Tag

Opm

All articles tagged with #opm

government-and-policy8 days ago•3 min saved

Federal Health Premiums Rise 10.9% for 2027 Amid Pay Freeze Debate

Federal employees and retirees will face an average 10.9% increase in health insurance premiums for 2027, marking the third consecutive year of double-digit hikes. While the rate of increase has slowed compared to 2026, the cumulative cost burden remains significant. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) attributes the rise to higher costs for surgical services, prescription drugs, and behavioral health. Unions argue that these increases, combined with a proposed 2027 pay freeze, effectively reduce take-home pay and hinder recruitment. Open Season for plan selection runs from November 9 to December 14, 2026.

via Federal News Network|

#federal-benefits #fehb #government-and-policy

politics23 days ago•1 min saved

GAO Finds Billions in Exit Pay Tied to Trump’s Push to Shrink Federal Workforce

A GAO audit reports the Trump administration’s aggressive effort to shrink the federal workforce included a $6.7 billion paid-exit program for workers who quit, part of a broader push that cut the federal headcount by about 300,000 (13%) since 2024 to its smallest size in nearly two decades. The administration touts hundreds of billions in savings, while critics warn the strategy eroded expertise and left agencies understaffed.

via Politico|

#exit-payments #federal-workforce #gao

technology4 months ago•5 min saved

OPM taps Oracle to lead government-wide HR IT overhaul

OPM awarded a nearly $400 million, 10-year contract to Oracle to build a cloud-based, government-wide HR platform intended to consolidate 119 disparate federal HR systems, standardize data, and streamline payroll, benefits and employee services across agencies, with phased deployment starting for initial agencies and a launch timeline likely pushed from 2027; the award follows earlier bid protests and is part of the Federal HR 2.0 modernization push.

via Federal News Network|

#cloud-computing #federal-hr #government-it

politics4 months ago•4 min saved

Trump pushes sweeping NDAs for federal workers to curb leaks

OPM published a draft non-disclosure agreement for current and new federal workers intended to curb media leaks, saying the document documents obligations to safeguard non-public information and does not create new substantive speech restrictions, while preserving whistleblower rights. Critics, including the largest federal union, warn the measure could chill free speech and be used to pressure agencies to require signing; the public has 30 days to comment before finalization, and past leaks cited in the notice—about a Venezuela raid and ICE agent data—frame the context.

via BBC|

#federal-employees #leaks #ndas

government4 months ago•6 min saved

OPM pushes nationwide NDA for federal workers to curb leaks

OPM proposes a governmentwide non-disclosure agreement for federal employees, allowing agencies to mandate signing through future job announcements; the NDA would cover internal operations and other sensitive, pre-decisional information with signed forms stored in eOPFs, and it would not expand whistleblower protections, though critics warn it could chill disclosures and lead to discipline for noncompliance; the plan seeks public feedback as part of a broader effort to curb leaks.

via Federal News Network|

#federal-employees #government #leaks

politics4 months ago•3 min saved

White House Proposes National NDA for Federal Employees, Sparking Debate

OPM proposes a government-wide nondisclosure agreement for federal employees to curb unauthorized disclosures and protect confidential information; agencies could choose to apply the NDA to onboarding and current staff, with civil and criminal penalties for violations, but it would not affect legally protected whistleblower disclosures; unions and critics warn it could chill candor and silence employees, as the rule enters a 30-day public comment period.

via NBC News|

#confidential-information #federal-employees #ndas

politics4 months ago•2 min saved

US pushes sweeping federal NDAs to curb leaks to journalists

The Trump administration, through the Office of Personnel Management, released a draft nondisclosure agreement that would require federal employees to refrain from sharing confidential information with journalists, with civil and criminal penalties and even royalties for disclosed information. Former employees would need written authorization to speak to the press, though disclosures to Congress or inspectors general would be exempt. Critics say the plan targets federal workers and weakens accountability, while supporters claim it protects sensitive operations; the NDA remains a draft as part of a broader effort to control information flow.

via The Guardian|

#federal-employees #leaks-to-journalists #nondisclosure-agreement

policy5 months ago•2 min saved

OPM Pushes Prevention-First Plan to Cut Federal Health Costs for 2027

The Trump administration’s OPM is asking FEHB and PSHB carriers to emphasize prevention, wellness, and long‑term affordability in plan year 2027, expanding access to non‑drug interventions and digital therapeutics while dropping cash incentives for vaccines. FEHB will cover all recommended vaccines with a renewed focus on informing participants of risks. Carriers have under two months to align benefits and adjust premiums for 2027. Separately, OPM is seeking monthly reports from insurers with medical, pharmacy, and provider data to monitor costs and plan quality, a move privacy experts describe as vague and potentially allowing access to identifiable medical records. Overall, officials expect a modest shift toward treating underlying causes and innovative cost-saving approaches rather than symptoms.

via FEDmanager|

#fehb #opm #policy

local6 months ago•4 min saved

Backlog Leaves Postal Retirees Waiting Months for Federal Benefits

CBS Texas reports that thousands of federal retirees, including postal workers, are facing months-long delays in receiving retirement benefits as the USPS and the Office of Personnel Management cope with a shift from paper to electronic processing and a surge in new retirements. Some retirees have only partial interim pay while awaiting full benefits, and officials say paper filings take 90–100 days, with electronic filings processing faster as they work to speed up processing.

via CBS News|

#benefits-delays #federal-retirement-benefits #local

government6 months ago•5 min saved

OPM chief backs growing federal ranks by cutting contractors

OPM Director Scott Kupor told lawmakers he would be “perfectly happy” to hire more federal employees if agencies cut the use of contractors, arguing the current contractor workforce acts as a costly “shadow” and that shifting dollars to federal headcount could save taxpayers and improve services. Agencies are being asked to publish annual staffing plans balancing contractor and federal staff needs, while continuing to fill key talent gaps and expand early-career recruitment via initiatives like Tech Force; Kupor also signaled support for a stronger performance-management system to speed up removals of underperformers.

via Federal News Network|

#contractors #early-career #federal-workforce

government7 months ago•5 min saved

OPM pushes merit-first layoffs in federal workforce

OPM proposes changing federal RIF rules to prioritize performance over tenure, creating a 'retention register' that rewards high performers (and adds veterans’ preference points) while tie-breaks favor longer service; temporary and time-limited staff would be exempt from RIFs. If finalized, the shakeup would streamline layoffs but critics say it risks arbitrary, politically motivated firings and further politicizing the civil service as the administration pushes broader personnel changes.

via Federal News Network|

#federal-workforce #government #opm

science-and-technology7 months ago•1 min saved

NASA and OPM Launch NASA Force to Fast-Track Space Talent

NASA and the Office of Personnel Management unveiled NASA Force, a dedicated talent track within the US Tech Force initiative to recruit and place top engineers and technologists into mission-critical roles at NASA, supporting exploration, research, and aerospace technology; the program aims to bolster U.S. leadership in space, with applications opening soon and updates to be shared via X (USTechForce).

via NASA (.gov)|

#nasa #nasa-force #opm

politics7 months ago•5 min saved

Ninth Circuit clears path for Trump-era federal union bargaining rollbacks

A Ninth Circuit panel vacated a lower-court injunction blocking the Trump administration from ending collective bargaining rights for federal employees at more than 20 agencies, allowing agencies to proceed under updated OPM guidance. The ruling is narrow and does not resolve whether the orders were lawful, and AFGE says it may seek en banc review while pursuing the merits in district court. The administration has expanded exemptions from collective bargaining via executive orders, and litigation over their legality continues.

via Federal News Network|

#collective-bargaining #executive-orders #federal-employees

politics8 months ago•3 min saved

Administration broadens ability to remove senior federal officials

The Office of Personnel Management finalized a rule reclassifying certain senior career federal employees so they can be fired with less due process, treating them more like political appointees while preserving merit-based hiring and whistleblower protections; unions criticized the move as weakening civil-service protections and risking increased political patronage.

via NBC News|

#civil-service-reform #federal-workforce #opm

politics8 months ago•6 min saved

Trump Hails Broad Federal Workforce Cuts Amid Critics' Warnings

President Trump touts sweeping 2025 federal workforce reductions as merit-based reform, claiming “tremendous” cuts while watchdogs warn the shrinkage damaged government capacity and morale. The Partnership for Public Service notes about 320,000 federal employees left and a net loss around 220,000, with concerns that fewer staff and altered programs hampered disaster response, service delivery, and overall government readiness into 2026.

via Federal News Network|

#federal-workforce #layoffs #opm