Pay & Benefits
OPM touts ‘fully paperless’ retirement application, though concerns remain
Sources warn that the Trump administration has overstated both DOGE’s role in developing online retirement applications and its potential impact on the retirement process.
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.
Exclusive
Workforce
Connolly demands rescission of regulations reviving Schedule F
The top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee warned that politicization of the federal workforce will lead to more instances of “incompetence” in government.
Updated
Workforce
As re-firings begin, judge demands Trump administration tell probationary employees they were not let go for poor performance
Court declines to block more firings of recently hired staff, saying individual agencies are now making their own decisions.
Workforce
OPM proposes rule to formally revive Schedule F
The federal government’s dedicated HR agency estimates that 50,000 federal workers will be stripped of their civil service protections and become at-will employees.
Pay & Benefits
OPM strips career HR from Schedule C appointments, salary setting
“You’re about to see a s-------d of employees making” the maximum federal salary, one expert quipped.
Breaking News
Workforce
SCOTUS: Trump can temporarily move forward with mass firing of some probationary employees
The Supreme Court's ruling applies to 16,000 recently reinstated feds, but some of those are still protected by another court decision.
Workforce
OPM, OMB nominees praise ‘at-will’ employment at confirmation hearing
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee considered the nominations of Scott Kupor to serve as OPM director and Eric Ueland to serve as OMB’s deputy director for management.
Workforce
As agencies begin a second round of deferred resignations, unions revive legal challenge
The Housing and Urban Development Department became the latest agency to revive the controversial program that offers feds the chance to leave their jobs but continue being paid until Sept. 30.
Pay & Benefits
Federal retirement planning during uncertain times
Answers to some of your pressing questions.
Workforce
HUD won’t grant rehired probationary workers back pay, FEHB benefits, despite law requiring it
Title 5 of the U.S. Code mandates that when a federal employee is reinstated following an improper adverse personnel action, their employing agency must grant them back pay for their time spent off the job.
Workforce
Trump memo grants governmentwide firing power to OPM
Experts speculated that the measure is intended to address recent judgments against the administration’s workforce actions or to grant DOGE-aligned officials the ability to fire resisters.
Management
Regional boards for federal agency coordination officially disbanded
A recent Trump executive order mandated the end of federal executive boards, which have been around since 1961.
Workforce
Trump continues to curtail union rights and career pipelines
Guidance issued by the Office of Personnel Management last week instructs agencies to ignore union contract provisions on reductions in force, and apply its policies.
Exclusive
Workforce
Commerce seeks to cut 20% of staff—without using layoffs
The department will implement a series of RIF avoidance measures to meet Trump's mandate to cut staff.
Updated
Workforce
Judge orders reinstatement for most fired probationary federal workers
The firings were "based on a lie," judge says, who suggests he may extend his order beyond the roughly 24,000 already included.
Updated
Workforce
OPM chief rejects court order to testify on probationary firings as case expands governmentwide
Some Republicans push bills to protect workers as thousands of fired feds will rejoin the payroll this week, albeit on administrative leave.
Updated
Management
Trump nixes 2025 awards for federal employees
The presidential rank awards recognize exceptional members of the senior executive service.
Management
Trump administration moves to politicize top HR officials following firing at IRS
Guidance from the Office of Personnel Management justified the decision by citing chief human capital officers’ role in implementing Biden-era diversity policies.
Workforce