Management

Proposed FAR changes remove contractor diversity requirements, keep disability rules

COMMENTARY | The new language follows one of President Trump’s first executive orders to eliminate diversity requirements in federal contracts.

Management

Rule limiting ‘outstanding’ performance ratings for agency senior executives finalized

The final rule also strikes promotion of diversity and inclusion as a criteria for appraising senior executives.

Oversight

‘I cried so many times’: Watchdog warns that agency guidance for changing employee names is lacking

While the four agencies that the Government Accountability Office analyzed generally had required procedures, nearly all employees that investigators interviewed reported issues navigating the process.

Workforce

Federal contract employees who alleged discrimination forced to wait as enforcement agency is dismantled

Layoffs are scheduled to take effect at the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs on June 6. Between the reduction in force and separation incentives, the agency’s workforce is expected to shrink by about 90%.

Workforce

Agencies with majority women and minority workforces are some of the hardest hit in Trump staff cuts, new report finds

The National Women’s Law Center argued that the administration’s widespread layoffs are weakening a pathway for women and people of color to achieve greater financial security.

Management

Limited number of agency senior executives could be rated as ‘outstanding’ under Trump proposal

The Trump administration has sought to exert more political influence over members of the senior executive service.

Management

There’s no more DEI at DOD, watchdog finds

But most of the roles were eliminated last year by an act of Congress.

Workforce

Federal contract oversight employees contemplate resignation offer, as agency faces layoffs and mission realignment

Employees at the Labor Department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs had less than two weeks to decide whether to opt into the second round of the deferred resignation program.

Defense

DOD cuts $580M in programs, contracts and grants

The latest round of Pentagon spending cuts — which include a delayed HR software program — brings the department’s running total of eliminated programs to $800 million since the start of the Trump administration. 

Pay & Benefits

Women, money and retirement

For Women’s History Month, lets talk about some of the statistics around women, savings and assets.

Defense

Hegseth stands up anti-DEI task force

Some of the task force’s targets, like quotas and discriminatory promotion policies, don’t exist.

Workforce

White House collects lists of federal DEI office employees as punishments begin

Agencies are starting to take action against DEI-tasked employees and pass lists of those workers on to OPM and the White House.

Management

Contractors face greater scrutiny from anti-DEI executive orders

President Trump’s actions come with enforcement provisions that encourage employees to report on their companies.

Workforce

FAA employees with disabilities targeted by Trump's anti-DEI push

Despite current policy, the FAA during Trump’s first administration actively sought to recruit workers with disabilities.

Workforce

Trump administration to lay off all federal employees in DEI offices

The president has called on federal agencies to immediately cease all DEI-related activities.

Oversight

Advanced health research agency needs a strategic workforce plan, watchdog says

The GAO report also found ARPA-H, as of July 1, 2024, has not hired any scientists who are Hispanic or Latino, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander or two or more races.

Pay & Benefits

EEOC: The federal gender pay gap gets worse with age

The discrepancy between what men and women make in the federal government is substantially larger for those over 40 years old than that of their younger counterparts.

Workforce

Federal workforce is generally more diverse than the U.S. population, but gaps persist

EEO complaints filed by federal employees continued to decline from their fiscal 2018 height, sliding to 12,200 in fiscal 2021.

Workforce

GOP senators blast efforts to protect transgender federal employees

Guidance ensuring feds can use the names and facilities they want creates a hostile environment for religious staff, lawmakers say.

Workforce

The federal government is striving to be a model for employing people with disabilities, but retention is a problem

EEOC found that in fiscal 2018 people with disabilities were 27% more likely to leave federal employment than people without disabilities.