Author Archive
Erich Wagner
Erich Wagner is a senior correspondent covering pay, benefits, organized labor and other federal workforce issues. He joined Government Executive in the spring of 2017 after extensive experience writing about state and local issues in Maryland and Virginia, most recently as editor-in-chief of the Alexandria Times. He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Maryland.
Policy
What Trump’s win means for the federal workforce
The Republican former president has vowed to remake the civil service in his image with the reinstatement of Schedule F.
- Erich Wagner
Policy
Trump calls federal workforce 'crooked,' vows to hold them 'accountable'
In an interview, the former president appeared to broaden his disdain for political appointees to federal workers in general.
- Erich Wagner
Policy
Leaked training videos show civil service remains in Project 2025's crosshairs
The videos repeatedly stressed the need for more “political control” of agencies, though they stopped short of overtly discussing the Trump campaign or the Heritage Foundation-led transition project’s endorsement of Schedule F.
- Erich Wagner
Policy
Senators take another crack at solving over-classification
The bipartisan Classification Reform for Transparency Act would establish a task force to narrow the criteria for classifying documents and make it harder for agencies to exempt records from automatic declassification.
- Erich Wagner
Policy
'Fire every single mid-level bureaucrat': Vance on federal employees
Trump's new VP pick has taken aim at Defense Department civilians.
- Erich Wagner
Policy
Senate advances 2% raise for defense civilians, 4.5% for military
An unusual White House proposal to give different raises drew early fire, but lawmakers are passing up opportunities to do anything about it.
- Erich Wagner
Policy
Bush-era national security officials warn against politicizing civil service
In a letter to congressional committee staff directors, a cadre of former Republican appointees urged lawmakers to pursue a “middle ground” of federal employee accountability that preserves merit systems principles.
- Erich Wagner
Policy
Deal will allow military spouses to telework from overseas
An agreement between the departments of Defense and State aims to ease unemployment among the spouses of servicemembers—and increase military families' quality of life.
- Erich Wagner
Policy
Trump’s plan to purge federal employees draws fire
The former president's vow to gut civil-service protections at the Pentagon and elsewhere is "all about patronage and loyalty," one senator says.
- Erich Wagner
Threats
‘Continuous vetting’ effort will expand to cover more defense civilians
After a successful pilot program, the government plans expand the background-check process to all “public trust” positions.
- Erich Wagner
Policy
Senate preps short-term funding measure, but House remains on path to shutdown
The lower body's GOP leaders continue to pursue deep cuts to that stand no chance across Capitol Hill or in the White House.
- Erich Wagner
Policy
What defense employees can expect if the government shuts down
Here's what would happen to feds' pay and benefits if House Republicans force a shutdown on Oct. 1.
- Erich Wagner
Policy
5.2% Pay Bump for Troops, Feds in 2024 Budget Proposal
The largest proposed pay raise for federal employees since the Carter administration still falls short of the demands of some Democrats and unions.
- Erich Wagner
Policy
Cutting Pentagon Jobs Won't Stop the Real Waste, Union Says
Lawmakers should reject pressure to fund underperforming weapons and service contracts, AFGE officials said.
- Erich Wagner
Policy
House Republicans Vote to Turn Back Time on Telework
The SHOW UP Act would require federal agencies to revert to their pre-pandemic telework policies.
- Erich Wagner
Threats
Former Acting DOD Comptroller Accused of Sexual Harassment, Using N-Word
The Pentagon inspector general's office says it substantiated several allegations against Douglas Glenn, now CFO at the Office of Personnel Management.
- Erich Wagner
Policy
Defense Civilians To Get Average 4.6% Pay Raise in 2023
Biden formalizes plan to raise federal workers' pay.
- Erich Wagner
Policy
Rolling Back Trump's Workforce Policies Won't Be Simple
President-elect Biden has vowed to rescind on his first day a series of Trump-era directives aimed at weakening federal labor unions and politicizing the civil service, but repairing the damage could take much longer.
- Erich Wagner
Policy
Administration Rushes Out Guidelines for Ending Civil Service Protections
Just two days after the executive order, initial instructions are issued on converting career federal policy-making positions to at-will appointments.
- Erich Wagner
Policy
‘Stunning’ Executive Order Enables Politicized Civil Service
President Trump's new directive allows thousands of federal jobs now filled through competition to be turned into at-will positions.
- Erich Wagner