People
OPM claims agencies can ignore union telework contracts
A new memo instructing agencies to cease enforcing union-negotiated telework policies under the guise of “management rights” could portend future assaults on collective bargaining.
Exclusive
People
As the Trump administration gathers names of recent hires, some are being asked to justify their jobs
New federal workers are the easiest to fire and the administration is gathering information on their names, backgrounds, roles and performance.
People
Employee groups, Democrats, experts warn feds not to accept ‘deferred resignation’ offer
The lack of a legal underpinning for the purported eight-month severance package, and Elon Musk’s history of offering—and then revoking—severance payments have many federal workers wary of the measure.
People
Trump reportedly will offer buyouts to all 2 million federal workers
The White House’s plan to offer “deferred resignations” that pay departing federal employees their salary through Sept. 30 will likely run afoul of rules governing buyout payments.
People
New Schedule F guidance shows the Trump White House is rearing for a fight
Trump administration officials elected to bypass the regulatory process to rescind Biden-era rules aimed at barring Schedule F’s revival, setting up a bigger fight over the president's authority.
People
OPM demands agencies comply with Trump’s telework order within 30 days
The State Department has already begun to implement the president’s memo cancelling telework agreements as of March 1 and remote work arrangements July 1, with exceptions for military spouses and employees with disabilities.
People
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.
People
Could Biden’s recent strategy to streamline government hiring be scuttled under Trump?
One of the purposes of the administration’s federal hiring improvement plan is to make agencies aware of hiring tools they already have access to.
People
Feds’ employee experience and engagement continued to climb in 2024, FEVS data finds
Federal employees’ view of their agency leaders, supervisors and work experience sustained their rebound from 2022, according to OPM’s annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.
People
OPM moves to standardize General Schedule, blue collar locality pay areas
For years, federal employee unions have bemoaned that the pay systems’ differing maps of high-cost regions created pay inequity within agency workforces.
People
OPM’s retirement backlog continued to creep higher in July
The Office of Personnel Management processed nearly 500 fewer retirement requests than it received last month, causing its backlog to inch up for the second straight month.
People
Gen Z is underrepresented in the federal workforce. Here’s how some experts would fix that
People younger than 30 represent 7% of the full-time civil service despite being 20% of the overall U.S. labor force.
Modernization
OPM’s retirement backlog hit an 8-year low last month
Efforts to streamline the processing of departing federal workers’ retirement applications continue to pay dividends, as the inventory of pending claims hit the lowest point since 2016.
Policy
OPM issues its final rule for Schedule F protections
The federal HR agency finalized its rule offering protections for career civil servants meant to safeguard against the potential reemergence of the Trump-era Schedule F policy.
Policy
OPM: Federal salaries won't be tied to private sector pay histories
Agencies can’t use non-federal salaries to help set pay for new or returning federal employees, under a new rule from the Office of Personnel Management.
Modernization
OPM reduces the retirement backlog by one-third in 2023
The federal government’s HR agency’s work on improving the retirement application process for federal workers led to the agency shattering yet another longstanding record last month.
Modernization
OPM retirement backlog hits six-year low for third time this year
The number of pending federal employee retirement claims fell under 16,000 for the second time since 2017 in November.
People
OPM: Federal workers’ morale, engagement rebounded in 2023
Preliminary data from the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey indicates that federal agencies have improved on employees’ engagement, job satisfaction, as well as issues of diversity and inclusion.
Digital Government
What does post-pandemic telework look like during a shutdown?
As agencies begin planning for funding to stop on Sept. 30, federal telework guidance will be tested in a post-COVID environment.
People