Pay & Benefits
Retiring soon? Key decisions every federal employee must make
From survivor benefits and health coverage to leave payouts and TSP choices, federal employees nearing retirement face deadlines that can permanently shape their finances.
Defense
Trump rebrands troop housing subsidy as ‘warrior dividend’ bonus checks
More than $2.9 billion in reconciliation funds was allocated to beef up troop housing allowances. Now, it’s being used for $1,776 checks.
Updated
Workforce
Additional shutdown layoffs must be rolled back, judge rules
The order is set to impact around 700 workers at four agencies.
Tech
Warren, Sanders push Labor on plans to create a centralized unemployment ‘starting point’
The senators worry that the planned intake of applicant data at the Labor Department will create "grievous economic and privacy risks for millions of Americans.”
Sponsor Content
American Brand: The Hewlett-Packard Company
Join GovExec TV's George Jackson and HP's Head of Public Sector Todd Gustafson to get a behind-the-curtain look at the company's rich history and a glimpse into its plans for the future.
Management
Postal Service hopes selling access to its final-leg delivery network will provide much-needed revenue
Because the U.S. Postal Service delivers to all U.S. addresses, many private companies rely on the agency to ship to harder-to-reach places. Postmaster General David Steiner wants to enable more businesses to utilize this service.
Management
Transfers at the Education Department spark fallout warnings from Senate Democrats
Lawmakers, union leaders and education officials say shifting programs out of the department risks losing expertise, adding bureaucracy and weakening support for students and families.
Pay & Benefits
OPM finalizes rule simplifying recruitment and relocation incentive waivers
The final regulation allows the federal government’s HR agency to delegate its authority to offer recruitment and relocation incentive payments to other agencies.
Sponsor Content
Prepare for and respond to emergencies
Public health and emergency response leaders face the challenge of maintaining cost-effective readiness to address various emergencies, including public health crises that disproportionately affect underserved communities.
Workforce
Appellate judges mull challenge to Trump’s efforts to bust most federal labor unions
Much of the discussion in oral arguments for three separate lawsuits revolved around whether an administrative board could hear unions’ legal claims and whether President Trump used a faulty definition of 'national security' when he devised two executive orders banning unions at most federal agencies.
FEATURED INSIGHTS
Tech
Want an AI job at Treasury? Write a 10-page analysis of ‘Great Gatsby’
While the application requirement may actually be a test on using artificial intelligence tools, an AI expert said that the skills being measured are not relevant to the job listed.
Management
Potential NSA, Cyber Command leader nomination transmitted to Senate
The signals intelligence titan and combatant command have been without a permanent leader for months since far-right activist Laura Loomer pushed for the firing of Gen. Timothy Haugh in April.
Workforce
Air traffic controllers calling out sick during shutdown may have acted illegally, FAA chief says
Agency will “ask tough questions” of those workers even as administrator concedes agency has “a retention issue” among controllers.
TSP TICKER
FUND
G
F
C
S
I
DEC 17 CLOSE
$19.5565
$20.8517
$107.4959
$100.1772
$54.0314
DAILY CHANGE
0.0022
-0.0021
-1.2586
-0.9615
-0.3508
THIS MONTH (%)
0.19
-0.40
-1.78
-0.76
0.33
FUND
L 2070
L 2060
L 2050
L 2040
L 2030
L INCOME
DEC 17 CLOSE
$12.4571
$21.0205
$40.8876
$66.8205
$57.4048
$29.0551
DAILY CHANGE
-0.1185
-0.1999
-0.3201
-0.4576
-0.3187
-0.0732
THIS MONTH (%)
-0.90
-0.90
-0.75
-0.64
-0.48
-0.14
FUND
DEC 17
CLOSE
CLOSE
DAILY
CHANGE
CHANGE
THIS
MONTH
MONTH
G
$19.5565
0.0022
0.19
F
$20.8517
-0.0021
-0.40
C
$107.4959
-1.2586
-1.78
S
$100.1772
-0.9615
-0.76
I
$54.0314
-0.3508
0.33
L 2070
$12.4571
-0.1185
-0.90
L 2060
$21.0205
-0.1999
-0.90
L 2050
$40.8876
-0.3201
-0.75
L 2040
$66.8205
-0.4576
-0.64
L 2030
$57.4048
-0.3187
-0.48
L INCOME
$29.0551
-0.0732
-0.14
Tech
Lawmakers question VA health record’s costs and batched deployments
The agency is looking to deploy its new Oracle Health EHR near simultaneously at four Michigan medical facilities in April 2026.
Management
Lawmaker looks to shake up VA’s software management
Legislation from Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., prioritizes waste reduction when it comes to the roughly $1 billion that VA spends annually on software assets.
Management
Fallout from DOGE cuts: How defunding derailed a federal microgrant strategy
COMMENTARY | Several presidents have criticized the complexities of the federal grants process, but DOGE cuts to the Justice Department have made the process worse for local law enforcement rather than helping.
Workforce
Ethics agency spells out holiday do’s and don’ts for federal employees
Ethics rules generally prohibiting government workers from giving presents to their bosses or accepting gifts from non-governmental organizations are particularly relevant around the holidays.
Workforce
At least one agency is making a renewed, less generous ‘deferred resignation’ offer to staff
The Trump administration is continuing efforts to cut the federal workforce.
Tech
After shedding thousands of feds, Trump admin's new 'Tech Force' aims to recruit workers to two-year jobs
Some of the recruits to government service will be on leaves of absence from private sector companies while working for government — a setup that raises ethical questions about conflicts of interest.
Workforce
TSA plans to bust labor union despite court order blocking it
The Trump administration’s efforts to unwind collective bargaining for airport security screeners have been blocked since June, when a federal judge found the initiative was aimed at “punishing” the nation’s largest federal worker union.
Management
USDA received overwhelmingly negative feedback on its reorg plan from employees, lawmakers and locals governments
The department solicited comments and those who wrote in said a potential exodus of staff and loss of local interaction would prove harmful to farmers.
Tech
White House instructs agencies to stop using ‘biased’ AI
The Office of Management and Budget clarified the steps agencies will have to take to ensure their contracted large language models do not produce “woke” outputs.
Oversight
Some indoor federal gun ranges are operating under unsafe conditions due to lack of oversight, watchdog reports
General Services Administration employees interviewed for the investigation reported issues gathering necessary information, in part, due to workforce reductions at the agency.
Exclusive
Defense
There’s a divide within the Space Force. Congress is forcing the service to address it
The new service was supposed to meld the “tribes” of operators and acquisition specialists. It didn’t happen.
Oversight
Exit interview: GAO’s Gene Dodaro talks impoundments, tenure and retirement priorities
The outgoing comptroller general reflects on leading the agency through national crises, building a skilled workforce and guiding federal oversight before his term ends Dec. 29.
