Management

Federal grants must ‘demonstrably advance’ Trump’s agenda, president orders

Trump’s new federal grants process has employees concerned over added bureaucracy and politicization.

Management

‘The neutrality of the agency has been eliminated’: Stats-based feds decry BLS chief’s firing

Employees express concern Trump's firing of the commissioner, which followed a weak jobs report, will lead to future interference with their work.

Management

DOGE and other day 1 Trump appointees head for the exits at multiple agencies

The Interior Department and General Services Administration are seeing significant turnover in the leadership ranks.

Management

Russ Vought bills CFPB $5M for his security detail

The expense comes as the consumer-protection agency's budget is slashed nearly in half.

Management

Trump creates 'Schedule G' to add more political appointees to agencies top ranks

The new, non-career employees will serve in policy-making roles and add "horsepower" to carrying out the administration's agenda, White House says.

Workforce

Trump's pick to lead NOAA pledges to restaff weather service

Nominee says he would work to undo the workforce cuts from the last few months, though the process could take time.

Pay & Benefits

Senators fix their sights on OPM’s pay memo for political appointees 

Eight Democrats decried recent guidance encouraging agencies to pay Schedule C political appointees the maximum federal salary of $195,200 as an attempt to hire “underqualified and overpaid political elites.”

Management

Senate confirms Bisignano to lead Social Security

In a party line vote, Senate Republicans elected to disregard a whistleblower’s allegation that Frank Bisignano had improper contact with the agency to facilitate DOGE operatives’ onboarding.

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.

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.

Management

Dems call for Bisignano to withdraw as SSA tweaks controversial plan

The Social Security Administration announced Wednesday that the plan to end phone service for benefits applications and direct deposit changes will no longer apply to Americans filing for disability payments.

Updated Oversight

Inspectors general file lawsuit to fight firings

The litigation comes as a Democratic member of the Merit Systems Protection Board who Trump removed is also asking the courts to stop her ousting.

Breaking News Management

Trump fires one-third of federal employee appeals board

The Democratic member was three years into a seven-year term on the three-member panel.

Breaking News Management

Russ Vought, champion of Schedule F and slashing agency budgets, wins confirmation to OMB

Trump's pick for budget chief was confirmed by the Senate after Democrats held the floor for a full day to speak in opposition to him.

Management

DOGE enters NOAA, accesses IT systems and removes the top HR official

The Musk-led team is rooting out DEI and, some lawmakers fear, may have an eye toward grander aims at the agency.

Management

Senate confirms new VA secretary as Dems demand he protect employees from hiring freeze and firings

Doug Collins should also not cooperate with Elon Musk's cost-cutting team or allow any funding freezes to continue, top Democrat says.

Workforce

EPA employees told to pause most external communications and cancel meetings with outside parties

The agency joins several across government at which the Trump administration has issued at least a partial gag order. An agency spokesperson has denied that a pause is in place.

Workforce

Ousted career execs at DOJ are considering options after being given vague rationale for firings

The dismissals came just hours after Trump's inauguration and raises questions of the president's legal authorities.