Jory Heckman
@jheckman.bsky.social
@FederalNewsNet reporter covering the federal workforce, USPS, tech & data 📧: [email protected] | Signal: jheckman.29
A VA nurse working in an oncology unit said cuts to support staff mean her coworkers are spending more time on ancillary duties -- at less time with patients.
May 8, 2025 at 4:54 PM
A VA nurse working in an oncology unit said cuts to support staff mean her coworkers are spending more time on ancillary duties -- at less time with patients.
11K+ VA employees in health care-related positions -- including 1,300 nurses, 800 medical support assistants & 200 physicians - applied for "deferred resignation," signed up for early retirement, or voluntarily retired. VA says 'very few' are eligible for separation incentives
Over 11,000 VA health care employees apply to leave, but ‘very few’ eligible for separation incentives
According to an internal dashboard, the Veterans Health Administration has about 63,000 more employees than it did in FY 2019.
federalnewsnetwork.com
May 8, 2025 at 4:53 PM
11K+ VA employees in health care-related positions -- including 1,300 nurses, 800 medical support assistants & 200 physicians - applied for "deferred resignation," signed up for early retirement, or voluntarily retired. VA says 'very few' are eligible for separation incentives
Went for a run and made a new friend last week. But I’m back on the clock and ready to do some reporting. News tips on what’s happening in the federal government/workforce are always welcome
Signal: Jheckman.29
Email: [email protected]
Signal: Jheckman.29
Email: [email protected]
May 5, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Went for a run and made a new friend last week. But I’m back on the clock and ready to do some reporting. News tips on what’s happening in the federal government/workforce are always welcome
Signal: Jheckman.29
Email: [email protected]
Signal: Jheckman.29
Email: [email protected]
NEW: Layoff notices were scheduled to hit several IRS offices last Friday -- but never came. Rumors spread among employees as to why. But the acting deputy COO says "glitches" and "issues" are to blame.
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
IRS layoff notices to employees delayed by ‘glitches’
IRS employees told Federal News Network that RIF notices slated for several offices didn’t go out last Friday as planned.
federalnewsnetwork.com
April 23, 2025 at 5:42 PM
NEW: Layoff notices were scheduled to hit several IRS offices last Friday -- but never came. Rumors spread among employees as to why. But the acting deputy COO says "glitches" and "issues" are to blame.
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
It's hard to overstate how much everyone who worked on IRS Direct File saw it as a new model for government to deliver benefits & services to the public. Almost a 180-degree flip from the 2013 Healthcare. gov crash.
federalnewsnetwork.com/management/2...
federalnewsnetwork.com/management/2...
a young man wearing a hat and a jacket looks at something
ALT: a young man wearing a hat and a jacket looks at something
media.tenor.com
April 17, 2025 at 5:13 PM
It's hard to overstate how much everyone who worked on IRS Direct File saw it as a new model for government to deliver benefits & services to the public. Almost a 180-degree flip from the 2013 Healthcare. gov crash.
federalnewsnetwork.com/management/2...
federalnewsnetwork.com/management/2...
Scoop: As part of its return-to-office plans, OPM is planning to spend more than $42M to relocate approximately 250 employees — or about $166,000 per employee. That's significantly higher than what the average federal employee makes in a year.
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
OPM plans to spend nearly $42 million to relocate a few hundred employees
In February, OPM gave remote employees an ultimatum: relocate within commuting distance of its office space or accept termination.
federalnewsnetwork.com
April 14, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Scoop: As part of its return-to-office plans, OPM is planning to spend more than $42M to relocate approximately 250 employees — or about $166,000 per employee. That's significantly higher than what the average federal employee makes in a year.
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
@wired.com Big fan of all the reporting you're doing on the federal news beat. I always try to give credit when you're first to a story. Probably a simple oversight, but I'm hoping you're able to return the favor on the SSA/X news I broke this morning
federalnewsnetwork.com/agency-overs...
federalnewsnetwork.com/agency-overs...
SSA shifts to X posts for official messaging after cuts to communications staff
SSA is once again walking back plans that would have limited the agency's level of phone support to beneficiaries.
federalnewsnetwork.com
April 11, 2025 at 9:34 PM
@wired.com Big fan of all the reporting you're doing on the federal news beat. I always try to give credit when you're first to a story. Probably a simple oversight, but I'm hoping you're able to return the favor on the SSA/X news I broke this morning
federalnewsnetwork.com/agency-overs...
federalnewsnetwork.com/agency-overs...
Reposted by Jory Heckman
good thing so many retirees are tech savvy, have X accounts, and are good at spotting misinformation!
SSA shifts to X posts for official messaging after cuts to communications staff
SSA is once again walking back plans that would have limited the agency's level of phone support to beneficiaries.
federalnewsnetwork.com
April 11, 2025 at 11:44 AM
good thing so many retirees are tech savvy, have X accounts, and are good at spotting misinformation!
Reposted by Jory Heckman
Breaking news: The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to allow the president to remove a pair of independent regulators whose cases have broad implications for at least two dozen other agencies, including the Federal Reserve Board, and for how the federal government operates.
Trump asks Supreme Court to let him fire independent regulators
The Supreme Court’s decision on whether Trump can remove the pair will test the boundaries of presidential power and have broad implications for at least two dozen other agencies.
www.washingtonpost.com
April 9, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Breaking news: The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to allow the president to remove a pair of independent regulators whose cases have broad implications for at least two dozen other agencies, including the Federal Reserve Board, and for how the federal government operates.
GSA's acting administration recently told employees, "There's nobody working for DOGE here." But DOGE officials dominate a list of vetted personnel granted access to restricted parts of the GSA's headquarters
federalnewsnetwork.com/agency-overs...
federalnewsnetwork.com/agency-overs...
DOGE officials across government appear on GSA’s shortlist of vetted personnel
DOGE officials across the federal government dominate a shortlist of individuals allowed past security on the sixth floor of GSA’s headquarters.
federalnewsnetwork.com
April 9, 2025 at 1:52 PM
GSA's acting administration recently told employees, "There's nobody working for DOGE here." But DOGE officials dominate a list of vetted personnel granted access to restricted parts of the GSA's headquarters
federalnewsnetwork.com/agency-overs...
federalnewsnetwork.com/agency-overs...
🚨SSA back at it with plans to require some beneficiaries to verify their IDs online or in person (no more 📞). This time, they want to:
1⃣ Partner with USPS to let people verify ID in person at post offices
2⃣ Roll out facial recognition option
federalnewsnetwork.com/benefits/202...
1⃣ Partner with USPS to let people verify ID in person at post offices
2⃣ Roll out facial recognition option
federalnewsnetwork.com/benefits/202...
Social Security Administration outlines new plan for stricter ID-proofing options
SSA is looking to partner with the Postal Service and allow beneficiaries to verify their identity in-person at thousands of post offices across the country.
federalnewsnetwork.com
April 4, 2025 at 1:16 PM
🚨SSA back at it with plans to require some beneficiaries to verify their IDs online or in person (no more 📞). This time, they want to:
1⃣ Partner with USPS to let people verify ID in person at post offices
2⃣ Roll out facial recognition option
federalnewsnetwork.com/benefits/202...
1⃣ Partner with USPS to let people verify ID in person at post offices
2⃣ Roll out facial recognition option
federalnewsnetwork.com/benefits/202...
Reposted by Jory Heckman
The Department of Veterans Affairs says it will end a mortgage rescue plan that has saved many veterans from needlessly losing their homes, the move could strand thousands of others who need help.
Trump's VA is ending a rescue program that's saved 17,000 military veterans' homes
The Department of Veterans Affairs says it will end a mortgage rescue plan that has saved many veterans from needlessly losing their homes, the move could strand thousands of others who need help.
www.npr.org
April 4, 2025 at 12:18 PM
The Department of Veterans Affairs says it will end a mortgage rescue plan that has saved many veterans from needlessly losing their homes, the move could strand thousands of others who need help.
🚨 IRS is giving about 7K recently fired probationary employees the option to return to their jobs "on full-time duty" by April 14 -- the day before Tax Day. Up until now, they've been "reinstated," but on paid admin leave
federalnewsnetwork.com/hiring-reten...
federalnewsnetwork.com/hiring-reten...
IRS will bring fired probationary employees back to work by mid-April
Acting IRS Commissioner Melanie Krause said Wednesday that the agency will take previously fired probationary employees off paid administrative leave.
federalnewsnetwork.com
April 2, 2025 at 10:32 PM
🚨 IRS is giving about 7K recently fired probationary employees the option to return to their jobs "on full-time duty" by April 14 -- the day before Tax Day. Up until now, they've been "reinstated," but on paid admin leave
federalnewsnetwork.com/hiring-reten...
federalnewsnetwork.com/hiring-reten...
Can confirm WaPo's reporting that Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services employees who got layoff notices today were told to contact EEO Director Anita Pinder to file employment discrimination complaints -- but she died last November. Spoke to a current employee who went to her funeral
April 1, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Can confirm WaPo's reporting that Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services employees who got layoff notices today were told to contact EEO Director Anita Pinder to file employment discrimination complaints -- but she died last November. Spoke to a current employee who went to her funeral
Reposted by Jory Heckman
NEW: DOGE demanded full access to a US Department of the Interior system that handles even the Supreme Court's paychecks. When top staff asked questions, they were put on leave.
Top Officials Placed on Leave After Denying DOGE Access to Federal Payroll Systems
DOGE demanded full access to a US Department of the Interior system that handles even the Supreme Court's paychecks. When top staff asked questions, they were put on leave.
www.wired.com
March 31, 2025 at 8:59 PM
NEW: DOGE demanded full access to a US Department of the Interior system that handles even the Supreme Court's paychecks. When top staff asked questions, they were put on leave.
🚨 Institute of Museum and Library Services is putting all its employees on paid administrative leave, after a brief meeting between DOGE & IMLS leadership. Employees must turn in all govt property before leaving. Email accounts are also being disabled.
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
Agency funding libraries and museums puts all employees on leave ahead of major cuts
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is one of seven agencies President Donald Trump is looking to cut "to the maximum extent."
federalnewsnetwork.com
March 31, 2025 at 8:53 PM
🚨 Institute of Museum and Library Services is putting all its employees on paid administrative leave, after a brief meeting between DOGE & IMLS leadership. Employees must turn in all govt property before leaving. Email accounts are also being disabled.
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
The Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service is terminating nearly all 220 of its employees by COB today. It'll keep a "skeleton crew" of ~12 employees to manage work required by law. It's 1 of 7 small agencies targeted for elimination in a recent EO
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
Federal labor mediation agency cuts staff down to ‘skeleton crew’
The Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service will cut its workforce from about 220 employees down to a dozen.
federalnewsnetwork.com
March 26, 2025 at 7:12 PM
The Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service is terminating nearly all 220 of its employees by COB today. It'll keep a "skeleton crew" of ~12 employees to manage work required by law. It's 1 of 7 small agencies targeted for elimination in a recent EO
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
GSA terminated nearly 1K leases last week — the first of six waves of federal office space downsizing planned for FY 25. But according to multiple sources, the agency is now walking back ~300 of those lease terminations for 'public-facing' govt buildings. t.co/vHgKmqZnXB
March 7, 2025 at 2:42 PM
GSA terminated nearly 1K leases last week — the first of six waves of federal office space downsizing planned for FY 25. But according to multiple sources, the agency is now walking back ~300 of those lease terminations for 'public-facing' govt buildings. t.co/vHgKmqZnXB
VA withdrew at least dozens of Veterans Crisis Line job offers - after canceling remote positions, but not having enough office space to put them in. After our reporting, a VA spokesperson says they're "in the process of reissuing" these jobs offers
federalnewsnetwork.com/veterans-aff...
federalnewsnetwork.com/veterans-aff...
March 1, 2025 at 7:57 PM
VA withdrew at least dozens of Veterans Crisis Line job offers - after canceling remote positions, but not having enough office space to put them in. After our reporting, a VA spokesperson says they're "in the process of reissuing" these jobs offers
federalnewsnetwork.com/veterans-aff...
federalnewsnetwork.com/veterans-aff...
"There is sheer panic about GSA cutting cards," a VA employee tells me. GSA plan would give all of VA <500 authorized cardholders to manage $6B+ in spending. That's less than what many VISNs have right now. VA's the largest integrated health system in the U.S.
NEWS: VA is being asked to severely limit the number of employees who can make purchases through a governmentwide charge card program — a decision that could impact billions of dollars in annual spending.
federalnewsnetwork.com/veterans-aff...
federalnewsnetwork.com/veterans-aff...
VA gets GSA request to slash total number of employees who hold purchase cards
GSA has asked 15 other agency heads “to reduce their agency charge card limits, and the number and usage of cards.”
federalnewsnetwork.com
February 27, 2025 at 7:05 PM
"There is sheer panic about GSA cutting cards," a VA employee tells me. GSA plan would give all of VA <500 authorized cardholders to manage $6B+ in spending. That's less than what many VISNs have right now. VA's the largest integrated health system in the U.S.
NEWS: VA is being asked to severely limit the number of employees who can make purchases through a governmentwide charge card program — a decision that could impact billions of dollars in annual spending.
federalnewsnetwork.com/veterans-aff...
federalnewsnetwork.com/veterans-aff...
VA gets GSA request to slash total number of employees who hold purchase cards
GSA has asked 15 other agency heads “to reduce their agency charge card limits, and the number and usage of cards.”
federalnewsnetwork.com
February 27, 2025 at 7:05 PM
NEWS: VA is being asked to severely limit the number of employees who can make purchases through a governmentwide charge card program — a decision that could impact billions of dollars in annual spending.
federalnewsnetwork.com/veterans-aff...
federalnewsnetwork.com/veterans-aff...
Reposted by Jory Heckman
📬🚨 HUGE NEWS 📬🚨
Trump plans to fire the USPS governing board, merge the Postal Service into the Commerce Department.
It would disrupt 55 years of non-political mail service, and threatens to upend trillions of dollars of ecommerce and the 250 year-old US mail system.
Trump plans to fire the USPS governing board, merge the Postal Service into the Commerce Department.
It would disrupt 55 years of non-political mail service, and threatens to upend trillions of dollars of ecommerce and the 250 year-old US mail system.
Trump expected to take control of USPS, fire postal board, officials say
The move threatens to upend trillions of dollars in ecommerce business and the 250 year-old Postal Service.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 21, 2025 at 12:33 AM
📬🚨 HUGE NEWS 📬🚨
Trump plans to fire the USPS governing board, merge the Postal Service into the Commerce Department.
It would disrupt 55 years of non-political mail service, and threatens to upend trillions of dollars of ecommerce and the 250 year-old US mail system.
Trump plans to fire the USPS governing board, merge the Postal Service into the Commerce Department.
It would disrupt 55 years of non-political mail service, and threatens to upend trillions of dollars of ecommerce and the 250 year-old US mail system.
BREAKING: OPM is advising all federal agencies to fire their probationary employees with less than a year on the job, after it stopped accepting new offers for its “deferred resignation” program last night.
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
OPM advises agencies to fire probationary employees after ‘deferred resignation’ deadline
OPM stopped accepting new offers for its deferred resignation offer, as of 7:20 p.m. on Wednesday night.
federalnewsnetwork.com
February 13, 2025 at 10:30 PM
BREAKING: OPM is advising all federal agencies to fire their probationary employees with less than a year on the job, after it stopped accepting new offers for its “deferred resignation” program last night.
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
Current and former GSA employees -- anonymous news tips are always welcome via Signal (jheckman.29) and email ([email protected])
GSA is pushing major cuts to personnel, real estate and contracts in pursuit of its -50% spending goal. According to folks inside the building, agency leaders say they may need to slow workforce reduction efforts, “because they’re losing too many key people."
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
GSA ‘losing too many people,’ as leaders pursue cuts to personnel, office space and contracts
About 2,000 GSA employees — approximately 15% of its workforce — live more than 50 miles from the nearest GSA regional office amid return-to-office push.
federalnewsnetwork.com
February 12, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Current and former GSA employees -- anonymous news tips are always welcome via Signal (jheckman.29) and email ([email protected])
GSA is pushing major cuts to personnel, real estate and contracts in pursuit of its -50% spending goal. According to folks inside the building, agency leaders say they may need to slow workforce reduction efforts, “because they’re losing too many key people."
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
GSA ‘losing too many people,’ as leaders pursue cuts to personnel, office space and contracts
About 2,000 GSA employees — approximately 15% of its workforce — live more than 50 miles from the nearest GSA regional office amid return-to-office push.
federalnewsnetwork.com
February 12, 2025 at 4:16 PM
GSA is pushing major cuts to personnel, real estate and contracts in pursuit of its -50% spending goal. According to folks inside the building, agency leaders say they may need to slow workforce reduction efforts, “because they’re losing too many key people."
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...
federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/20...