Management
As health costs spike, a sour and divided Congress escapes one shutdown to face another
Few of the divides that fueled the 43-day shutdown have been resolved, and a fractured Congress is on the clock to find a budgetary solution.
Management
Postal Service leadership brushes off calls to pause modernization plan, as financial losses continue
Former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy intended for the U.S. Postal Service to break even by fiscal 2023 under his Delivering for America plan.
Pay & Benefits
IRS hastens backpay timeline after union outcry
Contrary to a timeline offered by administration officials on Thursday, the Internal Revenue Service initially told employees on Friday not to expect any backpay until Nov. 24.
Management
‘Climate of fear': Immigration judges say functioning of their court system is in jeopardy due to Trump’s firings
The Trump administration is pushing out dozens of judges, who say the changes are slowing down and politicizing the system.
Management
FBI Director Kash Patel waived polygraph security screening for Dan Bongino, two other senior staff
As the FBI’s deputy director, Bongino receives some of the country’s most sensitive secrets, including the President’s Daily Brief. His ascent to that position without passing a standard bureau background check is unprecedented, insiders say.
Management
I spent 50 years in government and here’s how to fix it
COMMENTARY | After serving under presidents from Johnson to Obama, David Mader has seen what works and what doesn’t in government and why improving it is about making it serve the public better, not running it like a business.
Workforce
‘We'll probably waste millions again': Feds dig out of 43 days’ worth of piled-up work
Hundreds of thousands of employees stepped into their offices on Thursday for the first time in more than six weeks, with daunting backlogs before them.
Pay & Benefits
Trump admin says feds should get at least most backpay by Nov. 19
GSA and OPM workers will be the first to see the first month’s work of pay—belayed by the 43-day government shutdown—with what the White House is calling a “super check” that should be delivered on Saturday.
Management
Agencies could still be digging out from shutdown when funding deal ends, association says
The Congressional Budget Office and an industry group for federal contractors both predict the government won’t return to pre-shutdown operational levels until 2026. A partial funding lapse could start at the end of January without congressional action.
Pay & Benefits
How federal employees over 65 can navigate Medicare, FEHB and TRICARE
Understanding Medicare enrollment, FEHB coverage, and TRICARE can help retirees avoid penalties, save money and coordinate benefits effectively.
Breaking News
Management
Government to reopen after House votes to end longest-ever shutdown
Many furloughed workers, who will receive backpay, were already told Wednesday to report to work the following day for the first time in nearly six weeks.
Workforce
Nonprofit launches FEVS alternative after OPM’s cancellation of official survey
The Public Service Viewpoint Survey aims to at least partially fill the void left by the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, which OPM cancelled this year despite a legal requirement that it be administered annually.
Oversight
New watchdog at Education Department may have shared pro-Trump social media posts
This latest replacement of the acting Education inspector general comes as the president has fired or removed more than 20 of the agency watchdogs.
Management
Longtime Agriculture tech executive departs government
Gary Washington, USDA’s long-serving chief information officer, is leaving government after being moved to a new role earlier this fall.
Pay & Benefits
Delaying Medicare Part B: Why the penalty isn’t always as bad as it sounds
For federal employees with FEHB coverage, the timing of Medicare Part B enrollment can make a bigger difference than the penalty itself.
Management
Stopgap spending bill clears Senate, heads to House for vote
The measure aims to reopen the government after the longest shutdown in U.S. history, with lawmakers in the House expected to vote in the coming days.
Pay & Benefits
OPM’s retirement backlog skyrockets as deferred resignees begin offboarding
The federal government’s dedicated HR agency is sitting on the most pending retirement applications since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Management
Major takeaways for federal agencies on the funding deal to reopen government
Congress appears poised to end the longest-ever shutdown later this week with a bill with major implications for several key agencies.
Workforce
Education Department can’t use furloughed employees’ out-of-office emails to blame shutdown on Democrats, judge rules
The American Federation of Government Employees filed a lawsuit after Education staffers reported that their out-of-office messages had been modified.
Pay & Benefits