EPA employees faced discipline, including suspensions, for a dissent letter critical of Administrator Zeldin. Whistleblower groups and legal teams are challenging these actions, asserting First Amendment and whistleblower protections, arguing the discipline is unlawful and risking significant legal liability for EPA.
IRS struggles with tax season instability and slower paper return processing (27-36 days vs. 13-day goal) due to Trump-era staffing cuts, leading to increased overtime. A GAO report criticizes the cuts, warns of performance issues, and recommends workforce overhauls.
This commentary analyzes OPM's Policy/Career Schedule (renamed Schedule F), arguing it's not as detrimental as feared if OPM enforces its guidance. It emphasizes civil servant accountability, the need for legal guardrails, and transparency in termination, stressing adherence to legal orders over political loyalty.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is accused of obscuring spending data by using explanations about 'spend plans' which aren't public, hindering transparency and access to congressionally approved funding information.
