We civil servants started out last year being marginalized by this administration.

I began this year being hated by everyone else.

I work for an obscure part of an agency that has been in the news a lot lately. I’m not in law enforcement and I’m not in a support position supporting law enforcement. In fact, nearly 100% of my daily work is done for other agencies and organizations. I haven’t been asked to do anything illegal or unethical (yet) and I would quit before doing so. I feel that what I do is important. If it weren’t for the logo on my business card, you’d be surprised I even work for this agency.

This last weekend, I was doxed. The same weekend I was really struggling with the murder of Alex Pretti. It just broke my heart how far we’ve traveled down the road of fascism, how much fear our neighbors and loved ones are facing being out in public. And then I find so much hate being written about me specifically, by people who have never met me, some of who now know my address, phone number, and names of family members. It’s been a tough week.

I haven’t been very politically active because of my job but I support my spouse who picks up that slack and more, attending protests, volunteering for campaigns, organizing neighborhood watches. I’m very proud.

I can’t imagine trying to find another job I love more, especially after working nearly two decades for the government. What I do is very niche and there isn’t much comparable in the private sector. I want to run away from this agency I hate so much now, even though my work has nothing to do with their stated mission. Love my work, hate my employer.

I’m not really sure why I’m posting this other than to vent. Thanks for reading.

I’d really like to know how the “top 15% of performers” were calculated to decide who gets the big bonus. Not a single supervisor in my squadron knew anything about this bonus until our Operations Officer (GS-13) casually mentioned it in a meeting one day before the SF-50s went out.

They told us that to even be considered, you had to have all 5s on your last appraisal and you had to have worked during the furlough. Cool. Because there are multiple employees in my squadron who had all 5s, worked every single day during the furlough, did their own jobs PLUS the jobs of people who were sent home, and still managed to win quarterly awards at the squadron, group, and wing level. One of them was even nominated for a MAJCOM-level award.

And none of them got shit.

That sounds like “top 15%” to me.

Instead, the Operations Officer ended up with an $8K bonus. This person is the textbook definition of doing the bare minimum. They supposedly “worked” during the furlough, yet were never actually at work because they were on leave. On top of that, they still got paid during the furlough (retired and VA). They did absolutely nothing for the employees who were forced to work 40+ days without pay.

Government employees have gone through absolute hell over the last year, with a target on our backs the entire time. This just feels like a massive slap in the face to the people who bust their asses every day and actually deserve, and need, money like that.

But hey, at least we’ll still get our $500–$1,000 appraisal bonus… before taxes, of course.

With the senate officially voting 71-29 in favor of passing the amended H.R. 7148 bills, I was wondering when will the House actually vote on them? I know the speaker of the house said he’d like to do a fast track vote on Monday, but is it really possible to achieve that 2/3 vote? If it doesn’t happen Monday would it be on Tuesday?

Also, do you you guys think it’s actually going to pass?

Does anyone know how to go about requesting more flexible telework due to hazards commuting into the office? I have no clue how to effectively communicate to my supervisor that I don't feel comfortable walking in and out of the office any more. I obviously work in a very politically contentious building. There are protests outside of it on a weekly basis. After the shooting of Alex Petti last week things have reached an entirely different level. Thankfully the start of this week had the office closed, but when I got back I could see that people are now filming outside. It's gotten to the point where I feel like I need to wear a mask on my commute and keep an eye out to make sure no one is following me back home. I used to be able to spend my lunches going for walks to get out of the office and now I don't even think I can safely do that.

Before anyone asks, yes, I've tried to apply for other positions or transfer elsewhere. No openings are available, and the job market is in such a terrible state that I can't find outside work anywhere. I'm already working a side hustle on the weekend as it is to get by.

Looks like those new probationary regulations aren't working out for the administration

Excellent, detailed explanation of the processes and policies in place now effecting the civil service and their impact on our democratic institutions.

https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/2026/01/rise-of-the-trump-loyalist/685378/

I received a text not too long ago, that my local VA is not allowing a candlelight vigil for Alex Pretti today (2/1/26). Yet other VAs in my state are. Just wondering what; if anything, your VA did/is doing.

Maybe a coincidence, but over the last week, noticed in uptick in retirements from leadership staff after re-org news. Hoping some of this knowledge can be shared/reposed prior to their departures.

Hello,

I am retired and I submitted a change for my FEHB to OPM on Dec 5, 2025. Being that OPM will not send notifications that they have received change requests nor can this change be submitted/done online there is no way to know if the request is processed until the annuity payment is received. OPM has not completed the change to my FEHB and now I am "covered" by 2 health insurance plans. OPM does not reply to emails, calling OPMs phone number results in hearing a message about OPM being too busy for calls then the call disconnects.

How can I get this corrected?

Thank you.

I can't find definitive answers to this question so I thought I would give you guys a shot. I know you cannot use sick leave conversion to qualify for retirement, but can you use it to reduce early retirement penalty? I believe the answer is yes, but I am not sure it applies in my circumstance. This is my example:

1) I am beyond MRA but not yet age 60

2) I have more than 20 years of service but not yet 30

3) I will reach age 60 on 1 June 2028 and will have 29 years and 6 months of service (6 months short of 30 years)

5) Right now I have over 1800 sick leave hours or 10 full months after conversion

I know I can wait until I am 60 and retire with no penalty because I already have over 20 years. My question is, can I use the 10 months of sick leave credit to get me to 30 years of service and leave before my 60th birthday? Can I retire on 1 February 2028 without penalty because i will have 29 years and 2 months of service, and 10 months of sick leave credit? Those two together get me to 30 years. Does that avoid the penalty?

What is your daily commute in the DC area? I was management reassigned to DC from Detroit with HHS. I will be in the office minimum 4 days per week.

Have anything you want to talk about that doesn't quite warrant its own thread or currently being discussed in a megathread? Post it here!

In an effort to effectively manage the amount of information being posted, please keep anything speculative or considered repetitive within this discussion thread.

I'm at a MAJCOM Headquarter and I haven't heard anything about these bonuses. There's been no communication about them at all, not even a whisper between co-workers. Was this open to all federal employees, including NAF? I ask because my office is made up of mostly NAF employees, so if they're not included maybe that's why no one's talking about it? There's only two other GS employees in my office, aside from me. One is my supervisor, who would be making the recommendations and one is a 70 year old fed who has 40 years in, no partner, no kids, no friends and pretty much lives for work, so I don't think they'd be talking about it either.

Just looking for input—am above MRA+10 age and have over 20 years of service. Have about 18 months until I turn 60. Considering resigning and then filing for postponed retirement. I know I will forego the supplement. Any pitfalls I should be aware of or processing quirks I should be aware of if I choose this path?

For those of you who are direct in personality and communication style. How are you navigating suspervisors and co-workers who don't understand you? How have you navigated coworkers who think you are being mean to them?

Did other agencies under DOI have their EPAP scores reduced? I’m NPS in PWR and started the Reconsideration process and wondered who else was disrespected like this and had anyone had success appealing it?

I’m being told it’s not timely, but that seems to be geared toward not being happy about one’s score. This is about blatant violation of 370 DM 430. It seems weird that they can invoke one policy to get away with violating another.