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Erich Wagner

Erich Wagner is a staff correspondent covering pay, benefits and other federal workforce issues. He joined Government Executive in the spring of 2017 after extensive experience writing about state and local issues in Maryland and Virginia, most recently as editor-in-chief of the Alexandria Times. He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Maryland.
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Trump Administration Appeals Court Ruling On Workforce EOs

5:55 PM ET The Justice Department on Tuesday filed a notice that it would appeal a recent court decision that struck down three controversial workforce executive orders President Trump signed earlier this year to make it easier to fire federal workers and reduce the influence of federal employee unions. The case will go...

Lawmaker: It Should Be Easier to Privatize Airport Screening

4:36 PM ET One Republican senator wants to make it easier for airports to outsource their passenger screening duties to private companies, instead of using the Transportation Security Administration. Last week, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, introduced the 2018 Screening Partnership Reform Act (S. 3441), which loosens the rules for applications to use contractors...

Lawmakers Urge Education to Rescind Unilaterally-Imposed Union Contract

September 24, 2018 A group of Democratic senators last week urged Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to rescind a unilaterally implemented collective bargaining agreement with the nation’s largest federal employee union and return to the negotiating table, in light of a watchdog finding that the department’s actions broke federal labor laws. Sens. Patty Murray,...

Unions Accuse Administration of Circumventing Court Order Through Bargaining

September 21, 2018 Although the Trump administration has begun to comply with an August court order that invalidated the key provisions of three controversial executive orders, representatives of federal employee unions say that compliance has not extended to collective bargaining negotiations at key agencies and departments. Union officials say in interactions with the...

Largest Federal Employee Union Files Contempt Motion Against VA

September 21, 2018 The nation’s largest federal employee union on Wednesday night filed a motion in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to declare that the Veterans Affairs Department is in contempt of a recent court order invalidating President Trump’s executive orders aimed at cracking down on labor groups. The...

Trump Criticizes 'Ridiculous' Spending Deal As Shutdown Deadline Looms

September 20, 2018 President Trump on Thursday renewed calls for Congress to increase funding for his proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, vaguely casting doubt on whether he will sign two spending bills to keep the government open past September. “I want to know, where is the money for Border Security and the...

House Republicans Introduce Bill to Help Trump's Reorganization

September 19, 2018 Three Republican lawmakers introduced a bill last week that would grant President Trump the authority to reorganize the federal government, despite actions by Congress to limit the White House’s ability to overhaul agencies. Reps. Jody Hice, R-Ga.; Mark Meadows, R-N.C.; and Paul Mitchell, R-Minn., have filed the 2018 Reforming Government...

Changes to the TSP, the Latest on a Pay Raise, and More

September 19, 2018 The agency that administers the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program issued a rule Wednesday that would remove what officials call “duplicative” regulations on how court-ordered payments are taxed. According to a document in the Federal Register, the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, which administers the Thrift Savings Plan, will...

TSP to Increase Stock Holdings Across Lifecycle Funds

September 18, 2018 The federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program will increase the proportion of some participants’ investments that are in stocks with an eye toward growing the amount of money annuitants receive after they retire. At a meeting of the board that administers the Thrift Savings Plan on Monday, agency officials outlined...

Senator Demands Details on HHS’s Union Impasse Declaration

September 18, 2018 A Democratic lawmaker has renewed demands that the Health and Human Services Department return to the bargaining table with the National Treasury Employees Union in light of the recent court decision invalidating the key provisions of President Trump’s executive orders that sought to crack down on federal employee unions. Sen....

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