Management

Biden administration seeks more Social Security funding, election and transition provisions in possible CR

The Office of Management and Budget made the requests as part of the process by which the White House and Congress prepare for the potential need to pass a short-term continuing resolution in September.

Pay & Benefits

All TSP portfolios posted modest gains in August

Each of the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program’s investment options gained value for the second straight month.

Pay & Benefits

Biden formally announces 2% average pay raise for feds in 2025

The president each August must declare an “economic emergency” to prevent large automatic increases to locality pay from taking effect, in accordance with the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act.

Pay & Benefits

OPM reminds agencies to grant feds leave to vote

Federal workers are entitled to up to four hours of paid administrative leave to go to the polls, thanks to an executive order signed by President Biden in 2021.

Workforce

Trump calls federal workforce 'crooked,' vows to hold them 'accountable'

In an interview with a right-wing Youtuber, the former president seemingly alluded to reviving Schedule F and other Trump-era policies aimed at making it easier to fire federal employees.

Pay & Benefits

House lawmakers plan to force a vote on bill to kill provision that cuts some feds' retirement pay

The Social Security Fairness Act would abolish two tax provisions that reduce retirement benefits for some federal workers.

Management

Social Security to finalize rules making expanded phone and video hearings permanent

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the agency quickly pivoted toward offering disability determination hearings by phone and video, options that remain popular today.

Workforce

The other time an administration sought a ‘more responsive’ federal workforce

An investigator into the Nixon administration’s civil service abuses says Schedule F shares a lineage with the disgraced former president.

Management

GSA will update its property management regulations to reflect gender inclusive pronouns

The agency previously adopted similar updates to regulations governing federal travel earlier this year.

Workforce

A gender equity group is urging ‘strict and specific’ sexual misconduct reform for the federal workforce

The Department of Justice Gender Equality Network said its employer could serve as a model, following the creation of a sexual misconduct response system at the department last year.

Pay & Benefits

GSA: Per diem rates for federal workers will increase this fall

The amount of money federal agencies will reimburse employees for traveling expenses will increase for both lodging and for meals and incidentals beginning in October.

Workforce

EEOC withdraws Trump-era proposal cancelling official time for unions reps

The commission controversially approved the idea on a party-line vote just days before President Biden’s inauguration but was caught up in a review of late Trump-era "midnight regulations."

Management

OPM and OMB unveil a new plan to improve the federal hiring ‘experience’ for both workers and HR managers

The Biden administration’s latest effort to improve the federal hiring process provides a roadmap for implementing decades-old calls for reform.

Workforce

Partnership for Public Service offers an alternative to “burning down” the civil service

The good government group traditionally has taken great pains to avoid partisan politics, but has become more outspoken since former President Trump unveiled Schedule F.

Workforce

Teleworking feds are spending 60% of their time working in person, OMB says

In a congressionally mandated report, the Office of Management and Budget rebuffed many common complaints by congressional Republicans about the popular workplace flexibility.

Management

Leaked Project 2025 training videos warn aspiring political appointees of ‘persecution’ by career feds

Though the videos don’t overtly discuss the Trump campaign or the Heritage Foundation-led transition project’s endorsement of Schedule F, conservatives repeatedly stressed the need for more “political control” of agencies.

Oversight

Senators ask Social Security for info on AI work

Though the Social Security Administration has been using artificial intelligence tools in some form for two decades, the lawmakers stressed the need to engage the public as it explores new technologies like generative AI.

Pay & Benefits

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.

Pay & Benefits

Cassidy ties proposed 30% pay and benefits cuts to federal telework

The Louisiana Republican has introduced bills to bar federal workers from receiving locality pay if they telework at least once per week and excising locality pay from all future feds’ pensions.

Workforce

Conservative senator seeks to ban official time at federal agencies

Eliminating federal compensation for unions’ time spent representing employees would shred a decades-old compromise at the heart of federal labor issues.