Author Archive
Eric Katz
Senior Correspondent
Eric Katz writes about federal agency operations and management. His deep coverage of Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security, the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Postal Service has earned him frequent guest spots on national radio and television news programs. Eric joined Government Executive in the summer of 2012 and previously worked for The Financial Times. He is a graduate of The George Washington University.
Eric Katz writes about federal agency operations and management. His deep coverage of Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security, the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Postal Service has earned him frequent guest spots on national radio and television news programs. Eric joined Government Executive in the summer of 2012 and previously worked for The Financial Times. He is a graduate of The George Washington University.
Workforce
GSA backs off planned layoffs within its technology team after court order
The Technology Transformation Services has lost 67% of its staff since Jan. 25.
- Eric Katz and Natalie Alms
Pay & Benefits
DHS opens up new $60K bonuses for Border Patrol agents, other officers
The Trump administration is boosting incentives as it seeks to meet lofty hiring goals.
- Eric Katz
Exclusive
Management
Trump to limit top ratings for all feds and consolidate scoring in forthcoming rule
Though the forced distribution of performance ratings is “categorically prohibited” under current rules, federal agencies already appear to be adopting the system, before the proposal has even been announced.
- Eric Katz and Erich Wagner
Updated
Workforce
Additional shutdown layoffs must be rolled back, judge rules
The order is set to impact around 700 workers at four agencies.
- Eric Katz
Workforce
Air traffic controllers calling out sick during shutdown may have acted illegally, FAA chief says
Agency will “ask tough questions” of those workers even as administrator concedes agency has “a retention issue” among controllers.
- Eric Katz
Workforce
At least one agency is making a renewed, less generous ‘deferred resignation’ offer to staff
The Trump administration is continuing efforts to cut the federal workforce.
- Eric Katz
Management
USDA received overwhelmingly negative feedback on its reorg plan from employees, lawmakers and locals governments
The department solicited comments and those who wrote in said a potential exodus of staff and loss of local interaction would prove harmful to farmers.
- Eric Katz
Workforce
Bipartisan leaders push suicide prevention program, more mental health support for DHS law enforcement
Suicides within and assaults against the DHS law enforcement have been increasing, lawmakers say.
- Eric Katz
Workforce
OPM says 92% of fed departures this year were voluntary. Those who left disagree
Staff only left "the most amazing job I could ever have" under significant pressure, former federal employees said.
- Eric Katz
Workforce
200 DOJ employees who left under Trump say admin is making ‘coordinated effort’ to undermine career staff
The Justice Department is actively pushing out career employees working on civil rights, they say.
- Eric Katz
Workforce
Trump is using $70K bonuses for a hiring surge at one agency. Democrats want to stop him
The hiring of hundreds of new officers will allow Trump to centralize his power in Washington, senators say, though administration suggests the effort is boosting safety.
- Eric Katz
Workforce
DOJ says lower court ruling would ‘wreak havoc’ on the civil service absent Supreme Court intervention
A federal judge was set to review whether Trump has neutered civil service laws, but the Supreme Court has paused that effort while it considers the administration's request.
- Eric Katz
Updated
Workforce
Judge temporarily blocks layoffs at State as unions seek to apply shutdown deal pause at 4 other agencies
The Trump administration had argued the blanket RIF moratorium does not apply at five agencies.
- Eric Katz
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.
- Eric Katz
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.
- Eric Katz
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.
- Eric Katz
Management
Agency layoff rules to get an overhaul under nearly finalized Trump administration proposal
OPM’s reduction in force revamp plan will put performance ratings over tenure and strip some employees of protections.
- Eric Katz and Erich Wagner
Management
CFPB to issue mass furlough by year's end and transfer outstanding cases to DOJ
The initiative marks the latest effort by the Trump administration to close the bureau.
- Eric Katz
Exclusive
Management
Trump admin acknowledges difficulties in transferring Education programs to other agencies, internal documents show
The work Education has done so far is "minuscule" compared to what's to come, department says.
- Eric Katz
Exclusive
Management
Doug Burgum is charging Interior Department agencies a premium to subsume their employees
The Interior Department's consolidation efforts is coming with a cost to National Parks and other components of the agency.
- Eric Katz