Anonymous wrote:At my agency, the next year's staffing operational budget request is for a larger number of personnel than we currently have (and more will be leaving by the end of the fiscal year!). We still have a hiring freeze but I suspect it will be lifted.

Same here. We’d need to go on a hiring spree to get to the FY26 request numbers

Seems like the appetite for RIFs had subsided and agencies can rest on voluntary departures. Admin could easily declare mission accomplished and move on…but this is based on what I’m feeling in the air. I could be gone tomorrow…

Anonymous wrote:At my agency, the next year's staffing operational budget request is for a larger number of personnel than we currently have (and more will be leaving by the end of the fiscal year!). We still have a hiring freeze but I suspect it will be lifted.

Yeah the hands in the cookie jar need to be replenished. It’s quite obvious.

At my agency, the next year's staffing operational budget request is for a larger number of personnel than we currently have (and more will be leaving by the end of the fiscal year!). We still have a hiring freeze but I suspect it will be lifted.

They reversed the fDA cut decision in the senate bill and now it’s going to hold level flat funding same as last year.

Anonymous wrote:We've lost so many people. We don't need RIFs. What we need is the ability to move employees around to where they're needed. It's currently prohibited at my agency. We're bleeding people in certain offices and others have absolutely no work (their contracts completely cut or programs stopped entirely). It's very very frustrating.

Couldn't DOGE do something about hiring and firing in the federal government?

Mine is allowing laterals but only for a few high level vacancies. There are soooo many vacancies that people targeted for HQ RIFs could take, but apparently the politicals are highly limiting the number

Anonymous wrote:This wapo article (gifted) might give you some insight. The administration is looking over RIF plans very carefully now, in anticipation of legal action.

https://wapo.st/4eMSALz

It's not loading for me. Is there any indication of what kind of timeline we may be looking at?

We've lost so many people. We don't need RIFs. What we need is the ability to move employees around to where they're needed. It's currently prohibited at my agency. We're bleeding people in certain offices and others have absolutely no work (their contracts completely cut or programs stopped entirely). It's very very frustrating.

Couldn't DOGE do something about hiring and firing in the federal government?

My DH is looking at the budget proposal for next year and, Elon or no Elon, there will have to be cuts at his agency. They’re all just waiting for the decisions to be made and announced.

With Elon gone, agency heads are actually using their brains. In some cases that likely means accomplishing RIFs that are actual priorities (like state, CFPB, USIP) but in other cases I don’t think we will see more RIFs because agencies already lost so much staff. Industry and interest groups (not always Dem btw) have also had time to circle up and start lobbying to prevent harmful cuts.

I wonder if we will see more cuts reversed at FDA and CDC. The way they gutted those agencies is still so insane to me.

This wapo article (gifted) might give you some insight. The administration is looking over RIF plans very carefully now, in anticipation of legal action.

https://wapo.st/4eMSALz

So you’re thinking this week? Or are they no longer in a rush? I would have thought it would have happened across agencies within a day or two of the SCOTUS decision.

All the RIFs were already in the works but on hold. They’ll go through now. Ed, HHS, etc.

I believe Institute of Peace over the weekend.

Supreme Court gave the administration freedom to RIF and reorganize, but so far only the State Dept has done it. I honestly thought other agencies would have rolled out their plans immediately, having had months to get them ready. Do you think they’re still coming? I’m a fed in limbo just trying to move on with my life one way or another.