The FED Weekly

News & Politics

About

Welcome to The FED Weekly, the go-to podcast for current and retired U.S. federal employees who need to stay informed on the issues that matter most. In a rapidly changing political landscape, we deliver concise, weekly updates on the legislative, executive, and agency-level actions that have a direct impact on your professional life and financial future.

Episodes

  • The FED Weekly 3-9 May 2026 (Episode 49)

    This episode of The FED Weekly discusses issues affecting federal employees and retirees for the week of May 3-9, 2026. Topics include a new OPM data policy, changes from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), and updates on the Social Se…

  • The FED Weekly 26 Apr - 2 May 2026 (Episode 48)

    This episode of The FED Weekly covers federal employee and retiree news from April 26 to May 2, 2026, including TSP performance, anti-fraud legislation, workforce reform issues, Social Security updates, Medicare information, OPM modernizat…

  • The FED Weekly 19-25 Apr 2026 (Episode 47)

    The FED Weekly episode 47 discusses the longest DHS shutdown, Postal Service contribution issues, OPM data privacy concerns, new tax laws, and various policy changes affecting federal workers and retirees, including retirement backlogs and…

  • The FED Weekly 12-18 Apr 2026 (Episode 46)

    This episode of The FED Weekly covers federal employee and retiree news from April 12–18, 2026. Topics include impacts of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, workforce reform concerns, retirement and health benefit changes, Schedule PC reclass…

  • The FED Weekly 5-11 Apr 2026 (Episode 45)

    This episode of The FED Weekly reviews federal employee and retiree news from April 5-11, 2026, addressing OPM's health data proposal, Medicare and RMD issues, Social Security Act adjustments, telework tracking, performance ratings, and pa…

  • The FED Weekly 29 Mar - 4 Apr 2026 (Episode 44)

    This episode of The FED Weekly covers federal employee and retiree news from March 29 to April 4, 2026. Key topics include a new MSPB regulation affecting job security, increased healthcare premiums, the 2027 COLA and pay raise outlook, th…

  • The FED Weekly 22-28 March 2026 (Episode 43)

    This episode of The FED Weekly reviews federal employee and retiree news from March 22-28, 2026, including the DHS shutdown, Social Security benefit adjustments, OPM backlog issues, and changes to employment terms and performance managemen…

  • The FED Weekly 15-21 Mar 2026 (Episode 42)

    This episode of The FED Weekly covers March 15-21, 2026 updates for federal employees, including retroactive Social Security payments, transparency issues, rising healthcare costs, OPM processing delays, and legislative actions like the FA…

  • The FED Weekly 8-14 Mar 2026 (Episode 41)

    The FED Weekly episode for March 8-14, 2026, details critical updates for federal employees and retirees. Topics include a Social Security data breach, Thrift Savings Plan performance, potential impacts of cost-of-living adjustments versus…

  • The FED Weekly 1-7 Mar 2026 (Episode 40)

    This episode of The FED Weekly covers federal employee and retiree updates for March 1-7, 2026, including the DHS shutdown, the Social Security Fairness Act, OPM digital processing, cost-of-living adjustments, TSP changes, and civil servic…

  • The FED Weekly 22-28 Feb 2026 (Episode 39)

    This episode of The FED Weekly reviews federal employee and retiree news from February 22-28, 2026. Topics include the DHS partial shutdown, Thrift Savings Plan updates, a Supreme Court tariff decision, cost-of-living and Medicare Advantag…

  • The FED Weekly 15-21 Feb 2026 (Episode 38)

    This episode of The FED Weekly covers the DHS shutdown and back pay concerns, legislative efforts for fertility coverage in federal health plans, and the 2027 retirement COLA. It also addresses Social Security Administration staffing, Thri…

  • The FED Weekly 8-14 Feb 2026 (Episode 37)

    This episode of The FED Weekly from February 8-14, 2026, discusses the DHS partial shutdown and resulting lawsuits, the end of the federal workforce reduction ban, proposed changes to RIF appeals, and the shift of 50,000 positions to "at-w…

  • The FED Weekly 1-7 Feb 2026, (Episode 36)

    This episode of The FED Weekly reviews federal workforce developments from February 1-7, 2026. Topics include the Consolidated Appropriations Act, federal pay raises, legislative reforms, OPM guidance, Thrift Savings Plan changes, retireme…

  • The FED Weekly 25-31 Jan 2026 (Episode 35)

    This episode of The FED Weekly discusses the U.S. federal workforce updates for January 25–31, 2026. Topics include the government shutdown's impact, workforce reduction data, revised COLA increases, the Social Security Fairness Act, perfo…

  • The FED Weekly 18-24 Jan 2026 (Episode 34)

    This episode of The FED Weekly discusses key federal employee and retiree developments from January 18–24, 2026, including a 1.0% pay raise, updates on Medicare telehealth, IRS tax forms, pension rollovers, special salary rates for law enf…

  • The FED Weekly 11-17 Jan 2026 (Episode 33)

    Episode 33 of The FED Weekly reviews federal employee and retiree news from Jan 11-17, 2026, covering agency funding, pay protections, benefit payments, annuity adjustments, and changes to hiring and union policies.

  • The FED Weekly 4-10 Jan 2026 (Episode 32)

    This episode of The FED Weekly covers the HR 6938 bill, 2026 federal pay rates, rising attrition, cost-of-living adjustments for retirees, electronic 1099R forms, TSP G Fund interest rate changes, and updated telework policies.

  • The FED Weekly 28 Dec 2025 - 3 Jan 2026 (Episode31)

    This episode of The FED Weekly covers federal employee and retiree news from Dec 28, 2025, to Jan 3, 2026, including executive orders, healthcare premium increases, legislative deadlines, COLA adjustments, Social Security updates, pay rais…

  • The FED Weekly 21-27 Dec (Episode 30)

    This episode of The FED Weekly recaps federal employee and retiree developments for December 21–27, 2025. Topics include President Trump’s executive order, a 1.0% general pay raise, Postal Service Health Benefits program launch, significan…

  • The FED Weekly 14-20 Dec (Episode 29)

    This episode reviews federal employee and retiree news from December 14-20, 2025, including the NDAA, a 1% pay raise, increased healthcare premiums, OPM's growing retirement processing backlog, and legislative efforts concerning union righ…

  • The FED Weekly 7-13 Dec 2025 (Episode 28)

    This episode of The FED Weekly covers December 7-13, 2025 federal employee and retiree news, including the end of Benefits Open Season, a 12.3% health insurance premium increase for 2026, and a continuing resolution extending government fu…

  • The FED Weekly 30 Nov-6 Dec 2025 (Episode 27)

    This episode covers federal employee news from Nov 30-Dec 6, 2025, including the Federal Benefits Open Season deadline, 2026 pay raises, COLA adjustments for retirees, TSP updates, and new OPM regulations affecting civil service protection…

  • The FED Weekly 23-29 Nov 2025 (Episode 26)

    This episode of The FED Weekly covers federal employee and retiree updates from Nov 23-29, 2025. Topics include the Federal Benefits Open Season with a 12.3% health premium increase for 2026, a 2.0% FERS COLA cap, and a 1.0% pay increase f…

  • The FED Weekly 16-22 Nov (Episode 25)

    The FED Weekly recaps federal employee and retiree news for Nov 16-22, 2025. Key topics include the Federal Benefits Open Season, changes to TSP catch-up contributions, retiree cost-of-living adjustments, and legislative actions concerning…

  • FED News Weekly 9-15 Nov (Episode 24)

    This episode of The FED Weekly covers the federal government shutdown, its financial impact on employees, and disruptions to services. It also details the 2025 Federal Benefits Open Season, updates on retiree benefits due to WEP/GPO repeal…

  • The FED Weekly 2-8 Nov 2025 (Episode 23)

    This episode discusses the effects of the government shutdown on federal employees and retirees, covering missed paychecks, financial hardship, legislative actions, judicial rulings, and changes to healthcare and pay for 2026. It also touc…

  • The FED Weekly 25 Oct - 1 Nov 2025 (Episode 22)

    The FED Weekly covers the government shutdown, its impact on federal employees, and related legislation like the Shutdown Fairness Act. It also details judicial interventions, rising healthcare premiums for 2026, cost-of-living adjustments…

  • The FED Weekly 19-25 Oct 2025 (Episode21)

    This episode of The FED Weekly covers significant updates for federal employees and retirees from October 19–25, 2025. Key topics include substantial 2026 healthcare premium increases, lower-than-expected retiree COLAs, efforts to address…

  • The FED Weekly 12-18 Oct 2025 (Episode 20)

    This episode of The FED Weekly addresses the financial crisis impacting federal employees and retirees from October 12-18, 2025, due to a government shutdown. It details OPM

  • The FED Weekly 5-11 Oct 2025 (Episode 19)

    The FED Weekly episode 19 for Oct 5-11, 2025, details significant changes for federal employees and retirees. It discusses the 2026 FEHB open season with a 12.3% average premium increase and carrier discontinuations, alongside the financia…

  • The FED Weekly 28 Sep - 4 Oct 2025 (Episode 18)

    This episode of The FED Weekly covers the federal government shutdown from Sep 28 - Oct 4, 2025, impacting federal employees and retirees. It details the mass resignation event, security of annuity payments, legislative efforts for FEHB, a…

  • The FED Weekly 21-27 Sep 2025 (Episode 17)

    This episode of The FED Weekly covers critical issues for federal employees and retirees from September 21-27, 2025. Topics include the government shutdown crisis, 2026 FEHB premium announcements, COLA projections, the President's 2026 pay…

  • The FED Weekly 14-20 Sep 2025 (Episode 16)

    The FED Weekly discusses the potential government shutdown, President Trump's proposed 2026 pay raise impacting retirement calculations, and the possible end of the Combined Federal Campaign. It also covers Thrift Savings Plan performance,…

  • The FED Weekly 7-13 Sep 2025 (Episode 15)

    The FED Weekly episode from 7-13 Sep 2025 discusses legislative updates like the Claiming Age Clarity Act and the Keep Billionaires out of Social Security Act. It also covers weak job growth, OPM hiring reforms, differing pay raise proposa…

  • The FED Weekly 31 Aug - 6 Sep 2025 (Episode 14)

    The FED Weekly covers the 13.5% FEHB premium hike for 2025, driven by IVF and obesity drug coverage. It also discusses the Thrift Savings Plan reaching $1 trillion, new legislation impacting seniors and low-income families, union conflicts…

  • The FED Weekly 24-30 Aug 2025 (Episode 13)

    This episode of The FED Weekly covers significant updates for federal employees and retirees, including a 13.5% increase in 2025 FEHB premiums, potential government shutdown impacts, 2026 COLA projections, and new legislation regarding TSP…

  • The FED Weekly 17-23 Aug 2025 (Episode 12)

    This episode of The FED Weekly covers federal employee and retiree updates for Aug 17-23, 2025. Key topics include the 2026 pay freeze, increased FEHB premiums, removal of gender-affirming care, new tax deductions, a cancelled survey, IRS…

  • The FED Weekly 10-16 Aug 2025 (Episode 11)

    This episode of The FED Weekly covers the looming government shutdown due to unresolved budget bills, challenges to federal employee union rights, and uncertainty surrounding the 2026 federal pay raise. It also details new OPM guidance on…

  • The FED Weekly 3-9 Aug 2025, Episode 10

    This episode of The FED Weekly discusses federal employee and retiree updates for August 3-9, 2025. Topics include OPM directives on vaccine records, personnel file protection, changes to probationary periods, union actions regarding NASA…

  • The FED Weekly 27 Jul - 2 Aug 2025 (Episode 9)

    The FED Weekly episode for July 27-August 2, 2025, details tax changes from the Big Beautiful Bill Act, President Trump’s Executive Order 14319 on AI, OPM guidance on religious expression, and a federal hiring memorandum. It also discusses…

  • The FED Weekly 20-26 Jul 2025 (Episode 8)

    This FED Weekly episode from July 20-26, 2025, discusses a Supreme Court decision impacting federal workforce reduction, the new "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," and legislative proposals concerning federal employee pay, work location, and pe…

  • The FED Weekly 13-19 Jul 2025 (Episode 7)

    This episode of The FED Weekly covers significant changes to federal civil service job protections following a Supreme Court decision, alongside economic forecasts for 2026 that anticipate rising healthcare costs impacting federal workers…

  • The FED Weekly 6-12 July 2025 (Episode 6)

    The FED Weekly episode for July 6-12, 2025, discusses major federal workforce changes, including a Supreme Court ruling enabling RIFs and the passage of the OBBB Act, which likely leads to a 2026 pay freeze. New OPM performance management…

  • The FED Weekly 29 Jun - 5 Jul 2025 (Episode 5)

    During the week of June 29 to July 5, 2025, significant federal legislative actions protected benefits for federal employees and retirees. Senate bill H.R. 1 removed proposed cuts to pensions and health benefits, while the Social Security…

  • The FED Weekly 22-28 June (Episode 4)

    The FED Weekly provides concise, weekly updates for U.S. federal employees on legislative, executive, and agency actions affecting their professional and financial lives.

  • The FED Weekly 15-21 June 2025 (Episode 3)

    The FED Weekly report for June 15-21, 2025, covers federal employee news including a Senate budget bill impacting retirement contributions and civil service protections, a court blocking OPM data sharing, telework policy changes, expanded…

  • The FED Weekly 8-14 June 2025 (Episode 2)

    The FED Weekly provides U.S. federal employees with concise, weekly updates on actions impacting their careers and finances. This episode covers the week of June 8-14, 2025.

  • The FED Weekly 1-7 June 2025 (Episode 1)

    The FED Weekly covers significant developments for federal employees and retirees from the first week of June 2025. The episode provides a categorized roundup of key news impacting this community.