Author Archive

Erich Wagner

Erich Wagner

Erich Wagner is a senior correspondent covering pay, benefits, organized labor 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 senior correspondent covering pay, benefits, organized labor 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.
Workforce

NIH Fellows Hope Union Bid Will Bolster Pay and Protections

Organizers hope that forming a union at the National Institutes of Health will help increase pay, benefits and worker protections across academia.

Pay & Benefits

TSP Portfolios Report a Mixed Bag of May Returns

Most of the funds in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings plan finished last month down, amid concerns that the United States could breach the debt limit.

Workforce

An Effort to Make It Easier for Feds to Bust Their Own Union is Blocked by the FLRA

The American Federation of Government Employees applauded the decision, but with a FLRA-mandated union election scheduled for next month, the fight is far from over.

Pay & Benefits

OPM Wants to Do More for Federal Workers' Wellness

An initiative to “revitalize” employee assistance programs across the federal government eyes a more comprehensive approach to promoting federal employees' wellness.

Pay & Benefits

A New Guide to the Retirement Process Could Help Feds Avoid Pitfalls, Manage Expectations

OPM's new three-page guide to the federal retirement process will be updated on a monthly basis to reflect anticipated wait times for federal retirees to begin receiving their annuity payments.

Oversight

ATF Misclassified Jobs. A Senator Wants the Justice Department to Dig Deeper.

Citing concerns by the whistleblowers who triggered the investigation that found that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had systematically misclassified administrative jobs as law enforcement-related, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, asked the Justice Department to do a more thorough investigation.

Workforce

GOP Lawmakers Demand Telework Stats from Federal Agencies

Congressional Republicans argued that the Biden administration’s recent efforts to scale back the use of telework are insufficient.

Workforce

Federal Labor Law Applies to Civilian Technicians in State National Guards, Supreme Court Affirms

The state of Ohio had argued it did not fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Labor Relations Authority, despite the fact that “dual status technicians” are federal employees.

Workforce

Union and Alaska Army Posts Resolve Differences Over Official Time and Illegal Contract, But Other Fights Remain

Despite agreeing to drop the illegal contract the agency unilaterally imposed on AFGE employees in 2019, union officials say management continues to resist the Biden administration’s pro-labor policies.

Pay & Benefits

Fight the Long-Running FEHBP Abortion Ban, Gender Equity Group Urges House Democrats

The Department of Justice Gender Equality Network said the Hyde amendment unfairly makes women’s health care decisions more costly and traumatic, even when covered by exceptions in cases of rape, incest or the health of the mother.

Workforce

Anti-Telework Bill Makes Its Way to the Senate

The SHOW UP Act, which narrowly passed the House in February, requires federal agencies to revert to their telework policies prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pay & Benefits

Federal Prison Employees Ask the Supreme Court to Review COVID Hazard Pay Case

Attorneys for nearly 200 U.S. Bureau of Prisons workers in Connecticut said a federal appellate court effectively made it impossible for any federal worker to qualify for hazard pay related to “virulent biologicals” with its interpretation of federal regulations.

Workforce

Feds Could Be Fired at Any Time for Any Reason, Under a Bill That Was Just Reintroduced

The bill also would abolish the Merit Systems Protection Board and threatens to reduce former federal employees’ retirement benefits if they file “frivolous” appeals of adverse personnel actions.

Management

What Will -- and Won’t -- Change for Federal Agencies With the End of the COVID Health Emergency

A look at how we got here and what’s ahead for federal agencies and workers now that the pandemic emergency is over.

Pay & Benefits

Congressional Dems Reintroduce Bill to Revamp Federal Firefighter Pay and Benefits

The Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Classification and Pay Parity Act would ensure federal wildland firefighters make at least $20 per hour, among other things.

Pay & Benefits

Ditch Salary History When Setting Job Applicants’ Pay, OPM Proposes

Aimed at reducing gender- and ethnicity-based pay gaps, the initiative would also apply tighter guard rails in cases when an applicant has a competing and higher-paying job offer.

Oversight

OSC: ATF Wasted At Least $10 Million Misclassifying Administrative Jobs as Law Enforcement

Although OPM and ATF investigations found around 100 positions within the agency’s HR department were improperly provided enhanced law enforcement pay and benefits, the whistleblowers who prompted the probe said the problem is more widespread than that.

Workforce

OPM Highlights Mental Health Resources for Feds

The federal government is setting up a new listserv to provide federal employees with mental health information, events and tools to boost mindfulness.

Workforce

Conservative Think Tanks Are Preparing a List of 20K Potential Political Appointees in Hopes of Reviving Schedule F

A coalition led by the Heritage Foundation has launched a massive recruitment effort that would grow the ranks of federal political appointees from 4,000 to 20,000 in the next Republican presidential administration.

Management

Agencies Would Suffer 'Egregious Harm' Under GOP Debt Ceiling Proposal, Federal Employee Union Says

House Republicans’ plan to raise the debt ceiling in conjunction with a 20% cut in discretionary spending would hurt public services, AFGE says.