The FED Weekly

The conversation focused on major developments affecting federal employees and retirees during the week of August 30th to September 5th, 2026. A key theme was the passage of H.R. 6500, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act 2027, signed on September 2nd, which funds federal agencies through December 11th and avoids an October government shutdown. The discussion covered updated federal workforce numbers from OPM, highlighting ongoing reductions from the Deferred Resignation Program and reorganizations. Several points were raised, including OPM’s new reduction-in-force rules, which place more weight on performance than tenure and revise the appeals process, and the Merit Systems Protection Board’s shift from the Douglas Factor framework for disciplinary actions, emphasizing case flexibility over a fixed 12-factor checklist. Additional updates covered the extension of the overtime pay cap waiver for federal wildland firefighters, pending legislation for more permanent changes, and a modest increase in federal travel per diem rates. No major new policies were enacted specifically for retirees this week, and the next significant COLA and benefits updates are pending future data releases. The discussion underscored the need for federal employees and retirees to keep up with these dynamic policy changes.