The FED Weekly

The conversation focused on key federal workforce and retirement updates from August 23-29, 2026. One concept discussed was the impact of deferred resignation programs, revealing that most departing employees under these initiatives were not replaced, and replacements often came in at lower average grades. A key theme was the proposed 2027 civilian federal pay freeze, except for a 3.8% raise for certain law enforcement roles. The discussion explored new OPM rules on performance ratings and suitability determinations, now subject to a federal union lawsuit. Several points were raised, including major proposed EEOC changes to the discrimination complaint process, OPM’s finalized expanded critical position pay authority, and new guidance encouraging the use of artificial intelligence in federal hiring to speed up recruitment. For retirees, the week was relatively quiet, with no significant new policies affecting benefits. Overall, the episode underscored the rapidly changing environment for federal employees and retirees and emphasized the need to stay informed about evolving legislation and policies.