Hiring
OPM’s new performance management rules are (mostly) spot on
COMMENTARY | OPM’s new performance management rules aim to end inflated ratings and eliminate pass-fail systems—but do they go too far in prescribing a one-size-fits-all approach?
The Trump hiring plan wants to fix federal jobs, but it might just make things worse
COMMENTARY | The administration’s new approach promises faster, fairer hiring. But with old-school rules and political essay tests, it could actually make the process harder for everyone. There is another, better way.
Employee groups challenge ‘favorite EO’ question as agencies begin rollout
Experts warn that the Trump administration’s new essay questionnaire for most federal job applicants amount to a litmus test to politicize agency hiring.
Trump’s push for executive order loyalty risks undermining the federal workforce and the Constitution
COMMENTARY | Federal workers are being asked to prove their loyalty to Trump’s agenda, but history shows that when politics overtakes merit, government performance suffers.
Trump’s new civil service hiring plan: Merit or Meritless?
COMMENTARY | OPM's new Merit Hiring Plan isn't based on a new principle, but its enactment could make Schedule F look quaint, says the former vice chairman of the Merit Systems Protection Board.
Exclusive
Lynch: OPM’s hiring plan includes ‘blatant loyalty test’
The Trump administration last week unveiled its new ‘Merit Hiring Plan’ that in part quizzes job applicants about their favorite Trump policy or executive order.
OPM ‘merit’ hiring plan includes bipartisan reforms, politicized new test
The federal government’s HR agency on Thursday instructed agencies to cease collecting data on the demographic makeup of their workforces.
Exclusive
Federal employees removed by Trump would have easier pathway back to government service under Democratic bill
A pair of bills would seek to give hiring preference to axed feds and to standardize the length of probationary periods for government workers, as the administration has sought to fire those individuals who have less civil service job protections.
Selected federal hiring sprees included in House Republicans’ sweeping tax cut package
Several agencies across government would receive tens of billions of dollars to hire tens of thousands of employees.
Ex-feds launch websites to help unemployed civil servants find new jobs
Many federal employees are looking for positions outside of government following reductions in force and the Trump administration’s push for workers to take separation incentives.
Breaking News
White House extends federal hiring freeze until July for most
The Trump administration’s halt on federal civilian hiring, which was supposed to be lifted Monday, will be extended through July, per a memo released late Thursday.
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‘A few more heroes’: Secret Service recruits more agents despite federal employee reduction
There’s been a focus on staffing at the Secret Service since the assassination attempt against President Donald Trump.
‘We are going to lose Generation Z’: Trump’s workforce cuts could cripple recruitment
The Trump administration’s firing of federal employees in their probationary periods and attrition hiring could significantly impact early-career workers, experts worry.
Pentagon hiring freeze holds previously approved job moves hostage
Civilians have sent their belongings overseas but are trapped at their duty stations.
Updated
Trump plans to surge air traffic controller hiring following plane accidents
The Biden administration also prioritized Federal Aviation Administration hiring, achieving some success.
‘Salting the earth’: Trump ends presidential management fellowships and federal executive boards
The move to kill a key pipeline for aspiring civil servants and regional agency councils reflects a desire to make it impossible to rebuild the federal bureaucracy, experts said.
Some fired probationary feds are receiving unexpected emails: 'You're re-hired'
Some offices within federal agencies are backtracking on their recent firing sprees.
Trump orders agencies to plan for widespread layoffs and attrition-based hiring
The order tasks agencies to work in conjunction with Elon Musk’s DOGE to dramatically scale back government capacity.
Trump exempted public safety roles from his hiring freeze. Federal firefighters, prison guards and food inspectors wonder why they don’t count.
Current and former employees say public safety agencies are still freezing hiring they claim to have exempted and liken the approach to a 'self-imposed gunshot wound to the head.'
Many federal supervisors this week had just hours to send tweet-length justifications to save their employees’ jobs
OPM renewed its push at some agencies to glean information on recently hired federal employees.
