Erich Wagner

4 days ago | govexec.com | Erich Wagner

A federal appeals court on Tuesday revived the legal challenge against the Justice Department’s rule prohibiting immigration judges from speaking or writing publicly in their personal capacity. The court's decision was procedural yet sweeping in its implications, potentially affecting many other cases challenging President Trump's workforce actions. In 2020, the National Association of Immigration Judges and Columbia University’s Knight First Amendment Institute sued the Justice Department.

5 days ago | govexec.com | Erich Wagner

A federal judge on Monday issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from stripping employees at the Transportation Security Administration of their collective bargaining rights. U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman, a Clinton appointee in the Western District of Washington, found that the initiative was aimed at “punishing” the American Federation of Government Employees for challenging the White House’s workforce policies in court.

5 days ago | govexec.com | Erich Wagner

The top Democrat on the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Monday urged the Trump administration to rescind the ‘merit hiring plan’ it published last week, calling a provision mandating new essay questions quizzing most federal job applicants about their favorite Trump policies a “blatant loyalty test.” “Such a loyalty test is antithetical to the concept of an expert, nonpartisan civil service and will only serve to degrade and politicize the services Americans need from their...

5 days ago | govexec.com | Erich Wagner

Following months of disappointing returns, the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings plan returned to positive territory in May, with all but one portfolio finishing the month in the black. The Thrift Savings Plan’s S Fund, made up of small- and mid-size businesses, led the way, growing 7.21% last month. Despite those gains, the S Fund remains 3.13% in the red so far this year. And the common stocks of the C Fund gained 6.29% in May, bringing its 2025 performance up to 1.05%.

1 week ago | govexec.com | Erich Wagner

The Trump administration continued its campaign against LGBTQ+ Americans, when its budget proposal for fiscal 2026, published in full Friday, included a provision to end the federal workforce’s insurance coverage for gender affirming care. The White House first released its “skinny” iteration of the budget earlier this month. In the 1,200-page appendix released Friday, the proposal appeared among a laundry list of government-wide provisions.