Author Archive
Eric Katz
Senior Correspondent
Eric Katz writes about federal agency operations and management. His deep coverage of Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security, the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Postal Service has earned him frequent guest spots on national radio and television news programs. Eric joined Government Executive in the summer of 2012 and previously worked for The Financial Times. He is a graduate of The George Washington University.
Eric Katz writes about federal agency operations and management. His deep coverage of Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security, the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Postal Service has earned him frequent guest spots on national radio and television news programs. Eric joined Government Executive in the summer of 2012 and previously worked for The Financial Times. He is a graduate of The George Washington University.
Workforce
The Trump administration is taking steps to comply with court orders to reinstate tens of thousands of fired workers
Some employees are already receiving notices that they will rejoin the payroll.
- Eric Katz
Exclusive
Management
Trump administration cancels translation services for those seeking to access or correct their immigration status
The lack of translation services will lead to more people being improperly denied benefits or jobs, experts say.
- Eric Katz
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.
- Eric Katz
Management
DOGE to work with USPS to find efficiencies, DeJoy says
The mailing agency will work with GSA and the group led by Elon Musk, who has called for Postal Service privatization.
- Eric Katz
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.
- Eric Katz
Management
EPA begins eliminating offices as DOGE tightens grip on nearly all agency spending
RIFs are expected for employees in impacted areas, while DOGE is now requiring special sign off for any large EPA expenditure.
- Eric Katz
Management
Education Department to slash nearly one-third of its workforce with sweeping RIFs
The Tuesday layoffs are a first step in Trump’s push to eliminate the agency.
- Eric Katz
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.
- Eric Katz
Workforce
Inside federal agencies' rush to reshape their workforces—and spare employees from layoffs
Trump has tasked agencies with developing aggressive reduction-in-force plans, but implementing staff are "still trying to save as many as we can."
- Eric Katz
Management
Agency guidance on ‘five accomplishments’ email still inconsistent
Bureaus inside DHS are still reviewing past submissions from staff and have instructed their workers to hold off on sending more updates.
- Eric Katz and David DiMolfetta
Exclusive
Workforce
NIH faces renewed DOGE directive to cut staff, putting thousands in line for RIFs
The Elon Musk-backed group is calling the shots even after President Trump’s edict that they let individual agencies take the lead.
- Eric Katz
Workforce
GSA continues slow drip of RIFs, nearly wiping out entire offices
More cuts are coming. Staff in the Technology Transformation Services were told Thursday that their team will be halved.
- Natalie Alms and Eric Katz
Management
Republicans eye full-year CR, while Democrats look to use shutdown fight to stop Trump's firings
Lawmakers have until March 14 to avert a shutdown as some bipartisan talks continue.
- Eric Katz
Exclusive
Workforce
VA plans to lay off as many as 83,000 employees this year
A leaked memo released Tuesday called for VA to slash its workforce to 2019 levels that were in place before millions of veterans became newly eligible for care.
- Eric Katz
Workforce
OPM retroactively edits probationary firing guidance to note it did not order probationary firings
Trump administration tweaks its guidance after a judge called OPM's role unlawful.
- Eric Katz
Management
NOAA terminates space, climate and marine life advisory committees
Experts caution the groups play a key role in ensuring agencies use the best available science in their decision making.
- Eric Katz
Updated
Workforce
Some agencies are still firing probationers while others have recalled theirs, following court ruling
There appears to be confusion throughout the Trump administration as to the impacts of the court's decision, with some agencies pausing their personnel actions to assess the fallout.
- Eric Katz
Workforce
Judge orders Trump administration to rescind directives on probationary employee firings
The administration did not have the authority to issue the dismissals, federal court rules.
- Eric Katz
Workforce
OPM tells court it never ordered mass firings, contradicting prior claims
The Trump administration is arguing in court that agencies acted on their own to fire probationary staff, but it previously sent a government directive with a deadline for the firings.
- Eric Katz
Workforce
Agencies to deliver large-scale RIF plans in two weeks
The Trump administration is directing federal agencies to move swiftly to lay off broad swaths of their workforces.
- Eric Katz