The FED Weekly 17-23 May 2026 (Episode 51)

About this episode

The episode discusses key developments affecting federal employees and retirees, including taxation, legislative efforts, and workforce issues for the week of May 17–23, 2026.

The conversation focused on key legislative, regulatory, and operational developments affecting federal employees and retirees for the week of May 17–23, 2026. Several points were raised, including congressional efforts to address tax burdens associated with retroactive lump-sum payments and proposals to reform Social Security taxation. The discussion explored ongoing debates about pension taxation, cost-of-living adjustments, and complex rules governing Thrift Savings Plan contributions. A key theme that emerged was the contrast between legislative efforts to secure pay raises and the President’s FY 2027 budget, which proposes a pay freeze and significant agency cuts. The conversation highlighted new protections for whistleblowers, union endorsements in election campaigns, and federal building modernization efforts. Issues affecting retirees, such as COLA disparities, healthcare plan suspensions, and the transition to digital retirement platforms, were also covered. Workforce matters included telework policy battles, workplace technology upgrades, increased employee surveillance, and regulatory shifts in reduction-in-force procedures. The week concluded with a reversal of FEMA…

People in this episode

Host: Dave Faulk

Topics covered

• federal employees
• retirement issues
• taxation
• legislative developments
• whistleblower protections
• workforce policies

Keywords

• federal employees
• retirees
• tax burdens
• Social Security
• pension taxation
• Thrift Savings Plan
• whistleblower protections
• telework policy
• COLA disparities

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: FEMA, Social Security, Thrift Savings Plan

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