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Trump order aims to outlaw most government unions on ‘national security’ grounds
An as-yet unpublished executive order purports to utilize a little-used provision allowing the president to restrict collective bargaining for national security reasons to exempt most federal jobs from union protections.
Digital Government
Judge: Musk and Trump’s effort to disband USAID is likely unconstitutional
U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang found that the Trump administration and Elon Musk violated the constitutional separation of powers and the Appointments Clause when it ordered the shuttering of the foreign aid agency.
People
Trump continues to curtail union rights and career pipelines
Guidance issued by the Office of Personnel Management last week instructs agencies to ignore union contract provisions on reductions in force, and apply its policies.
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SSA weighs axing payments to 170,000 beneficiaries
The move to cease making payments to people without Social Security numbers would imperil the benefits of thousands of immigrants’ children with disabilities.
Digital Government
Trump administration moves to politicize top HR officials following firing at IRS
Guidance from the Office of Personnel Management justified the decision by citing chief human capital officers’ role in implementing Biden-era diversity policies.
Breaking News
People
Top Social Security deputies leave amid rumored staff cuts
At least five of the eight regional heads have decided to leave as the mid-level worker-turned-acting commissioner is said to mull workforce reduction.
Updated
People
Judge extends pause on ‘deferred resignation’ deadline
U.S. District Judge George O’Toole reportedly said he was considering converting the existing temporary restraining order blocking the administration from advancing its deferred resignation program into a preliminary injunction, but he did not indicate how he would rule in the case.
Updated
People
Federal judge blocks USAID leave notices and reinstates workers
Attorneys representing the Trump administration confirmed Friday that upwards of 2,200 employees, many of whom are stationed overseas, would have been put on administrative leave Friday night, absent the court’s intervention.
Policy
Trump administration’s 'deferred resignation' deadline blocked until next week
OPM is required to notify all employees who received an initial "deferred resignation" offer by Thursday evening that the deadline for accepting the legally dubious offer has been pushed until Monday.
Updated
Digital Government
Agencies ramp up pressure on their workers to quit
New guidance continues to defend its deferred resignation program as legal, though it fails to address its apparent violation of the Anti-Deficiency Act.
People
OPM claims agencies can ignore union telework contracts
A new memo instructing agencies to cease enforcing union-negotiated telework policies under the guise of “management rights” could portend future assaults on collective bargaining.
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People
Employee groups, Democrats, experts warn feds not to accept ‘deferred resignation’ offer
The lack of a legal underpinning for the purported eight-month severance package, and Elon Musk’s history of offering—and then revoking—severance payments have many federal workers wary of the measure.
People
Trump reportedly will offer buyouts to all 2 million federal workers
The White House’s plan to offer “deferred resignations” that pay departing federal employees their salary through Sept. 30 will likely run afoul of rules governing buyout payments.
People
New Schedule F guidance shows the Trump White House is rearing for a fight
Trump administration officials elected to bypass the regulatory process to rescind Biden-era rules aimed at barring Schedule F’s revival, setting up a bigger fight over the president's authority.
People
OPM demands agencies comply with Trump’s telework order within 30 days
The State Department has already begun to implement the president’s memo cancelling telework agreements as of March 1 and remote work arrangements July 1, with exceptions for military spouses and employees with disabilities.
Updated
People
Trump: Agencies should fire 'all' bureaucrats
Atop the president’s anticipated actions this week are executive orders moving to reinstate Schedule F, reduce unions’ bargaining rights and broad rollbacks of telework at federal agencies.
People
Ernst’s report documenting telework ‘abuse’ obscures more than it reveals
The Iowa senator and head of a new caucus related to President-elect Trump’s planned government efficiency commission misrepresented key statistics regarding telework’s usage at federal agencies.
People
Feds brace for return of Trump personnel policies
Federal employee unions sought to balance reassuring members that they will fight the return of measures undermining feds’ civil service protections with asserting their commitment to nonpartisan service.
People
What Trump’s win means for the federal workforce
The Republican former president has vowed to remake the civil service in his image with the reinstatement of Schedule F.
People
Employee group urges centralized response to increase in doxxing and threats against federal workers
The Department of Justice Gender Equality Network urged department leadership to create a centralized “triage” team to better tackle instances where members of the public doxx or threaten employees online.
