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.
Management
New nonprofit aimed at strengthening government effectiveness is launched by former Democratic White House staffers
While the Trump administration has pursued cuts to agency workforces and programs in a quest to improve efficiency, the CEO of Governmental Renewal said that the new nonpartisan organization is not “a response to specific actions underway today.”
Workforce
Education Department civil rights staff returning to work to tackle complaint backlog
More than 200 Office for Civil Rights employees targeted as part of a larger RIF effort at the Education Department in March, they are now being brought back to the office.
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.
Workforce
House strips its own provision protecting Defense civilians’ union rights from NDAA
A source familiar with congressional negotiations said that the bipartisan language effectively nullifying President Trump’s anti-union executive orders as they pertain to the Pentagon was dropped due to lack of support in the Senate.
Management
Push to 'reform the government root and branch' detailed in Trump’s new management agenda
The President's Management Agenda for Trump's second term offers fewer specific policy plans than other recent agendas.
Defense
Hegseth hints at higher defense budgets as OMB says another reconciliation bill is possible
Analysts had warned that the $156 billion reconciliation bill might lead to efforts unsustainable without more money.
Workforce
Ex-feds axed in DEI purge file class action suit
A group of four former federal employees described the mass reduction in force of those in purportedly “diversity”-related jobs as a means for the Trump administration to “punish perceived political enemies” and disproportionally targeting protected-class employees for dismissal.
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.
Management
Appeals court upholds firing of Democratic Merit Systems Protection Board member
The case could unravel decades of statute and precedent protecting leaders of independent agencies from removal.
Management
Trump signs law requiring the IRS to clean up adjustment notices
Lawmakers hope that clearer notices when the IRS makes simple math or clerical fixes on tax returns should cut down on headaches for taxpayers.
Management
High tensions around law enforcement, ICE tactics on display in heated House hearing
Members of the House Homeland Security Committee clashed on party lines over issues of violence against law enforcement and tactics by federal immigration officers.
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.
Defense
Hegseth broke rules, DODIG concludes, even though he said Yemen strike details were ‘safe to declassify’
Inspector general’s Signalgate report arrives two months after SecDef alleged the office had been “weaponized.”
Management
Democrats argue Ingrassia should be removed from government following nomination withdrawal
While no longer the special counsel nominee, Paul Ingrassia is now a senior official at the General Services Administration.
Pay & Benefits
Just days remain to lock in 2026 health and benefit choices
Open Season closes Dec. 8. Review FEHB and PSHB plans, savings opportunities, HDHP and FSA options and enrollment rules before the deadline.
Management
Trump’s Education Department transfers illegal, Senate Dems say
Four Democratic senators blasted an Education Department plan to move certain operations to other departments through interagency agreements as “outrageous,” and “illegal,” saying it circumvented appropriations law.
Workforce
Feds will probably have to work on Christmas Eve, but a holiday miracle would not be unprecedented
Because Christmas falls on a Thursday this year, President Donald Trump may give government workers Dec. 26 off rather than Christmas Eve.
Workforce
EPA workers fired over dissent letter appeal to MSPB
Only a fraction of the more than 130 employees who signed an open letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin accusing the Trump administration of “recklessly undermining” the agency’s mission were ultimately terminated, purportedly because they worked in “public-facing” roles.
Management