The FED Weekly 31 May - 6 Jun 2026 (Episode 53)

About this episode

This episode discusses major developments affecting federal employees and retirees, including legislative updates and workforce issues.

This episode of The FED Weekly covers major developments impacting federal employees and retirees for the week of February 8-14, 2026. Key topics include the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security after Congress failed to pass a funding bill, which left essential staff unpaid and sparked a major union lawsuit. The episode also reports on the end of a ban on federal workforce reductions, a proposed overhaul of the reduction-in-force appeals process, and new guidance for reclassifying high-level positions as “at-will.” Legislative updates include the introduction of the FAIR Act for a 4.1% pay raise in 2027 and the ongoing implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act, which is increasing payments for millions of retirees. Other highlights feature new tax rules for 2026, a spike in health insurance premiums, new retirement system efficiencies, workforce modernization initiatives, and the observance of National Salute to Veteran Patients Week. Lawrence emphasizes the importance of staying informed as the federal landscape continues to evolve. (00:00) - Weekly Briefing Intro (00:44) - Issues That Affect Current and Retired Federal Workers (04:08) - Backlash and…

People in this episode

Host: Dave Faulk

Topics covered

• federal employees
• retirement
• legislative updates
• workforce issues
• health insurance
• tax rules

Keywords

• federal workforce
• pay raise
• retirement system
• health insurance premiums
• union lawsuit

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Department of Homeland Security, Congress, FAIR Act, Social Security Fairness Act

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