WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.039 --> 00:00:05.949 Lawrence: Welcome to The FED Weekly for 12-18 October 2025, your essential 00:00:05.949 --> 00:00:09.520 weekly briefing on the policies and proposals shaping your career, 00:00:09.829 --> 00:00:12.020 your benefits, and your retirement. 00:00:12.789 --> 00:00:17.250 Whether you’re a current federal employee navigating changes in the civil service, 00:00:17.719 --> 00:00:22.510 or a retiree keeping a close watch on your hard-earned pension and healthcare, this 00:00:22.510 --> 00:00:27.420 is your source for the latest news from Capitol Hill and the executive branch. 00:00:28.019 --> 00:00:32.010 Each week, we cut through the noise to bring you the critical updates on budget 00:00:32.010 --> 00:00:37.469 negotiations, pay raises, workforce policies, and the legislative battles that 00:00:37.469 --> 00:00:39.690 directly impact the federal community. 00:00:40.419 --> 00:00:43.870 Let's get you up to speed on what happened this past week. 00:00:44.575 --> 00:00:47.956 Issues That Affect Current and Retired Federal Workers 00:00:48.555 --> 00:00:51.966 The Deepening Financial Crisis and Back Pay Uncertainty 00:00:52.559 --> 00:00:57.849 The lapse in annual appropriations, which began on October 1, 2025, pushed 00:00:57.849 --> 00:01:02.290 the federal workforce past a critical financial threshold during this period. 00:01:03.009 --> 00:01:07.419 For hundreds of thousands of civilian federal employees, the failure of Congress 00:01:07.419 --> 00:01:12.020 and the President to resolve the funding impasse resulted in the first full missed 00:01:12.020 --> 00:01:17.819 paychecks around October 15, covering the pay period that ended on October 18. 00:01:18.720 --> 00:01:23.579 This financial shock affects two distinct groups: the estimated 700,000 00:01:23.579 --> 00:01:27.490 or more employees who have been officially furloughed, and the nearly 00:01:27.490 --> 00:01:32.470 equal number of "excepted" personnel, who are required to work without 00:01:32.470 --> 00:01:34.959 compensation during the shutdown. 00:01:35.769 --> 00:01:39.569 The stress on federal families has intensified, with union leaders 00:01:39.569 --> 00:01:43.270 claiming workers are being "held hostage by a political dispute". 00:01:44.200 --> 00:01:46.840 This period also saw significant uncertainty 00:01:46.840 --> 00:01:49.130 surrounding guaranteed back pay. 00:01:50.040 --> 00:01:53.959 Although receiving back pay after a shutdown has been a long-standing 00:01:53.959 --> 00:01:57.840 practice, President Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday of this week 00:01:58.129 --> 00:02:01.949 that furloughed employees would not necessarily receive this benefit. 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:05.440 The administration later issued guidance suggesting that only 00:02:05.440 --> 00:02:09.620 excepted employees working without pay were guaranteed back pay. 00:02:10.170 --> 00:02:14.370 This threat, widely seen as a strong-arm negotiating tactic, created 00:02:14.370 --> 00:02:18.800 substantial unease and panic throughout the workforce, as employees already 00:02:18.800 --> 00:02:23.580 facing the loss of an entire paycheck confronted the possibility that their 00:02:23.580 --> 00:02:26.149 lost income might never be recovered. 00:02:26.871 --> 00:02:30.621 An acute disparity arose regarding pay for military personnel. 00:02:31.192 --> 00:02:33.931 Active-duty service members were facing the prospect of 00:02:33.931 --> 00:02:36.512 missing a paycheck on October 15. 00:02:37.371 --> 00:02:41.031 To mitigate this potential political pressure point, President Trump 00:02:41.031 --> 00:02:45.332 directed the Pentagon to repurpose approximately $8 billion in military 00:02:45.332 --> 00:02:49.381 research and development funds to ensure active-duty troops received 00:02:49.381 --> 00:02:51.612 payment for up to two pay periods. 00:02:52.151 --> 00:02:56.372 This executive maneuver temporarily removed one major element of financial 00:02:56.372 --> 00:03:00.192 pressure from the budget negotiations, although it simultaneously drew 00:03:00.192 --> 00:03:04.692 criticism and legal scrutiny concerning the Executive Branch's authority to 00:03:04.692 --> 00:03:08.811 unilaterally divert congressionally appropriated funds from one 00:03:08.811 --> 00:03:11.741 purpose (R&D) to another (payroll). 00:03:11.912 --> 00:03:16.102 The decision to secure military pay while civilian workers faced threats to their 00:03:16.102 --> 00:03:20.532 back pay amplified the perception that the financial distress of the civilian 00:03:20.532 --> 00:03:25.991 workforce was being deliberately utilized as leverage to push political demands. 00:03:27.838 --> 00:03:32.628 Shocking Increase in 2026 Health Benefits Premiums and Open Season 00:03:33.234 --> 00:03:37.194 A major announcement from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) this 00:03:37.194 --> 00:03:41.444 week delivered a severe financial blow to both current and retired federal 00:03:41.444 --> 00:03:47.654 employees: the details of the 2026 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program. 00:03:48.284 --> 00:03:52.604 OPM announced on October 9, 2025, that the average enrollee share 00:03:52.604 --> 00:03:58.044 of premiums under the FEHB program will increase sharply by 12.3% 00:03:58.333 --> 00:04:00.274 for the 2026 plan year. 00:04:01.046 --> 00:04:06.805 This increase marks the second consecutive year of double-digit premium hikes, a 00:04:06.805 --> 00:04:11.046 trend that federal employee advocacy groups, such as the National Active and 00:04:11.046 --> 00:04:15.956 Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), have decried as unsustainable. 00:04:16.586 --> 00:04:20.225 This announcement is particularly impactful because it occurred 00:04:20.225 --> 00:04:24.366 while current employees are facing financial ruin due to the shutdown. 00:04:24.416 --> 00:04:29.026 Employees currently navigating the stress of missed paychecks must soon 00:04:29.026 --> 00:04:34.536 begin comparing coverage options during the 2025 Federal Benefits Open Season, 00:04:34.935 --> 00:04:40.065 scheduled to run from November 10 through December 8, 2025, knowing they 00:04:40.065 --> 00:04:44.505 must budget for significantly higher healthcare costs in the coming year. 00:04:45.115 --> 00:04:49.286 Furthermore, the new plan year brings instability in carrier options. 00:04:49.806 --> 00:04:54.675 For 2026, six plans, offering a total of eight options, will be dropping 00:04:54.675 --> 00:04:59.375 out of the FEHB program, including the NALC Health Benefit Plan Standard and 00:04:59.375 --> 00:05:04.246 High options, and various options from carriers such as Health Alliance HMO, 00:05:04.525 --> 00:05:08.916 AvMed Health Plan, Independent Health, and Blue Care Network of Michigan. 00:05:09.506 --> 00:05:12.916 This forces thousands of employees and annuitants to select a new plan 00:05:12.916 --> 00:05:16.295 during Open Season, compounding the financial stress with 00:05:16.295 --> 00:05:18.296 complex administrative choices. 00:05:18.962 --> 00:05:22.761 Thrift Savings Plan Stability and Financial Relief Legislation 00:05:23.367 --> 00:05:27.498 Amidst the economic turmoil, the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) provided 00:05:27.498 --> 00:05:31.217 crucial stability and operational reassurance to its participants. 00:05:31.758 --> 00:05:36.737 The TSP confirmed that, despite the ongoing lapse in appropriations, it 00:05:36.737 --> 00:05:39.088 continues its normal daily operations. 00:05:39.467 --> 00:05:43.258 For active participants who have outstanding TSP loans and have been 00:05:43.258 --> 00:05:47.528 placed in a non-pay status due to the shutdown, the TSP proactively 00:05:47.528 --> 00:05:51.028 stated it will automatically update the employee's status. 00:05:51.057 --> 00:05:55.708 This ensures that the participant’s loan remains in good standing, thus preventing 00:05:55.708 --> 00:06:00.557 a default that could incur substantial tax penalties, even if scheduled repayments 00:06:00.557 --> 00:06:02.837 are missed during the funding lapse. 00:06:03.491 --> 00:06:07.332 In Congress, several bills were introduced or advanced to protect 00:06:07.332 --> 00:06:11.292 federal workers from the financial collateral damage of the shutdown. 00:06:11.712 --> 00:06:16.781 Congressman Suhas Subramanyam, along with co-sponsors, introduced the Shutdown 00:06:16.781 --> 00:06:19.132 Guidance for Financial Institutions Act. 00:06:19.562 --> 00:06:24.042 This bill aims to shield furloughed and excepted employees from losing 00:06:24.042 --> 00:06:28.122 access to credit and suffering negative consequences on their credit scores 00:06:28.441 --> 00:06:30.611 due to temporary payment difficulties. 00:06:30.661 --> 00:06:34.882 It mandates federal financial regulators, such as the Federal Reserve and the 00:06:34.882 --> 00:06:39.931 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, to issue guidance encouraging institutions 00:06:39.931 --> 00:06:45.852 to offer relief, such as loan modification or new credit extensions, and requiring 00:06:45.852 --> 00:06:50.082 them to prevent adverse credit reporting related to shutdown hardship. 00:06:50.743 --> 00:06:55.624 A related measure co-sponsored by Congressman Subramanyam is the Emergency 00:06:55.624 --> 00:07:00.634 Relief for Federal Workers Act, which would allow federal workers to make 00:07:00.634 --> 00:07:05.103 penalty-free withdrawals from their retirement accounts during a shutdown. 00:07:05.653 --> 00:07:10.624 These legislative proposals collectively underscore the critical need for systemic 00:07:10.624 --> 00:07:14.654 protections when the government’s failure to fund itself places the financial 00:07:14.654 --> 00:07:16.933 security of its workers at risk. 00:07:17.537 --> 00:07:19.938 Issues That Affect Retired Federal Workers 00:07:20.550 --> 00:07:23.360 Delayed COLA Announcement and the FERS Penalty 00:07:23.958 --> 00:07:28.217 The government shutdown caused a direct logistical delay in the calculation and 00:07:28.217 --> 00:07:33.317 announcement of the 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), affecting all federal 00:07:33.317 --> 00:07:35.628 annuitants and Social Security recipients. 00:07:36.288 --> 00:07:40.828 The annual COLA calculation relies on the release of the September Consumer 00:07:40.828 --> 00:07:46.227 Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) data by 00:07:46.227 --> 00:07:48.617 the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). 00:07:49.268 --> 00:07:55.367 The CPI release, originally scheduled for Wednesday, October 15, 2025, was postponed 00:07:55.367 --> 00:07:59.367 due to the funding lapse, effectively delaying the final COLA announcement. 00:07:59.981 --> 00:08:05.102 The Social Security Administration (SSA) confirmed on October 14, 2025, 00:08:05.491 --> 00:08:09.372 that the COLA announcement would be delayed until the BLS releases the 00:08:09.372 --> 00:08:14.702 September CPI figures, now rescheduled for Friday, October 24, 2025. 00:08:15.531 --> 00:08:19.171 While officially delayed, projections based on inflation data through 00:08:19.171 --> 00:08:25.251 August 2025 anticipate the 2026 COLA will be approximately 2.7%. 00:08:26.086 --> 00:08:31.055 This delay forces retirees to budget for 2026 based on two highly 00:08:31.055 --> 00:08:35.025 uncertain figures: an official COLA rate that has not yet been confirmed, 00:08:35.346 --> 00:08:38.325 and a confirmed, staggering 12.3% 00:08:38.496 --> 00:08:41.496 average increase in their FEHB premiums. 00:08:42.406 --> 00:08:46.935 The postponement of the COLA, while only nine days, creates immediate financial 00:08:46.935 --> 00:08:51.376 planning difficulties for those on fixed incomes who require the precise rate to 00:08:51.376 --> 00:08:55.546 assess their purchasing power against rising costs, especially healthcare. 00:08:56.143 --> 00:08:59.373 The period also provided a reminder of the permanent legislative 00:08:59.373 --> 00:09:03.614 disadvantage faced by Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) annuitants. 00:09:04.244 --> 00:09:09.333 The current law dictates that when the inflation rate (CPI-W) falls between 2.01% 00:09:09.333 --> 00:09:10.444 and 3.0%, 00:09:10.864 --> 00:09:14.663 FERS retirees receive a capped increase of only 2.0%, 00:09:15.313 --> 00:09:18.104 which is lower than the full increase received by Civil Service 00:09:18.104 --> 00:09:22.993 Retirement System (CSRS) retirees and Social Security beneficiaries. 00:09:23.663 --> 00:09:27.513 For the 2025 COLA, FERS retirees received 2.0%, 00:09:27.804 --> 00:09:29.254 compared to the 2.5% 00:09:29.254 --> 00:09:31.554 applied to CSRS and Social Security. 00:09:31.984 --> 00:09:35.664 This structural difference leads to a continuous, compounding erosion of 00:09:35.664 --> 00:09:40.063 FERS retirement benefits over time, motivating support for legislation 00:09:40.063 --> 00:09:42.604 such as the Equal COLA Act (H.R. 00:09:42.604 --> 00:09:43.684 866 and S. 00:09:43.684 --> 00:09:46.784 3194) aimed at eliminating this penalty. 00:09:47.499 --> 00:09:49.539 The OPM Retirement Processing Crisis 00:09:50.135 --> 00:09:53.365 The retirement system for federal employees is currently facing 00:09:53.365 --> 00:09:57.525 an unprecedented crisis of capacity, amplified significantly 00:09:57.525 --> 00:09:59.056 by the ongoing shutdown. 00:09:59.616 --> 00:10:03.726 This crisis stems from the historic mass exodus of the federal workforce, 00:10:03.955 --> 00:10:07.516 driven by a combination of standard retirements, buyouts, and the 00:10:07.516 --> 00:10:10.085 Deferred Resignation Program (DRP). 00:10:10.734 --> 00:10:15.803 Leading up to the end of Fiscal Year 2025 (September 30), the federal 00:10:15.803 --> 00:10:20.354 government experienced a massive wave of departures, including approximately 00:10:20.354 --> 00:10:26.993 154,000 employees who accepted buyout offers and were removed from the payroll, 00:10:27.233 --> 00:10:32.073 alongside an 18% surge in regular retirements compared to the previous 00:10:32.073 --> 00:10:35.673 year, totaling nearly 105,000 annuitants. 00:10:35.784 --> 00:10:40.804 Many of the 60,000 workers who retired via the DRP are among those 00:10:40.804 --> 00:10:42.444 currently awaiting their benefits. 00:10:43.071 --> 00:10:47.231 This volume has overwhelmed the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which 00:10:47.231 --> 00:10:49.021 handles final annuity processing. 00:10:49.642 --> 00:10:56.351 As of mid-October 2025, OPM is grappling with a backlog of over 35,000 unprocessed 00:10:56.441 --> 00:11:01.302 retirement claims, resulting in average processing times stretching to 76 days. 00:11:02.181 --> 00:11:05.841 The fundamental problem is that the wave of mass departures was not 00:11:05.841 --> 00:11:07.941 matched by administrative capacity. 00:11:07.982 --> 00:11:11.761 The government's push for rapid workforce reduction effectively 00:11:11.761 --> 00:11:15.991 dismantled the administrative infrastructure—both at OPM and in 00:11:15.991 --> 00:11:20.511 agency Human Resources offices—necessary to administer the benefits owed 00:11:20.511 --> 00:11:22.201 to those departing employees. 00:11:22.798 --> 00:11:26.567 The operational complexities of the shutdown have worsened this problem. 00:11:27.298 --> 00:11:30.097 OPM workers responsible for handling paperwork and 00:11:30.097 --> 00:11:31.687 payroll have been furloughed. 00:11:32.388 --> 00:11:36.298 Furthermore, final retirement applications cannot be processed 00:11:36.298 --> 00:11:40.987 until the separating agency issues the employee’s final paycheck, a step 00:11:40.987 --> 00:11:45.038 that is itself disrupted by the agency furloughs imposed by the shutdown. 00:11:45.618 --> 00:11:50.457 This bureaucratic logjam leaves thousands of recent retirees in financial limbo, 00:11:50.497 --> 00:11:55.007 receiving only interim annuity payments or waiting for the FERS Annuity Supplement 00:11:55.007 --> 00:11:57.608 to begin after case finalization. 00:11:58.395 --> 00:12:02.816 OPM Director Scott Kupor acknowledged the crisis, characterizing the legacy 00:12:02.816 --> 00:12:07.455 paper-based retirement process, centered at the Retirement Operations Center 00:12:07.455 --> 00:12:09.926 in Boyers, Pennsylvania, as archaic. 00:12:10.445 --> 00:12:15.745 Kupor stated he remains optimistic and is pursuing modernization efforts, including 00:12:15.745 --> 00:12:19.846 mandating the use of the new Online Retirement Application (ORA) system, which 00:12:19.846 --> 00:12:25.575 provides OPM early visibility into the projected 60,000 claims in the pipeline. 00:12:26.276 --> 00:12:31.635 Additionally, OPM is coordinating with other agencies to detail HR staff to OPM 00:12:31.696 --> 00:12:33.676 to assist with the overwhelming workload. 00:12:34.295 --> 00:12:37.505 Legislation to Enhance Retirement Creditable Service 00:12:38.107 --> 00:12:42.497 For employees approaching retirement, the Federal Retirement Fairness Act (H.R. 00:12:42.497 --> 00:12:46.398 1522) remains a vital piece of pending legislation. 00:12:47.117 --> 00:12:49.848 This bill proposes to amend Title 5 of the U.S. 00:12:49.848 --> 00:12:54.078 Code to allow civilian service performed in a temporary position after 00:12:54.078 --> 00:12:59.007 December 31, 1988, to be counted as creditable service under the Federal 00:12:59.007 --> 00:13:00.867 Employees Retirement System (FERS). 00:13:01.697 --> 00:13:06.287 If enacted, this measure would allow thousands of employees to buy back 00:13:06.287 --> 00:13:10.557 time previously deemed non-creditable, potentially increasing their 00:13:10.557 --> 00:13:14.858 retirement annuity calculation and accelerating their eligibility date. 00:13:15.523 --> 00:13:17.944 Issues That Affect Current Federal Workers 00:13:18.519 --> 00:13:21.390 Implementation of Targeted Mass Layoffs (RIFs) 00:13:21.961 --> 00:13:26.462 The defining event for current federal workers during this week was the beginning 00:13:26.462 --> 00:13:30.572 of mass, permanent layoffs across the civil service, implemented under the 00:13:30.572 --> 00:13:33.062 guise of the ongoing funding lapse. 00:13:33.631 --> 00:13:38.102 The administration had utilized the lack of appropriations to execute planned 00:13:38.102 --> 00:13:43.222 workforce elimination, targeting programs inconsistent with the President’s agenda. 00:13:44.359 --> 00:13:48.800 On Friday, October 10, 2025 (just preceding the start of this reporting 00:13:48.800 --> 00:13:52.969 period), White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell 00:13:52.969 --> 00:13:57.200 Vought announced that Reductions in Force (RIFs) were officially underway. 00:13:58.019 --> 00:14:01.649 These layoffs are highly strategic, directed specifically at programs and 00:14:01.649 --> 00:14:06.979 activities that satisfy three conditions: discretionary funding lapses on October 00:14:06.979 --> 00:14:13.340 1, 2025; no other funding source is available; and the program is inconsistent 00:14:13.340 --> 00:14:14.830 with the President’s priorities. 00:14:15.149 --> 00:14:19.630 OMB Director Vought was quoted as saying that the targeted programs "are never 00:14:19.630 --> 00:14:21.819 going to come back, in many cases". 00:14:23.259 --> 00:14:28.620 Reports by October 14, 2025, confirmed that RIF notices had 00:14:28.620 --> 00:14:33.159 been issued to approximately 4,200 federal employees across seven 00:14:33.159 --> 00:14:35.100 agencies in the initial phase. 00:14:35.629 --> 00:14:39.840 The agencies facing the deepest immediate cuts included the Treasury Department, 00:14:40.099 --> 00:14:45.250 which issued RIF notices to 1,446 employees, and the Department of Health 00:14:45.250 --> 00:14:51.410 and Human Services (HHS), which targeted between 1,100 and 1,200 employees. 00:14:51.449 --> 00:14:56.620 Other agencies included the Department of Education (466 employees), Department 00:14:56.620 --> 00:15:02.019 of Housing and Urban Development (442 employees), Commerce Department (315 00:15:02.019 --> 00:15:06.589 employees), Energy Department (187 employees), and the Department of 00:15:06.589 --> 00:15:09.589 Homeland Security (176 employees). 00:15:10.080 --> 00:15:15.150 However, in a confusing development, 700 firings issued to staff at the 00:15:15.150 --> 00:15:19.490 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were abruptly reversed 00:15:19.490 --> 00:15:22.139 over the weekend of October 12–13. 00:15:22.765 --> 00:15:25.396 Procedural Chaos and Administrative Cruelty 00:15:25.953 --> 00:15:30.264 The process of issuing these RIF notices during the shutdown created 00:15:30.264 --> 00:15:34.694 widespread administrative chaos and intensified employee distress. 00:15:35.184 --> 00:15:39.173 Employees who had been furloughed—which applies to most personnel in departments 00:15:39.173 --> 00:15:43.854 like Education—were unable to access their official government email accounts. 00:15:44.403 --> 00:15:49.483 Since RIF notices were sent to these inaccessible official emails, employees 00:15:49.483 --> 00:15:54.153 at the Department of Education reported being "in a panic" because they had no 00:15:54.153 --> 00:15:56.204 way to confirm if they had been fired. 00:15:56.954 --> 00:16:00.653 They were forced to seek permission to check their accounts or rely 00:16:00.653 --> 00:16:04.914 on communication from "excepted" co-workers who retained access. 00:16:05.570 --> 00:16:09.500 This communication failure during a high-stakes personnel action 00:16:09.809 --> 00:16:14.700 exacerbated the already severe anxiety gripping the workforce, which had 00:16:14.700 --> 00:16:19.059 endured months of reductions and threats leading up to the shutdown. 00:16:19.769 --> 00:16:23.979 The timing of the firings was also heavily criticized, with one employee 00:16:23.979 --> 00:16:28.360 noting the RIFs in the special education program office were conducted the 00:16:28.360 --> 00:16:32.179 day before the funeral of a longtime division director, underscoring the 00:16:32.179 --> 00:16:36.880 perceived lack of consideration for the human impact of the downsizing. 00:16:37.499 --> 00:16:42.599 Executive Order 14356: Restructuring Federal Hiring and Accountability 00:16:43.218 --> 00:16:47.318 In a move cementing the administration’s structural control over the workforce, 00:16:47.608 --> 00:16:53.478 President Trump signed Executive Order 14356, "Ensuring Continued Accountability 00:16:53.478 --> 00:16:57.237 in Federal Hiring," on October 15, 2025. 00:16:57.798 --> 00:17:01.688 This order fundamentally restructures how the government hires career 00:17:01.688 --> 00:17:06.008 employees, extending political oversight over personnel decisions far 00:17:06.008 --> 00:17:08.208 beyond the immediate shutdown crisis. 00:17:08.907 --> 00:17:13.317 The order imposes a strict constraint, stipulating that no vacant civilian 00:17:13.317 --> 00:17:17.617 position may be filled, and no new position may be created, except as 00:17:17.617 --> 00:17:19.678 explicitly provided for in the order. 00:17:20.468 --> 00:17:24.708 This mandate effectively institutionalizes an indefinite hiring freeze, 00:17:24.937 --> 00:17:29.148 requiring every agency to justify the necessity of filling any position. 00:17:29.735 --> 00:17:33.515 The primary mechanism for this control is the mandated establishment of 00:17:33.515 --> 00:17:38.975 a Strategic Hiring Committee (SHC) within 30 days of the order’s issuance. 00:17:39.515 --> 00:17:43.265 These committees are composed of senior agency leadership, including 00:17:43.265 --> 00:17:47.275 the deputy agency head and the chief of staff—positions typically 00:17:47.275 --> 00:17:49.046 held by political appointees. 00:17:49.665 --> 00:17:53.005 The SHC is tasked with approving the creation or filling of 00:17:53.005 --> 00:17:54.956 each vacancy within the agency. 00:17:56.121 --> 00:18:00.392 Crucially, the SHC must ensure that agency hiring is consistent with "the 00:18:00.392 --> 00:18:04.591 national interest, agency needs, and the priorities of my Administration". 00:18:05.241 --> 00:18:09.402 Agencies are also required to create Annual Staffing Plans, which will be 00:18:09.402 --> 00:18:11.942 monitored quarterly by OPM and OMB. 00:18:11.942 --> 00:18:16.821 The incorporation of "Administration priorities" as a mandatory criterion 00:18:16.821 --> 00:18:21.061 for approving career civil service vacancies moves the hiring process 00:18:21.061 --> 00:18:25.891 away from traditionally non-partisan, merit-based selection and centralizes 00:18:25.962 --> 00:18:29.441 political control over the composition of the career workforce. 00:18:29.882 --> 00:18:34.161 This directive is seen by critics as a long-term mechanism to ensure that 00:18:34.161 --> 00:18:38.621 the federal bureaucracy is staffed by individuals aligned with the incumbent 00:18:38.621 --> 00:18:43.242 political agenda, regardless of the agency's specific mission requirements. 00:18:43.959 --> 00:18:46.939 Pending Congressional Relief for Active Employees 00:18:47.555 --> 00:18:51.765 To directly counter the threats facing current federal workers, specific 00:18:51.765 --> 00:18:54.296 legislation remains pending in Congress. 00:18:54.836 --> 00:18:59.165 The Securing Assurance for Federal Employees (SAFE) Act was introduced to 00:18:59.165 --> 00:19:03.595 explicitly prohibit the administration from conducting Reductions in Force 00:19:03.925 --> 00:19:06.206 (RIFs) during a government shutdown. 00:19:06.835 --> 00:19:09.575 Its passage would prevent the weaponization of funding 00:19:09.575 --> 00:19:13.395 lapses as a mechanism for permanent workforce reductions. 00:19:14.034 --> 00:19:16.924 Additionally, in response to the operational burden imposed 00:19:16.924 --> 00:19:20.734 by the shutdown, Representative Ilhan Omar introduced H.R. 00:19:20.734 --> 00:19:25.404 5720, which aims to provide reimbursement to federal employees 00:19:25.593 --> 00:19:29.614 for childcare expenses incurred due to the lapse in appropriations 00:19:29.824 --> 00:19:32.914 that began on October 1, 2025. 00:19:33.154 --> 00:19:37.863 This acknowledgment of the ancillary costs and logistical challenges imposed 00:19:37.863 --> 00:19:42.143 on working federal parents during a shutdown highlights the comprehensive 00:19:42.143 --> 00:19:44.764 disruption caused by the funding crisis. 00:19:45.387 --> 00:19:48.667 And that’s a wrap on this week’s Federal Workforce Roundup. 00:19:49.048 --> 00:19:53.537 The landscape for federal employees and retirees is constantly shifting, 00:19:53.887 --> 00:19:58.268 with major decisions being made about everything from pay and job security 00:19:58.507 --> 00:20:02.448 to retirement benefits and the very structure of the civil service. 00:20:03.018 --> 00:20:04.968 Staying informed is your best tool. 00:20:05.368 --> 00:20:09.997 Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, so you never miss an update. 00:20:10.717 --> 00:20:11.758 Thanks for tuning in. 00:20:11.997 --> 00:20:14.747 We’ll be back next week to track the latest developments 00:20:14.747 --> 00:20:16.187 and what they mean for you. 00:20:16.847 --> 00:20:19.458 Until then, stay engaged and be well.