The Internal Revenue Service entered the 2026 filing season without meeting key hiring goals for employees responsible for processing tax returns and assisting taxpayers. According to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), the IRS filled only about 42% of its authorized hiring goal for tax return processing positions and fell approximately 34% short of its hiring target for taxpayer assistance employees.

As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) responds to one of the largest Ebola outbreaks in recent history, agency leadership has acknowledged that a smaller workforce will require difficult decisions about which missions receive priority. After elevating its Ebola response to a Level 1 activation, which is the agency's highest emergency response level, CDC officials are asking employees to support a response that could continue for months while balancing other critical public health responsibilities.

The U.S. Forest Service is moving forward with a major reorganization that includes relocating its headquarters, closing regional offices, and shifting to a new leadership structure. Agency officials say the goal is to streamline operations, but the transition will take time and may require federal employees to adapt to new roles, reporting lines, and locations.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is shifting gears again. After cutting tens of thousands of positions during a 2025 restructuring, HHS is now planning to hire roughly 12,000 employees, according to recent Congressional testimony. Some previously separated employees have already been brought back to help stabilize operations.

For many years, federal managers have understood that strong performance management is key to a well-functioning government. Setting expectations, evaluating results, addressing underperformance, and rewarding excellence are not peripheral tasks; indeed, they are core leadership responsibilities. Yet the legal complexity and procedural rigor surrounding federal personnel actions have made these responsibilities some of the most difficult aspects of federal management.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has experienced an unprecedented reduction in its workforce, potentially losing an estimated 40,000 employees in fiscal year 2025, according to a report released by members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Lawmakers warn that the losses – especially in clinical and front-line positions – are already impacting care and benefits delivery for millions of veterans.

More Hires, More Scrutiny: Why CBP’s Incentive Surge Raises Potential Training and Oversight Concern

Congress is considering a set of federal workforce bills that could significantly reshape how supervisors and managers oversee their teams. While the proposals aim to improve transparency and accountability, they also introduce new layers of monitoring and documentation that may leave federal leaders more exposed to allegations of mismanagement, procedural error, or personnel-related disputes.

Workplace Disruptions Are Rising – and So Are the Risks for Federal Managers

We deeply value the service and dedication of our federal community, and want to address FEDS members concerned about their coverage during the ongoing government shutdown. For FEDS members whose policy renewals have been impacted by the government shutdown, we will be ensuring your policies remain in force until the shutdown ends. And for those utilizing our payroll deduction payment method, please be assured that your active FEDS policies will not be cancelled for payments missed during the government shutdown.

We deeply value the service and dedication of our federal community, and want to address FEDS members concerned about their coverage during the ongoing government shutdown. For FEDS members whose policy renewals have been impacted by the government shutdown, we will be ensuring your policies remain in force until the shutdown ends. And for those utilizing our payroll deduction payment method, please be assured that your active FEDS policies will not be cancelled for payments missed during the government shutdown.

Changes within IT Department Could Leave IRS Managers Vulnerable

On June 21, 2025, the United States carried out airstrikes on nuclear sites in Iran. In retaliation for these airstrikes, Iran fired missiles at a US military base in Qatar. Shortly after the Iranian missile strikes, a ceasefire was instituted between Israel and Iran. In response to these events, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin that highlights heightened risks to the United States from pro-Iranian groups and the Iranian government. The threats highlighted in the bulletin are physical and cyber-attacks, especially ones aimed at hospitals, water dams, and power plants across the US.

A Call for Attendance Records Could Leave Federal Managers Vulnerable

Why Task Force Officers Need PLI