractors negotiate with unions before major construction projects came after a federal judge blocked the White House’s first attempt.
Workforce
The U.S. DOGE Service is still hiring
The hires are intended to fill what used to be the U.S. Digital Service after many employees there left or were laid off.
Workforce
Some agencies are walking back planned layoffs, Trump administration says
Other agencies are moving forward with RIFs and terminations, but official tells federal court some plans have changed.
Management
Congress is advancing FY26 spending bills, including some with dramatic staffing cuts
The House and Senate are taking far different approaches to next year's appropriations, but neither chamber has fully embraced Trump's budget proposals.
Workforce
State Department cuts hit cyber diplomats doing international engagements
Impacted units in the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy include the Office of Bilateral and Regional Affairs and Office of Strategy, Programs and Communications.
Management
Why the federal government is making climate data disappear
Under Trump, climate denial has given way to something even more dangerous: climate erasure.
Breaking News
Workforce
Education Dept. can proceed with mass layoffs after Supreme Court ruling
About one-third of the workforce will now be terminated.
Management
Secret Service commits to continued improvements one year after Trump assassination attempt
The protective agency also received $1.2 billion, in part for recruitment and retention, from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Management
Social Security signals potential benefit disruptions this fall for those still getting paper checks
Over half a million people still get their Social Security benefits via paper checks. They’ll need a waiver by the end of September to continue to do so, SSA says.
Workforce
Sens. Warren and Wyden demand info on SSA reassignments
SSA workers say the recent decision to involuntarily reassign 1,000 field office employees to man the 1-800 number flies in the face of leadership’s rosy pronouncements and further degrades service.
Workforce
Union calls for reinstatement of EPA workers suspended over letter
More than 130 EPA workers were put on administrative leave over their signature of a letter that criticized Administrator Lee Zeldin’s direction for the agency.
Workforce
Third postal union ratifies new labor contract
The agreements come as a new postmaster general is under pressure to unwind the reforms of his predecessor.
Workforce
State Department lays off 1,350 employees
The department says the cuts, part of a reorganization that will see 3,000 total personnel reductions, will slash redundancy and walk back growth over the last 25 years.
Workforce
DHS intelligence office halts staff cuts after stakeholder backlash
Pushback from law enforcement associations and Jewish orgs came after Nextgov/FCW first reported plans to shed most staff within a core DHS intelligence unit.
Management
Investing in knowledge workers is important
COMMENTARY | OPM's plans for reforming federal employee performance management need to account for workers for whom annual performance goals may not translate their worth.
Workforce
State Department tells employees mass layoffs are imminent
State is poised to be the first agency to move forward with RIFs after receiving the Supreme Court's blessing.
Pay & Benefits
Trump’s hiring freeze has jeopardized postal workers’ health care, IG says
OPM told its agency watchdog that it has taken steps to ensure the Postal Service Health Benefits Program remains adequately staffed and funded but failed to provide any evidence that it had actually done so.
Pay & Benefits