WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.039 --> 00:00:06.280 Lawrence: Welcome to The FED Weekly for 31 August - 6 September 2025, your 00:00:06.280 --> 00:00:10.420 essential weekly briefing on the policies and proposals shaping your career, 00:00:10.689 --> 00:00:13.020 your benefits, and your retirement. 00:00:13.699 --> 00:00:17.590 Whether you’re a current federal employee navigating changes in the civil service, 00:00:17.930 --> 00:00:23.200 or a retiree keeping a close watch on your hard-earned pension and healthcare, this 00:00:23.200 --> 00:00:27.840 is your source for the latest news from Capitol Hill and the executive branch. 00:00:28.475 --> 00:00:32.736 Each week, we cut through the noise to bring you the critical updates on budget 00:00:32.736 --> 00:00:38.356 negotiations, pay raises, workforce policies, and the legislative battles that 00:00:38.356 --> 00:00:40.536 directly impact the federal community. 00:00:40.956 --> 00:00:44.085 Let's get you up to speed on what happened this past week. 00:00:44.709 --> 00:00:48.890 Section 1: Issues That Affect Current and Retired Federal Workers 00:00:49.526 --> 00:00:53.765 The Office of Personnel Management, or OPM, announced that premiums for the 00:00:53.765 --> 00:00:59.805 Federal Employees Health Benefits program, the FEHB, will rise by an average of 13.5 00:00:59.805 --> 00:01:00.326 percent. 00:01:00.746 --> 00:01:04.455 This is the largest single-year increase in almost two decades and 00:01:04.455 --> 00:01:06.816 follows substantial hikes of 7.7 00:01:06.816 --> 00:01:09.305 percent in 2024 and 8.7 00:01:09.305 --> 00:01:10.896 percent in 2023. 00:01:11.805 --> 00:01:14.465 For the average federal family, this translates to an 00:01:14.465 --> 00:01:17.646 additional cost of about $26.10 00:01:17.736 --> 00:01:19.166 per biweekly paycheck. 00:01:19.867 --> 00:01:25.338 OPM attributes this steep rise to several industry-wide pressures, including price 00:01:25.338 --> 00:01:30.198 increases from healthcare providers and suppliers, higher utilization of certain 00:01:30.198 --> 00:01:35.228 prescription drugs, and a notable increase in spending on behavioral health services. 00:01:35.875 --> 00:01:40.386 A significant driver of this cost increase is the mandated expansion of benefits. 00:01:40.966 --> 00:01:46.205 Beginning in 2025, all FEHB enrollees will have access to nationwide plans 00:01:46.205 --> 00:01:50.495 that offer comprehensive coverage for in vitro fertilization, or IVF. 00:01:50.966 --> 00:01:54.325 Additionally, health carriers will now be required to cover at least one 00:01:54.325 --> 00:02:00.075 GLP-1 class anti-obesity drug, such as Wegovy or Ozempic, along with two 00:02:00.075 --> 00:02:02.305 other oral anti-obesity medications. 00:02:02.366 --> 00:02:06.485 While these expanded benefits address critical health needs, their 00:02:06.485 --> 00:02:10.705 high cost is being passed directly to the entire pool of enrollees. 00:02:11.343 --> 00:02:13.474 When you place this 13.5 00:02:13.474 --> 00:02:17.514 percent premium hike alongside the administration's proposed one percent 00:02:17.514 --> 00:02:21.564 pay raise for 2026 and the projected 2.6 00:02:21.564 --> 00:02:24.724 percent cost-of-living adjustment for retirees, the 00:02:24.724 --> 00:02:26.993 financial picture becomes stark. 00:02:27.523 --> 00:02:31.693 The cost of a core benefit is rising at a rate more than thirteen times 00:02:31.693 --> 00:02:33.394 that of the proposed pay raise. 00:02:33.963 --> 00:02:38.474 This effectively creates a net loss in real income for the vast majority 00:02:38.474 --> 00:02:42.203 of the federal community, eroding purchasing power and potentially 00:02:42.203 --> 00:02:46.603 impacting morale, recruitment, and retention efforts across government. 00:02:47.239 --> 00:02:51.969 For retirees, there is a silver lining, but one that highlights a growing divide. 00:02:52.410 --> 00:02:57.850 OPM is strongly encouraging FEHB plans to offer Medicare Advantage options, which 00:02:57.850 --> 00:03:02.350 can significantly reduce or even eliminate out-of-pocket costs for annuitants who 00:03:02.350 --> 00:03:04.700 are enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B. 00:03:05.380 --> 00:03:09.729 However, this benefit is only available to that specific subset of retirees, 00:03:10.050 --> 00:03:14.739 leaving those without Part B to bear the full brunt of the premium increases. 00:03:15.319 --> 00:03:19.600 In contrast to the major FEHB hike, premiums for the Federal Employees 00:03:19.600 --> 00:03:24.189 Dental and Vision Insurance Program, or FEDVIP, will see only modest increases. 00:03:24.670 --> 00:03:27.969 Dental plan premiums will rise by an average of 2.97 00:03:27.969 --> 00:03:31.919 percent, while vision plans will increase by just 0.87 00:03:31.919 --> 00:03:32.439 percent. 00:03:33.051 --> 00:03:36.351 In more positive financial news, the Thrift Savings Plan, the 00:03:36.351 --> 00:03:40.772 401(k)-style retirement savings program for federal employees, has 00:03:40.772 --> 00:03:42.591 reached a monumental milestone. 00:03:43.102 --> 00:03:48.711 As of September 7th, 2025, the TSP officially surpassed $1 trillion 00:03:48.711 --> 00:03:50.421 in assets under management. 00:03:51.047 --> 00:03:55.507 This landmark achievement reflects years of steady contributions from more than 7.2 00:03:55.507 --> 00:03:58.607 million participants, coupled with strong market performance. 00:03:59.407 --> 00:04:03.898 According to the latest data from June 2025, the average TSP balance 00:04:03.898 --> 00:04:08.477 across all accounts stood at $134,633. 00:04:09.018 --> 00:04:12.417 For participants in the Federal Employees Retirement System, or FERS, 00:04:12.637 --> 00:04:19.278 that average was significantly higher at $196,668, a figure that underscores 00:04:19.278 --> 00:04:23.708 the long-term power of compounding and agency matching contributions. 00:04:24.331 --> 00:04:28.572 The market rally continued through August, boosting TSP account balances. 00:04:29.022 --> 00:04:31.661 The stock-based C Fund gained 2.03 00:04:31.661 --> 00:04:34.481 percent, the S Fund rose by 4.08 00:04:34.481 --> 00:04:38.151 percent, and the International I Fund was up 3.95 00:04:38.151 --> 00:04:38.621 percent. 00:04:39.262 --> 00:04:43.451 The bond-based F Fund also posted a positive return of 1.19 00:04:43.451 --> 00:04:43.921 percent. 00:04:44.332 --> 00:04:46.951 For September, the interest rate for the government securities 00:04:46.951 --> 00:04:49.201 G Fund was set at 4.250 00:04:49.201 --> 00:04:49.701 percent. 00:04:50.309 --> 00:04:54.250 While this milestone solidifies the TSP's central role in federal 00:04:54.250 --> 00:04:58.899 retirement security, it also highlights the degree to which that security 00:04:58.899 --> 00:05:01.490 is now tied to market performance. 00:05:02.519 --> 00:05:07.230 With the workforce now almost entirely under the FERS system, a major market 00:05:07.230 --> 00:05:10.950 downturn would have a far more significant impact on the financial futures of 00:05:10.950 --> 00:05:15.570 federal employees than it would have two decades ago, when a larger portion of 00:05:15.570 --> 00:05:20.259 the workforce was covered by the more traditional CSRS defined-benefit pension. 00:05:20.891 --> 00:05:25.132 Turning to legislation, a massive reconciliation bill signed into law on 00:05:25.132 --> 00:05:31.312 July 4th, known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025," has introduced several 00:05:31.312 --> 00:05:36.211 new tax provisions that will affect both working and retired federal employees. 00:05:36.902 --> 00:05:41.971 Effective for the 2025 through 2028 tax years, the law creates a new 00:05:41.971 --> 00:05:44.292 deduction specifically for seniors. 00:05:44.911 --> 00:05:50.611 Individuals aged 65 and older will be able to claim a new $6,000 deduction, or 00:05:50.611 --> 00:05:53.791 $12,000 for a qualifying married couple. 00:05:54.442 --> 00:05:57.952 This is in addition to the existing standard deduction for seniors 00:05:58.231 --> 00:06:02.041 and is aimed at providing relief to retirees on fixed incomes. 00:06:02.512 --> 00:06:06.551 However, this deduction does phase out for individuals with a modified 00:06:06.551 --> 00:06:12.912 adjusted gross income over $75,000, or $150,000 for joint filers. 00:06:13.539 --> 00:06:17.920 For current employees, the law introduces new deductions for qualified tip 00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:20.710 income and, notably, for overtime pay. 00:06:21.030 --> 00:06:24.250 Employees can now deduct the premium portion of their overtime 00:06:24.250 --> 00:06:28.300 compensation—for example, the "half" in "time-and-a-half" pay. 00:06:28.779 --> 00:06:34.399 This deduction is capped at $12,500 annually, or $25,000 for joint filers, 00:06:34.700 --> 00:06:36.850 and also has income-based phase-outs. 00:06:37.525 --> 00:06:41.595 While these provisions offer targeted tax relief, the same bill enacts 00:06:41.595 --> 00:06:45.956 significant changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. 00:06:46.485 --> 00:06:51.035 The law freezes the cost basis for the Thrifty Food Plan, expands work 00:06:51.035 --> 00:06:55.996 requirements to individuals up to age 65, and tightens eligibility rules. 00:06:56.555 --> 00:07:00.465 These changes could negatively impact low-income federal families who may 00:07:00.465 --> 00:07:05.225 rely on SNAP to supplement their earnings, creating a situation where 00:07:05.225 --> 00:07:09.896 some in the federal community benefit from tax cuts while others face a 00:07:09.896 --> 00:07:14.525 reduction in essential support from the very same piece of legislation. 00:07:15.135 --> 00:07:18.266 Finally in this section, the long-simmering conflict over the 00:07:18.266 --> 00:07:21.996 role of unions in the federal government has erupted once again. 00:07:22.516 --> 00:07:29.006 On August 28th, President Trump issued a new executive order, EO 14343, 00:07:29.376 --> 00:07:32.936 which bans collective bargaining at several more federal agencies. 00:07:33.426 --> 00:07:35.516 The list includes NASA, the U.S. 00:07:35.516 --> 00:07:39.416 Patent and Trademark Office, and the National Weather Service, among others. 00:07:40.082 --> 00:07:43.621 This action expands on a previous order from March that targeted 00:07:43.621 --> 00:07:45.211 nearly 20 other agencies. 00:07:45.602 --> 00:07:49.082 The response from federal unions was swift and forceful. 00:07:49.702 --> 00:07:53.042 On September 3rd, the National Treasury Employees Union, or 00:07:53.042 --> 00:07:56.052 NTEU, filed a lawsuit in the D.C. 00:07:56.052 --> 00:07:57.771 District Court to block the order. 00:07:58.261 --> 00:08:02.212 The lawsuit argues that the President has exceeded his statutory authority, 00:08:02.532 --> 00:08:06.962 which permits such exclusions only when an agency's "primary function" is 00:08:06.962 --> 00:08:09.482 intelligence or national security work. 00:08:09.702 --> 00:08:14.171 The NTEU also alleges that the order constitutes illegal retaliation 00:08:14.171 --> 00:08:17.802 against the union for its vocal opposition to administration policies. 00:08:18.406 --> 00:08:23.086 The American Federation of Government Employees, AFGE, labeled the order 00:08:23.086 --> 00:08:27.026 "immoral and abhorrent," viewing it as part of a broader plan to 00:08:27.026 --> 00:08:28.885 dismantle government agencies. 00:08:29.595 --> 00:08:31.656 The unions are not fighting alone. 00:08:32.045 --> 00:08:36.226 On September 2nd, a coalition of state attorneys general filed a legal 00:08:36.226 --> 00:08:40.905 brief in a related Ninth Circuit case, supporting the unions and arguing 00:08:40.905 --> 00:08:45.396 that the administration's actions are likely unconstitutional retaliation 00:08:45.396 --> 00:08:47.085 in violation of the First Amendment. 00:08:47.706 --> 00:08:52.145 These legal battles over collective bargaining are not happening in a vacuum. 00:08:52.656 --> 00:08:56.796 They are intrinsically linked to the administration's other major workforce 00:08:56.796 --> 00:09:01.885 initiatives, including mass layoffs and changes to hiring and firing practices. 00:09:02.416 --> 00:09:06.196 By removing union protections, the administration weakens a primary 00:09:06.196 --> 00:09:10.285 source of organized resistance, making it easier to implement its broader 00:09:10.285 --> 00:09:12.965 agenda for reshaping the civil service. 00:09:13.735 --> 00:09:18.426 The lawsuits, therefore, represent more than a fight over contracts; they are a 00:09:18.426 --> 00:09:23.255 fight over the fundamental structure and independence of the federal workforce. 00:09:23.855 --> 00:09:27.246 Section 2: Issues That Affect Retired Federal Workers 00:09:27.815 --> 00:09:31.915 First up is the closely watched projection for the 2026 00:09:31.915 --> 00:09:34.205 Cost-of-Living Adjustment, or COLA. 00:09:34.725 --> 00:09:39.675 Based on the latest inflation data from July, the 2026 COLA for Social 00:09:39.675 --> 00:09:44.376 Security benefits and Civil Service Retirement System, or CSRS, annuities 00:09:44.636 --> 00:09:46.716 is projected to be around 2.5 00:09:46.716 --> 00:09:47.415 to 2.7 00:09:47.415 --> 00:09:47.935 percent. 00:09:48.335 --> 00:09:51.485 The final figure will be locked in after the September inflation 00:09:51.485 --> 00:09:53.325 numbers are released in mid-October. 00:09:54.139 --> 00:09:57.480 However, for retirees under the Federal Employees Retirement System, 00:09:57.480 --> 00:09:59.960 or FERS, the story is different. 00:10:00.420 --> 00:10:04.079 The FERS system includes what is often called a "diet COLA." 00:10:04.459 --> 00:10:09.410 Under its formula, if the official COLA falls between 2 and 3 percent, FERS 00:10:09.410 --> 00:10:11.809 annuitants receive a flat 2 percent. 00:10:12.649 --> 00:10:15.640 If the COLA is 3 percent or higher, they receive the full 00:10:15.640 --> 00:10:17.669 amount minus one percentage point. 00:10:18.303 --> 00:10:20.363 Let's illustrate the real-world impact. 00:10:20.914 --> 00:10:22.943 Assuming the final COLA is 2.6 00:10:23.024 --> 00:10:27.904 percent, a CSRS retiree with a $50,000 annual pension would see 00:10:27.904 --> 00:10:30.724 their annuity increase by $1,300. 00:10:31.234 --> 00:10:34.813 A FERS retiree with the identical pension would receive only a 2 00:10:34.813 --> 00:10:37.563 percent increase, amounting to $1,000. 00:10:38.013 --> 00:10:43.614 That $300 difference may seem small, but it compounds year after year, leading 00:10:43.614 --> 00:10:48.343 to a gradual but significant erosion of purchasing power for FERS retirees 00:10:48.513 --> 00:10:50.613 compared to their CSRS counterparts. 00:10:51.223 --> 00:10:55.254 This structural inequity was designed as a cost-saving measure, but in 00:10:55.254 --> 00:10:59.464 an era of persistent inflation, it effectively shifts more of the 00:10:59.464 --> 00:11:03.683 inflation risk from the government onto the individual FERS retiree. 00:11:04.331 --> 00:11:08.101 Next, an important update from the Social Security Administration. 00:11:08.511 --> 00:11:12.411 While the agency is maintaining its normal payment schedule for September, 00:11:12.802 --> 00:11:17.252 a policy change regarding overpayments is causing significant financial 00:11:17.252 --> 00:11:19.291 distress for some beneficiaries. 00:11:19.890 --> 00:11:24.490 The SSA has begun aggressively recouping past overpayments by withholding 00:11:24.490 --> 00:11:28.650 50 percent of a recipient's monthly check until the debt is repaid. 00:11:29.319 --> 00:11:32.770 This is a dramatic increase from a temporary 10 percent cap 00:11:32.909 --> 00:11:34.489 that was previously in place. 00:11:35.329 --> 00:11:38.999 For retirees living on a fixed income, suddenly losing half of 00:11:38.999 --> 00:11:42.210 their monthly Social Security benefit can be devastating. 00:11:43.010 --> 00:11:47.549 This policy shift suggests a change in administrative priorities, moving from 00:11:47.549 --> 00:11:52.540 minimizing beneficiary hardship to a more aggressive fiscal recoupment strategy. 00:11:53.369 --> 00:11:56.680 This comes as the agency announced a new leadership team on September 00:11:56.680 --> 00:12:00.599 5th, which has been noted as being "light on government experience," 00:12:00.740 --> 00:12:04.020 potentially signaling further operational changes ahead. 00:12:04.886 --> 00:12:08.226 Section 3: Issues That Affect Current Federal Workers 00:12:08.821 --> 00:12:13.862 On August 31st, President Trump submitted his alternative pay plan to Congress. 00:12:14.391 --> 00:12:17.611 It calls for a one percent across-the-board increase to base 00:12:17.611 --> 00:12:22.552 pay, while freezing locality pay rates at their current 2025 levels. 00:12:23.155 --> 00:12:27.096 However, the plan creates a significant exception for certain 00:12:27.096 --> 00:12:28.646 law enforcement personnel. 00:12:29.206 --> 00:12:33.746 It directs OPM to use its special salary rate authority to provide 00:12:33.746 --> 00:12:37.626 these employees with a total pay raise of approximately 3.8 00:12:37.626 --> 00:12:41.185 percent, aligning their increase with that of the military. 00:12:41.925 --> 00:12:44.935 OPM will now consult with the Departments of Homeland Security, 00:12:45.146 --> 00:12:49.626 Justice, and the Interior to identify the specific job categories that will 00:12:49.626 --> 00:12:53.976 be eligible for this higher raise, with a focus on roles critical to border 00:12:53.976 --> 00:12:56.606 security and immigration enforcement. 00:12:57.214 --> 00:13:00.844 This two-tiered approach is more than just a fiscal decision; 00:13:01.214 --> 00:13:03.283 it is a clear policy statement. 00:13:03.874 --> 00:13:07.944 By singling out law enforcement for a substantial raise while offering a 00:13:07.944 --> 00:13:12.133 minimal one to the rest of the civil service, the administration is using 00:13:12.133 --> 00:13:17.494 compensation as a tool to signal its priorities and incentivize talent to flow 00:13:17.494 --> 00:13:19.514 into its preferred sectors of government. 00:13:20.230 --> 00:13:23.799 Federal employee unions immediately denounced the proposal. 00:13:24.290 --> 00:13:29.079 NTEU President Doreen Greenwald called the 1 percent raise "meager and 00:13:29.079 --> 00:13:31.860 inadequate" and demanded that the 3.8 00:13:31.860 --> 00:13:35.780 percent increase be extended to all federal employees. 00:13:36.360 --> 00:13:39.739 The union continues to back the FAIR Act, a bill in Congress that 00:13:39.739 --> 00:13:42.050 calls for an average raise of 4.3 00:13:42.050 --> 00:13:43.729 percent for 2026. 00:13:44.249 --> 00:13:47.409 It is worth noting that during the president's first term, Congress 00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:51.620 overruled his proposed pay freezes on multiple occasions, suggesting 00:13:51.620 --> 00:13:55.779 a potential legislative battle over the final pay figure is likely. 00:13:56.394 --> 00:14:00.054 Meanwhile, the Office of Personnel Management is moving forward with a 00:14:00.054 --> 00:14:04.524 series of reforms that are fundamentally reshaping how the government 00:14:04.524 --> 00:14:07.144 hires and manages new employees. 00:14:07.742 --> 00:14:12.541 On September 2nd, OPM announced a new two-page resume standard for 00:14:12.541 --> 00:14:16.421 all applications submitted through the USAJOBS website, which will 00:14:16.421 --> 00:14:18.402 take effect on September 27th. 00:14:18.962 --> 00:14:21.822 This change is part of the administration's broader "Merit 00:14:21.822 --> 00:14:26.021 Hiring Plan," which also updates job announcements to include 00:14:26.021 --> 00:14:29.441 language seeking candidates who are, quote, "passionate about the 00:14:29.441 --> 00:14:31.441 ideals of our American republic". 00:14:32.039 --> 00:14:35.579 In parallel, OPM has been implementing a major change to 00:14:35.579 --> 00:14:37.679 probationary periods for new hires. 00:14:38.030 --> 00:14:42.260 Under a new executive order, a new employee's appointment will no longer 00:14:42.260 --> 00:14:46.760 automatically become permanent after their one- or two-year probationary period. 00:14:47.220 --> 00:14:50.889 Instead, agencies must now affirmatively certify in writing 00:14:51.100 --> 00:14:54.709 that the employee's continued service is in the public interest. 00:14:55.159 --> 00:15:00.219 This shifts the default from retention to a system requiring active approval 00:15:00.360 --> 00:15:04.930 to keep a new employee, giving managers and political appointees significantly 00:15:04.930 --> 00:15:09.869 more power over the workforce before full civil service protections are granted. 00:15:10.479 --> 00:15:14.530 Combined, these policies create a system that streamlines the hiring 00:15:14.530 --> 00:15:19.020 of ideologically screened candidates and makes it easier to remove them 00:15:19.020 --> 00:15:20.850 before they gain career tenure. 00:15:21.550 --> 00:15:25.459 The subjective language in job announcements and the requirement for an 00:15:25.459 --> 00:15:30.520 affirmative political sign-off at the end of probation work together to potentially 00:15:30.520 --> 00:15:35.379 weaken the apolitical, merit-based foundation of the civil service. 00:15:35.991 --> 00:15:39.701 These policy shifts are occurring against a backdrop of significant 00:15:39.701 --> 00:15:41.671 turmoil in the federal headcount. 00:15:42.281 --> 00:15:46.502 The latest jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, released on September 00:15:46.502 --> 00:15:52.122 5th, showed that federal government employment fell by 15,000 in August alone. 00:15:52.771 --> 00:16:00.021 Since January of 2025, the federal workforce has shrunk by 97,000 positions. 00:16:00.670 --> 00:16:04.090 This official data reflects the ongoing mass layoffs 00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:06.089 initiated by the administration. 00:16:07.009 --> 00:16:11.279 The Partnership for Public Service estimates that as of late August, 00:16:11.630 --> 00:16:16.759 nearly 200,000 federal workers have already left their jobs amid plans to 00:16:16.759 --> 00:16:21.619 eliminate over 290,000 positions in total, largely through the Department 00:16:21.619 --> 00:16:23.449 of Government Efficiency initiative. 00:16:24.871 --> 00:16:26.911 Yet, this decline is not uniform. 00:16:27.581 --> 00:16:30.812 At the same time these layoffs are proceeding, the administration 00:16:30.812 --> 00:16:34.441 is planning to "surge hiring" in the very law enforcement 00:16:34.441 --> 00:16:36.642 agencies targeted for higher pay. 00:16:37.222 --> 00:16:41.631 This reveals a strategic reallocation of federal resources—a de facto 00:16:41.631 --> 00:16:45.561 reorganization of government through attrition and replacement, shrinking 00:16:45.561 --> 00:16:49.272 regulatory and service-oriented agencies while expanding 00:16:49.272 --> 00:16:50.942 those focused on enforcement. 00:16:51.599 --> 00:16:56.409 Finally, several bills pending in Congress illustrate the deep, competing visions 00:16:56.699 --> 00:16:58.860 for the future of the federal workforce. 00:16:59.471 --> 00:17:03.511 On one side is the Federal Employee Performance and Accountability Act, H.R. 00:17:03.511 --> 00:17:04.221 201. 00:17:04.732 --> 00:17:08.742 This bill would create a pilot program where pay for senior employees is 00:17:08.742 --> 00:17:13.501 tied directly to performance ratings, including a mandatory 10 percent pay cut 00:17:13.681 --> 00:17:16.081 for those rated "below expectations". 00:17:17.161 --> 00:17:20.831 Another bill, the Federal Employee Return to Work Act, H.R. 00:17:20.831 --> 00:17:26.811 236, would make any employee who teleworks even one day a week ineligible for annual 00:17:26.811 --> 00:17:29.222 pay raises and locality pay adjustments. 00:17:29.827 --> 00:17:33.987 On the other side stands the FAIR Act, which advocates for a 4.3 00:17:33.987 --> 00:17:38.157 percent pay raise for all employees, and the Equal COLA Act, which would 00:17:38.157 --> 00:17:42.758 ensure FERS retirees receive the same full cost-of-living adjustment 00:17:42.758 --> 00:17:44.718 as their CSRS counterparts. 00:17:45.338 --> 00:17:49.947 These bills represent a legislative battle over the core principles of federal 00:17:49.947 --> 00:17:55.227 employment—pitting a vision of control, punishment, and austerity against one of 00:17:55.227 --> 00:17:57.537 competitive compensation and fairness. 00:17:58.317 --> 00:18:01.777 The path these bills take will say a great deal about the future 00:18:01.777 --> 00:18:03.857 culture of the federal workplace. 00:18:04.475 --> 00:18:07.785 And that’s a wrap on this week’s Federal Workforce Roundup. 00:18:08.506 --> 00:18:12.526 The landscape for federal employees and retirees is constantly shifting, 00:18:12.746 --> 00:18:16.875 with major decisions being made about everything from pay and job security 00:18:17.236 --> 00:18:21.056 to retirement benefits and the very structure of the civil service. 00:18:21.595 --> 00:18:23.915 Staying informed is your best tool. 00:18:24.386 --> 00:18:29.155 Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, so you never miss an update. 00:18:29.733 --> 00:18:30.824 Thanks for tuning in. 00:18:30.963 --> 00:18:34.084 We’ll be back next week to track the latest developments 00:18:34.084 --> 00:18:35.464 and what they mean for you. 00:18:35.883 --> 00:18:38.594 Until then, stay engaged and be well.