Despite ruling against them, Judge Ana Reyes praised each of the fired inspectors general in her opinion: "While the court cannot order plaintiffs reinstated, it can give them the recognition their decades of government service demands." www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

Trump disbanded a committee of experts who advised the Census Bureau. Members of the committee met anyway. "What impact will we have? I don't know. But what I can say for sure is that if we don't do this, then we won't have an impact,” the chair said. www.govexec.com/management/2...

Adding to the upheaval at CDC...unions representing agency employees said that the Trump admin is barring workers w/ disabilities from requesting telework — a common reasonable accommodation that agencies are generally legally required to provide www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

The Housing and Urban Development Department has made prospective awardees for grants to address homelessness submit three separate applications - the most recent one is due today. The funding these orgs are competing for expires in a little more than 2 weeks. www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

Social Security's Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs, which helps lawmakers w/ casework (e.g. when constituents aren't receiving benefits) has been reduced from around 50 employees to as few as three, according to a former employee www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

While detailing how staffing shortages have hindered past disaster recovery efforts, a new GAO report flags that FEMA is facing the ongoing hurricane season with even fewer employees, largely because of Trump's voluntary separation incentives for feds www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

While Trump has suggested a mid-decade census that excludes undocumented migrants, experts are worried about his admin's preparations for the 2030 national population count. “My census antennas are up, and I’m a bit worried about what we might see,” one said. www.govexec.com/management/2...

In what I thought was going to be a boring report, the GAO looked at the process for federal employees to change their names (e.g. bc of marriage) + found they're struggling to get through the process One civil servant said they cried multiple times www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

An FBI agents association argued that the lack of due process afforded to officials who were recently fired has "left special agents with no explanation for this deviation from law and policy other than political retribution.” www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has accused Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick of breaking the Hatch Act (ethics law) over a Fox Business interview in which he urged people to vote against NYC mayor candidate Zohran Mamdani www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

Even before a shooter who was "discontent" w/ the COVID vaccine fired hundreds of rounds at CDC's HQ, employees have had to contend w/ layoffs and RFK Jr.'s anti-vaccine actions and rhetoric. One employee told me: “It’s just too much. This year has been too much.” www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

Planned layoffs at a Labor Department office that ensures contractors are complying with anti-discrimination law are being canceled, but the agency will still be restructured and Trump administration officials have previously discussed reversing the agency's mission www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

Per a new survey: - Fewer Americans (but still a majority) support a nonpartisan civil service - 18-34-year olds went from being the least trusting of the federal govt to the most - There was a 24 pt. drop in the % of Americans who think the govt is wasteful www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

DHS announced that it's removing age restrictions to become an ICE agent. Secretary Noem said there’s “no longer a cap on how old you can be” and that 18-year-olds could sign up. www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

“They're clearing the cupboard and they're putting in place a system to restock the shelves with a class of people that are focused on their loyalty as opposed to their competence and character,” said Partnership for Public Service's Max Stier www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

Without much notice, Trump has replaced two acting leaders of agency inspector general offices (independent government watchdogs), including one who had accused administration officials of stonewalling an investigation www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

Since the Trump admin has started reducing staff at IRS and Social Security, many House Dems are having more problems doing constituent casework. www.govexec.com/management/2...

“It sounds like a wonky and boring topic, and yet [the census] is perhaps the most essential thing we can ensure that we have to get right.”...quote from my story about Census' plan to hire fewer temp workers for the 2030 count www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

A new Partnership for Public Service survey found that a narrow majority of Americans oppose Trump's layoffs of federal employees, yet the good govt group urged changes to anti-RIF messaging saying "there's not a lot of sympathy for civil servants losing their jobs" www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

Former federal science leaders warned that a rumored 2nd rescission bill targeting science agencies as well as proposed budget cuts, efforts to shrink workforces and grant terminations amount to a "systematic dismantling of [U.S.] research infrastructure" www.govexec.com/management/2...

To cap off this newsy week...the Census Bureau has long struggled with staffing shortages. I interviewed employees who say Trump's government workforce cuts are making things worse. One individual won't take sick leave because of the work that could build up. www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

New from me: An internal VA memo shows how the department is requiring more scrutiny of disability accommodation requests as part of Trump's push for federal employees to work in-person www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

While researching for this article, I discovered that the Secret Service got nearly $1.2 billion as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill, in part, for recruitment and retention www.govexec.com/management/2...

I excitedly attended a conference about regulatory agencies' use of AI and a retired government lawyer sitting next to me said in the middle of one panel "I don't know how you can stay awake for this stuff?" Anyways, here's a link to my coverage: www.govexec.com/management/2...

This morning I wrote about concerns that a resumption in mass agency layoffs could supercharge already high case numbers at a quasi-judicial board that hears appeals from fed employees who have lost their jobs...then about 1 hr ago SCOTUS greenlit reductions in force www.govexec.com/management/2...

In non-OBBBA news, a federal investigation found that the Mine Safety agency didn't conduct required inspections of mines in the U.S. Pacific territories for years, wrongly labeled the mines as abandoned, and inspections won't start until fiscal 2027 www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

FBI's announcement that it's moving its HQ from the dilapidated Hoover Building in downtown DC less than 0.5 mile away to the Reagan Building did not provide a timeline or say whether Reagan's current tenants (CBP, EPA, etc.) would be displaced www.govexec.com/management/2...

It was announced today that the Housing and Urban Development Department will be moving from its crumbling DC HQ into the National Science Foundation's Alexandria building...but there's no current plan on where displaced NSF employees will be moved to www.govexec.com/management/2...

I think if you've seen enough posts about it you should get to vote in the NYC Democratic mayoral primary regardless of where you live

A good govt. nonprofit has an annual awards for federal employees that it still managed to put on despite everything I interviewed an honoree who helped get low-income people w/ HIV on lifesaving medicine + a NASA employee who might've discovered evidence for aliens www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

Congressional Democrats criticized the Education Department for attempting to transfer certain grant programs to the Labor Department...part of the Trump admin's effort to downsize and ultimately eliminate the Education Department www.govexec.com/management/2...

Hearings have started for Trump's IG noms (independent watchdogs), however, fmr Rep. D'Esposito (Labor) was particularly praiseworthy of Trump + Dems accused the VA nom, who was a senior advisor to Sec Collins, of minimizing her involvement in admin decisions www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

In another example of organizations taking advantage of unemployed civil servants' expertise, Georgetown has launched a tech fellowship for newly former feds www.govexec.com/technology/2...

In what might be the most "Sean Newhousey" story I've ever written, I reported on an annual awards ceremony for outstanding agency financial and performance reports www.govexec.com/management/2...

Based on an inspector general notice, congressional Democrats are accusing the Education Department of not fully complying with an investigation into staff cuts at the agency. www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

While reporting a story on job hunt resources for laid off civil servants, I spoke with someone who pointed out that the number of federal employees who are expected to leave government would be like "a major multinational corporation vanishing overnight." www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

As the State Dept takes on USAID's responsibilities, a watchdog reports that, as of May 1, State hasn't finished a realignment plan, it doesn't have a workforce strategy to determine how many employees to hire + the team overseeing the transfer is set to disband www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

People who Trump has nominated to replace independent oversight officials he fired include a new lawyer who supports Andrew Tate, someone who was ousted from a state job over misusing funds, an advisor to the VA secy and a fmr GOP congressman w/ an ethics scandal www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

Trump signed an EO to reorganize + have layoffs at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission - oversees commercial nuclear + has recently struggled w/ recruiting...leading to worries that the agency will focus more on approving licenses than safety + abt DOGE's involvement www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

With staff cuts already impacting operations at the National Park Service + Forest Service and more layoffs still planned, congressional Dems have introduced legislation to rehire employees at both agencies who have lost their jobs since the start of Trump's term www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

While Trump has largely ended telework for federal employees, USDA HQ staffers were informed today that they should work remotely for the next 3 weeks bc their office building is being used to house soldiers who are part of the Army/Trump bday parade in DC www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

Office of Special Counsel found that Biden's Social Security chief - Martin O'Malley - violated the Hatch Act's limits on the political activities of fed officials when he said in an Oct 2024 interview that Trump's proposals would "quickly deplete Social Security." www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

Busy news day, but new from me: Brian Miller - the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, an independent oversight position - spent at least the final month of his tenure (March 2025) also serving in a senior acting role at HUD at Trump's behest. www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

A DOL office that ensures federal contractors are complying with anti-discrimination law is set to shrink by about 90%. Bc the agency's work is on hold, contractors who filed complaints can't get updates on their cases, even if their allegations were validated. www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

The Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery closed at the end of March after Congress failed to reauthorize the office. A former official at the agency said it had ~40 unfinished cases. While some were referred to different agencies, others were closed. www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

DOGE says it has saved the govt. $170B, which is disputed Government Accountability Office today said that its recommendations to reduce overlap + duplication in govt. programs have saved $725B since 2011 + unimplemented suggestions could save an additional $100B www.govexec.com/oversight/20...

The Trump administration today officially rescinded a policy that let federal employees use their preferred bathroom Relatedly, legal groups on Monday sued to block the "federal bathroom ban" www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

Agencies w/ workforces that are majority women and/or POC — VA, Education, HHS, HUD — are also some of the ones expected to be hardest hit by Trump's federal employee cuts, new report says www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

I spent the morning talking w/ fired federal employees who meet at the Capitol weekly to urge lawmakers to reverse DOGE cuts. Here are some of their stories: www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

"Getting a contract approved for janitorial services, said one Forest Service employee who works on those procurements, previously took a day-and-a-half. With the added layers that DOGE has installed, it now takes six weeks." www.govexec.com/management/2...