GovExec

Agency layoff rules to get an overhaul under nearly finalized Trump administration proposal OPM’s reduction in force revamp plan will put performance ratings over tenure and strip some employees of protections.

A major proposal from the Trump administration is poised to reshape how agencies handle layoffs, and could have big implications for federal workers. Here’s what’s in the nearly finalized plan: buff.ly/r3yPtpJ

CFPB to issue mass furlough by years' end and transfer outstanding cases to DOJ The initiative marks the latest effort by the Trump administration to close the bureau.

CFPB is preparing a major year-end shakeup that will hit its workforce hard and shift key enforcement work to DOJ. Reporting by Sr. Correspondent Eric Katz: buff.ly/tTx0i5c

Trump admin acknowledges difficulties in transferring Education programs to other agencies, internal documents show The work Education has done so far is "minuscule" compared to what's to come, department says.

EXCLUSIVE: The Education Department is raising internal concerns about its ability to offload its work to other agencies, documents prepared as part of the transfer process show. buff.ly/ItD8alx

Democrats try again to reestablish legal deference to agencies on regulations The bicameral bill also seeks to limit the ability of businesses to influence the rulemaking process.

Congressional Democrats on Wednesday brought back legislation to respond to President Donald Trump’s deregulatory agenda and reduce the influence of private companies in the rulemaking process. buff.ly/g93ISOt

Doug Burgum is charging Interior Department agencies a premium to subsume their employees The Interior Department's consolidation efforts is coming with a cost to National Parks and other components of the agency.

EXCLUSIVE: The Interior Department is consolidating employees and resources in its secretary’s office and charging its bureaus significant fees for the effort, according to staff and internal documents. buff.ly/Cu5jOBm

In spite of more public awareness about federal workforce cuts’ impacts, opposition to them hasn’t grown, survey suggests Democrats and young adults are more likely to report being affected by or knowing someone impacted by the Trump administration’s government workforce reductions.

More Americans report seeing the impacts of President Trump’s cuts to the federal workforce, according to new survey data released Monday by the Partnership for Public Service but, the share of those opposing the overhauls has hardly changed over the past six months. buff.ly/owKsDep

Trump administration resumes funding for inspectors general hub after previously blocking it OMB’s move to restore CIGIE funding until Jan. 30 comes as the president has already fired or replaced more than 20 agency inspectors general.

The Office of Management and Budget’s move to restore Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency's funding until Jan. 30 comes as the president has already fired or replaced more than 20 agency inspectors general.

Final Schedule F regulations to describe civil service protections as ‘unconstitutional overcorrections’ OPM officials told agency HR leaders Tuesday that President Trump has Article II constitutional authority to remove tens of thousands of career federal workers in jobs over potential “resistance to…

OPM officials told agency HR leaders Tuesday that President Trump has Article II constitutional authority to remove tens of thousands of career federal workers in jobs over potential “resistance to policy.” buff.ly/DAVJaQp

Lawmakers force House vote on bill nullifying anti-union EOs A pair of Republicans were the final signatures needed to on a bipartisan discharge petition in support of legislation that would strike President Trump’s pair of executive orders aimed at stripping…

Two House Republicans provided the final signatures to force a vote on legislation that would reverse Trump’s executive orders limiting collective bargaining for federal employees. Sr. Correspondent Erich Wagner explains it all:

Education furthers effort to eliminate itself by offloading programs outside department The department, which has already shed half its staff, is not expected to issue any additional layoffs as part of the overhaul.

Education is transferring major programs to other agencies as part of its effort to eliminate itself. Sr. Correspondent Eric Katz is following the story: buff.ly/81tGbv2

NTEU sues OPM for Schedule F records The federal employee union said the government’s dedicated HR agency ignored an August Freedom of Information Act request pertaining to which positions agencies plan to convert to the controversial…

Federal employee union sues OPM after a FOIA request for Schedule F records goes unanswered. Sr. Correspondent Erich Wagner explains it all here: buff.ly/GSdr4p3

Virginia lawmakers glad National Science Foundation headquarters to remain in state The General Services Administration announcement about NSF's new building did not address when the Housing and Urban Development Department would move into the science agency's current headquarters.

The headquarters for the National Science Foundation is moving to a nearby building in Alexandria, Va., the General Services Administration announced on Friday, Virginia lawmakers applauded the move. buff.ly/flbvq3h

Union: IRS is dawdling on federal workers’ backpay Contrary to a timeline offered by administration officials on Thursday, the Internal Revenue Service told employees Friday not to expect any backpay until Nov. 24.

No quick payday for IRS employees: agency officials say backpay will start Nov. 24, with full catch-up by Dec. 8. Union criticizes the IRS for falling behind the timeline the Trump administration announced Thursday. Sr. Correspondent Erich Wagner has the story: buff.ly/T6s0vAf

Postal Service leadership brushes off calls to pause modernization plan, as financial losses continue Former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy intended for the U.S. Postal Service to break even by fiscal 2023 under his Delivering for America plan.

The U.S. Postal Service experienced a net loss of $9 billion in fiscal 2025, as the new postmaster general continues his predecessor’s overhaul initiative that members of both parties and mail stakeholders have argued is worsening performance without achieving financial benefits. buff.ly/VOcpaxn

‘Climate of fear': Immigration judges say functioning of their court system is in jeopardy due to Trump’s firings The Trump administration is pushing out dozens of judges, who say the changes are slowing down and politicizing the system.

Immigration judges tell Sr. Correspondent Eric Katz they feel "if they step a toe out of line right now…or they're one [asylum] grant away from being fired because of the arbitrary nature of the firings.” buff.ly/md1MShR

I spent 50 years in government and here’s how to fix it COMMENTARY | After serving under presidents from Johnson to Obama, David Mader has seen what works and what doesn’t in government and why improving it is about making it serve the public better, not…

COMMENTARY: Every taxpayer dollar should count. Former OMB controller David Mader outlines practical steps to make government more transparent, efficient and focused on results. buff.ly/anx3Wtj #PublicService

‘We'll probably waste millions again:’ Feds dig out of 43 days’ worth of piled-up work Hundreds of thousands of employees stepped into their offices on Thursday for the first time in more than six weeks, with daunting backlogs before them.

Federal employees across government returned to their offices on Thursday—for the first time in 43 days, for about 650,000 of them—with digital piles of unanswered emails, abandoned contracts and, in some cases, a physical loss of access to buildings and devices. buff.ly/NbPkWpH

Trump admin says feds should get at least most backpay by Nov. 19 GSA and OPM workers will be the first to see the first month’s work of pay—belayed by the 43-day government shutdown—with what the White House is calling a “super check” that should be delivered on…

Most feds are set to receive #backpay for the 43‑day #shutdown, with payments starting as early as this weekend and continuing through Nov. 19. Sr. Correspondent Erich Wagner breaks down who gets what and when: buff.ly/8KzkZHy

Agencies could still be digging out from shutdown when funding deal ends, association says The Congressional Budget Office and an industry group for federal contractors both predict the government won’t return to pre-shutdown operational levels until 2026. A partial funding lapse could…

The Congressional Budget Office and an industry group for federal contractors both predict the government won’t return to pre-shutdown operational levels until 2026. A partial funding lapse could start at the end of January without congressional action.

Government to reopen after House votes to end longest-ever shutdown Many furloughed workers, who will receive backpay, were already told Wednesday to report to work the following day for the first time in nearly six weeks.

BREAKING: As many as 650,000 furloughed employees expected back soon, with paychecks restored and #shutdown layoffs reversed after the 43-day government shutdown ends. Sr. Correspondent Eric Katz explains what comes next: buff.ly/i0Wrqj3

Nonprofit launches FEVS alternative after OPM’s cancellation of official survey The Public Service Viewpoint Survey aims to at least partially fill the void left by the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, which OPM cancelled this year despite a legal requirement that it be…

After the Office of Personnel Management cancelled this year’s iteration of the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, the Partnership for Public Service stepped in to fill the void with its own survey of federal workers. buff.ly/J4aoxfQ

New watchdog at Education Department may have shared pro-Trump social media posts This latest replacement of the acting Education inspector general comes as the president has fired or removed more than 20 of the agency watchdogs.

The acting inspector general at the Education Department is being replaced for the second time this year, and the watchdog’s new leader is an IG official who seems to have shared social media posts supporting Donald Trump. buff.ly/STpSXjr

OPM’s retirement backlog skyrockets as deferred resignees begin offboarding The federal government’s dedicated HR agency is sitting on the most pending retirement applications since the COVID-19 pandemic.

OPM faces historic #retirement delays as deferred resignees begin offboarding. Sr. Correspondent Erich Wagner explains it all here:

Major takeaways for federal agencies on the funding deal to reopen government Congress appears poised to end the longest-ever shutdown later this week with a bill with major implications for several key agencies.

Sr. Correspondent Eric Katz breaks down what federal agencies need to know in the funding agreement that could end the #shutdown: buff.ly/hYOLsi7

Education Department can’t use furloughed employees’ out-of-office emails to blame shutdown on Democrats, judge rules The American Federation of Government Employees filed a lawsuit after Education staffers reported that their out-of-office messages had been modified.

Judge: Education Dept. violated furloughed workers’ First Amendment rights by blaming Democrats for the shutdown in furloughed employees’ out-of-office messages. Sean Michael Newhouse breaks down the ruling here:

Use this checklist to make the most of 2026 FEHB Open Season From rising premiums to fewer plan choices, this guide walks you through reviewing benefits, checking provider networks and using tax-advantaged accounts to keep your healthcare costs in check next…

Our 2026 FEHB Open Season checklist breaks down what to review and how to save on healthcare next year. You can find it here: buff.ly/4OmVS8C #openseason

Senate moves shutdown-ending deal that would ensure backpay and unwind some federal layoffs A bipartisan agreement to end the longest-ever government shutdown, would fund some agencies through fiscal 2026 and the rest through January, and guarantee backpay for furloughed workers.

Federal workers could see backpay and layoffs paused as Senate #shutdown deal moves forward. Sr. Correspondent Eric Katz has the details: buff.ly/smGq5ik

Housing regulator watchdog ousted, another in Trump’s ongoing replacement of acting inspectors general Trump has replaced at least five acting IGs and fired nearly 20 of the oversight officials.

Trump’s administration continues reshaping federal oversight with the removal of another acting inspector general. Sean Michael Newhouse covers it here: buff.ly/pNbCxe5

SSA chief Bisignano faces probe from Wyden and Warren over Fiserv stock and federal contract concerns The Social Security commissioner has come under fire in recent days as shares in his former company depreciated shortly after his tax-advantaged divestiture from the financial technology firm.

Investors lost billions after Fiserv revised earnings projections, and now senators are asking whether SSA chief Bisignano's role at the company influenced federal contracts. Erich Wagner reports on probe here:

Unions sue over ‘loyalty question’ for federal jobseekers Earlier this year, the Office of Personnel Management added a series of essay questions to the federal hiring process, including one that asked jobseekers about their favorite Trump executive order…

Federal unions are suing over a new job application loyalty question they say screens out candidates based on politics, raising fresh alarms about partisanship in federal hiring. Sr. Correspondent Erich Wagner has details: buff.ly/fsW47Xi