Defense
Comply with the next ‘what you did last week’ email, Hegseth tells Pentagon civilians
Defense secretary’s memo aims to avoid a repeat of last weekend’s confusion and stress.
Workforce
12 senior executives at the Federal Acquisition Service head for the exits
The agency had 34 senior executive service members in September 2024.
Updated
Workforce
Trump plans to surge air traffic controller hiring following plane accidents
The Biden administration also prioritized Federal Aviation Administration hiring, achieving some success.
Workforce
House Dems: Immediately reinstate fired feds
A group of 85 lawmakers called on the Office of Special Counsel to broaden its recommendation earlier this week to stay the firing of six employees on probationary periods to all probationary workers purged in recent days.
News
Partnership for Public Service lays off dozens of staff
The nonprofit works to improve civil service and positively transform government.
Management
Labor board member retires, leaving a razor-thin quorum
The Merit Systems Protection Board said in a statement that board member Raymond Limon was stepping down on Friday. His retirement leaves the agency with a two-seat quorum despite an ongoing legal battle with the Trump administration.
Workforce
Unions call on senators to ‘defund’ Trump’s workforce purges
A group comprised of 15 federal employee unions urged leaders on the Senate Appropriations Committee to issue a two-year moratorium on reductions in force as part of legislation to fund the government past March 14.
Management
Trump administration asks agencies to cull consultants
A memo dated Wednesday asks agencies to review their contracts with 10 of the “highest paid” companies.
Workforce
Judge orders Trump administration to rescind directives on probationary employee firings
The administration did not have the authority to issue the dismissals, federal court rules.
Workforce
OPM tells court it never ordered mass firings, contradicting prior claims
The Trump administration is arguing in court that agencies acted on their own to fire probationary staff, but it previously sent a government directive with a deadline for the firings.
Special Report
Workforce
RIF watch: See which agencies are laying off federal workers
Here are the agencies where we have confirmed layoffs have taken or are about to take place. We will update as we learn more.
Oversight
Multiple groups file lawsuits to get DOGE records
Plaintiffs argue the Musk-led initiative is an agency whose records can be requested for release, while the Trump administration says they’re protected presidential records.
Pay & Benefits
Retroactive benefits from the windfall elimination repeal to begin
Those who are owed should soon start receiving their money.
Breaking News
Transition
Top Social Security deputies leave amid rumored staff cuts
At least five of the eight regional heads have decided to leave as the mid-level worker-turned-acting commissioner is said to mull workforce reduction.
Transition
Trump DOGE order directs agencies to build tech to track government spending
The executive order directs agencies to build centralized tech systems to “record every payment” issued under grants and contracts.
Pay & Benefits
23,000 federal prison workers are set to take pay cuts up to 25% next month
The U.S. Bureau of Prisons said the decision to severely curtail retention incentive payments across the federal carceral system stems from fixed cost increases associated with operating under a continuing resolution.
Management
Social Security shutters its civil rights and transformation offices
Among the people affected are those managing the agency’s website, a front door to services for Americans online.
Workforce
Agencies to deliver large-scale RIF plans in two weeks
The Trump administration is directing federal agencies to move swiftly to lay off broad swaths of their workforces.
Transition
The DOGE risk to fighting waste
COMMENTARY | We all want to get rid of waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement in the federal government, but this is not the way to do it, argues one observer.
Pay & Benefits