Workforce
Agencies’ effort to unwind project labor agreement requirements ‘flatly contradict’ order establishing them, judge says
The Trump administration had sought to neutralize a Biden-era executive order requiring contractors to negotiate with unions ahead of major construction projects with broad exceptions, something specifically barred by the underlying order.
Pay & Benefits
Retirement cuts tweaked in House reconciliation package
The latest draft of the GOP’s plan to cut federal spending to pay for tax cuts and increased immigration enforcement no longer un-grandfathers federal workers hired before 2014 from increased retirement contribution rules passed in the 2010s and delays implementation of the FERS supplement.
Workforce
Appeals court issues stay of judge’s decision blocking Trump’s anti-union order
The Trump administration may recommence stripping the union rights of two-thirds of the federal workforce, for now.
Workforce
A judge has moved again to block Trump’s anti-union EO
Just weeks after issuing a preliminary injunction to block an edict aimed at stripping two-thirds of the federal workforce of its collective bargaining rights, U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman issued a similar decision as it relates to U.S. Foreign Service officers.
Pay & Benefits
House GOP’s law enforcement ‘exemption’ from retirement cuts is illusory, groups say
A pair of organizations representing federal law enforcement officers urged lawmakers to strengthen carveouts of an array of proposed cuts to federal workers’ retirement benefits but stopped short of calling for their withdrawal.
Workforce
Congressional Dems urge rescission of Schedule F regulations
Though the Office of Personnel Management has estimated around 50,000 federal employees, or 2% of the workforce, would be stripped of their civil service protections under the controversial initiative, lawmakers warned a failure to define "policy-related” positions will cause far more to become at-will employees.
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
Judge orders halt to the shuttering of three independent agencies
A federal judge found that the Trump administration violated the Constitution, the Administrative Procedure Act and federal spending laws when it ordered the stripping down of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and the Minority Business Development Agency to their “statutory minimums.”
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
Proposed retirement cuts cast renewed pall over deferred resignations
Federal workers who accepted President Trump and Elon Musk’s so-called ‘fork in the road’ fear Republicans have “pulled the rug out from under” their retirement plans.
Pay & Benefits
Domestic TSP funds continued to swoon in April
The federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program continued to produce a mixed bag for participants last month.
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.
Pay & Benefits
House Republicans advance plan to cut federal worker benefits and undermine civil service protections
One Republican who voted against the measure said efforts to reduce existing federal workers’ pension benefits will fail if put to a vote before the full House.
Workforce
Judge: Trump’s national security reasoning for anti-union EO was 'pretext for retaliation'
Even when taken at face value, U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman said the White House did not meet the evidentiary bar to prove that collective bargaining was incompatible with national security considerations for the majority of federal agencies.
Pay & Benefits
Republicans tee up federal worker benefit cuts to pay for tax cuts
Federal workers hired in 2029 would contribute nearly 10% of their basic pay toward a less generous pension if they wish to retain their civil service protections under House lawmakers’ budget reconciliation proposal.
Breaking News
Workforce
Judge blocks Trump’s anti-union executive order
U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman on Wednesday expressed skepticism that the president could legally strip two-thirds of the federal workforce of their collective bargaining rights.
Workforce
Judge grills administration on ‘broad discretion’ to break up federal unions
A Justice Department attorney appeared to argue that it is within the president’s rights to strip ‘resistant’ unions of their collective bargaining rights under the auspices of national security.
Workforce
Dudek calls for entire SSA offices to be converted to new Schedule F
The planned conversions, intended for federal workers in policy-related positions, affect employees making as little as $40,000 per year.
Workforce
Trump administration lacks standing to sue to enforce anti-labor executive order, union says
The American Federation of Government Employees argued that the Trump administration’s effort to procure a “declarative” judgment in favor of an executive order stripping two-thirds of the federal workforce of their collective bargaining rights is effectively fishing for a federal judge’s advisory opinion, which is unlawful.
Workforce