Author Archive
Oversight
‘Glaring violations’ of the Hatch Act by senior Trump officials have gone unpunished for months, good government group alleges
On Thursday, the Office of Special Counsel submitted disciplinary complaints against two federal employees over apparent Hatch Act violations.
Updated
Tech
OPM wants to woo young workers. Can internet memes overcome Trump’s cuts to the civil service?
An agency spokeswoman said that a four-person communications team — most younger than 30 — is spearheading the effort to make OPM’s social media more appealing to younger potential hires.
Oversight
The watchdog gets watched: GAO’s hiring process length faces scrutiny
In a new report by the inspector general for the Government Accountability Office, investigators also found that in fiscal 2024 the agency excluded certain data from time-to-hire calculations and was inconsistent about when the hiring process started.
Oversight
Attorney general violated Hatch Act ethics rules, nonprofit says
Good government groups have filed Hatch Act complaints against several Trump administration officials.
Management
USDA hasn’t looked at staff attrition ahead of relocations, but downplays its impact
Internal data shows the department is preparing for significant churn as it presses forward with office moves, raising questions about whether new staff can fill the gap left by seasoned experts.
Oversight
State’s overseas housing rules haven’t kept up with the times, GAO says
The agency is still using standards tied to the D.C. housing market of 1991 to determine how much space employees stationed abroad can have.
Workforce
‘We’re still in hell’: A year later, CDC employees remain shaken by headquarters shooting — and angry at agency leaders’ response
The agency is also contending with deep workforce cuts and leadership changes as a new director prepares to take over.
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Oversight
Project 2025 contributor nominated for government watchdog position
While the president recently nominated Dennis Kirk to serve as inspector general at the Interior Department, he’s reportedly already working in that office as a political appointee.
Oversight
Key oversight and federal workforce nominees confirmed by Senate
Several of the individuals will lead agencies that have been downsized or otherwise weakened by the Trump administration.
Oversight
Calls for IG probe of Reflecting Pool renovation come amid questions over watchdog's independence
The former inspector general at Interior and a senior House lawmaker criticized the apparent appointment of a Project 2025 co-author at the watchdog office.
Oversight
Watchdog puts new numbers on the size of DOGE, but many details remain unknown as agencies refuse to turn over information
In a new report, the Government Accountability Office said it was unable to verify if all Department of Government Efficiency employees completed mandatory activities intended to avoid conflicts of interest.
Oversight
FEMA slashed staff without considering the effects on future disaster response, watchdog reports
The Government Accountability Office also found that the disaster agency is currently operating without a strategic workforce plan to determine staffing needs.
Tech
OPM tells agencies to put tech recruiting at the center of staffing plans
The guidance from the government’s HR agency also set a governmentwide goal that at least 33% of external hires be early-career workers.
Workforce
Survey shows the toll of USAID’s closure on former employees and their families
Nearly half of survey respondents who were foreign service officers reported that their households experienced dual job loss as a result of the layoffs.
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Tech
GSA official put on leave for social media post saying veterans’ preference in federal hiring is hampering tech recruiting
A government workforce expert told Government Executive that many hiring rules, including veterans’ preference, have become “procedural hurdles rather than achieving the intended outcome” because they haven’t been updated in decades.
Oversight
Inspectors general are conducting fewer oversight reports after 18 months of upheaval
In a new report, the Partnership for Public Service noted that the average Cabinet inspector general office has shrunk by 19% since the end of 2024.
Workforce
New documentary recounts ‘free-for-all attitude of cruelty’ toward axed federal employees
The movie, which was filmed during the start of the second Trump administration, examines the human and societal effects of recent federal job cuts.
Tech
AI's growing role in rulemaking raises new transparency questions
As the Trump administration pursues an aggressive deregulatory agenda, concerns are mounting that artificial intelligence could make agency decisions harder to explain and defend.
Oversight
Bill aims to end blocked congressional access at federal buildings
A new bill would set governmentwide rules for congressional visits after disputes over access to agencies and immigration detention centers.
Updated
Management
Trump appointees confirmed by the Senate are exiting their jobs in record numbers, report finds
The Partnership for Public Service also reported that the president is making a historically low number of nominations.
