Author Archive
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.
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.
Pay & Benefits
A Closer Look at the Locality Pay Increase That Could Be Coming for Thousands of Feds
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
- Erich Wagner
Workforce
A Federal Employee Group Has Renewed Calls for Agencies to Protect Workers Post-Roe
Among the requests are for administrative leave and travel reimbursement for federal workers who must travel across state lines to receive abortion services, as well as the ability to opt out of relocating to states that ban the procedure.
- Erich Wagner
Pay & Benefits
A Recently Reconstituted Advisory Panel Is Finally Making Locality Pay Recommendations
According to the Federal Salary Council, federal employees made 22.47% less on average than their private sector counterparts last year.
- Erich Wagner
Workforce
The Federal Labor Authority Has Substantiated Union Accusations against EEOC Over Reentry
The federal anti-discrimination agency said it was committed to bargaining “in good faith” with its labor representatives but stopped short of committing to roll back its unilaterally implemented reentry plan.
- Erich Wagner
Pay & Benefits
Another Firefighter Compensation Bill Passes, and More
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
- Erich Wagner
Workforce
An Appeals Court Has Once Again Overruled a Trump-era FLRA Policy
Shortly before the 2020 election, labor authority Republicans had unraveled decades of precedent, finding that agencies may begin implementing new governmentwide rules when union contracts are extended for the purposes of negotiating a new agreement.
- Erich Wagner
Workforce
Senate Dems Have Joined the Push to Block Schedule F
As Republican groups discuss plans to reinstitute the controversial plan to strip tens of thousands of federal workers of their civil service protections, congressional Democrats have renewed their efforts to block it.
- Erich Wagner
Pay & Benefits
Every TSP Fund Rebounded in July
For the first time in months, all of the core offerings in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program posted gains.
- Erich Wagner
Workforce
'There Needs to Be a Reckoning': Republicans Introduce a Bill to Make Feds At-Will Employees
The legislation, along with recent talk of a renewed effort to implement Schedule F, makes clear that a “major assault” on the federal civil service is coming, regardless of who the next Republican presidential nominee will be.
- Erich Wagner
Pay & Benefits
A Senate Appropriations Bill Endorses Biden’s 4.6% Pay Raise Plan
Like its counterpart in the House, the spending bill that serves as the vehicle for federal employee compensation issues is silent on the subject of a 2023 pay increase, effectively endorsing the president’s plan.
- Erich Wagner
Workforce
Trump Has Endorsed a Plan to Purge the Civil Service of ‘Rogue Bureaucrats’
Former Trump staffers have said they have identified 50,000 federal employees who would be ousted under a new iteration of Schedule F during the next Republican administration.
- Erich Wagner
Pay & Benefits
Lawmakers Introduce Public Service Loan Forgiveness Fixes, and More
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
- Erich Wagner
Pay & Benefits
TSP Officials Say They’re Nearing ‘Normalcy’ After a Troublesome Recordkeeper Transition
Wait times on the customer service number for the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings plan are down from over two hours to 15 minutes on average.
- Erich Wagner
Workforce
An Immigration Judges Union That Was Busted by the Trump Administration Is Seeking A New Election
The National Association of Immigration Judges is pursuing two tracks to becoming recertified as a federal employee union and recognized by management at the Justice Department.
- Erich Wagner
Workforce
Biden Officials Are Defending Telework Policies Assailed by Republicans
Officials from OPM and OMB stressed that they are focused on improving agencies’ customer service and reforming the recruitment of early career talent into the federal workforce.
- Erich Wagner
Pay & Benefits
The House Has Cleared the Way for Biden’s 4.6% Pay Raise Plan
Lawmakers effectively endorsed the president’s pay raise proposal for federal workers Wednesday, although the Senate has yet to weigh in on the issue.
- Erich Wagner
Pay & Benefits
Here’s How It Could Get Easier to Qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness
The Biden administration earlier this month announced a wholesale reform of a web of federal loan forgiveness, including a number of measures to make it easier for federal workers to make use of the historically headache-inducing programs.
- Erich Wagner
Workforce
A Schedule F Ban Is Among Many Workforce Provisions in the Annual Defense Policy Bill the House Just Passed
Lawmakers also added language to grant full civil service protections and a pay raise to TSA employees to the must-pass bill before its approval Thursday.
- Erich Wagner
Workforce
AFGE Will Split from Its ICE Union Over Ideological Divide
A union council representing Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees has been agitating to become independent, although the move presents risks for the group.
- Erich Wagner
Pay & Benefits
House Passes First Responder Retirement Fix, and More
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
- Erich Wagner