Pentagon moves to fire civilian personnel with 'speed and conviction'

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: msn/Washington Post

1h


The Pentagon removed key protections for defense civilian workers and directed that managers move with “speed and conviction” to fire employees with “unacceptable” performance reviews last month, just a day before the government shut down. The new guidelines were outlined in a Sept. 30 memo titled “Separation of Employees with Unacceptable Performance” that’s been circulating through the Defense Department in the last week, spurring concern among the workforce.

The move is seen by some managers as necessary to get rid of underperforming employees. Others caution that the edict, signed by Undersecretary of Defense Anthony Tata, the Pentagon’s top personnel policy officer, is so broad it could be used to fire anyone who doesn’t rubber stamp the administration’s programs.

“Looks like we are all ‘at will’ employees now,” one defense civilian said, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation.

Almost half of the defense civilian workforce is furloughed during the ongoing partial government shutdown. The Trump administration tried earlier this month to fire thousands of furloughed employees, but the move was stopped by a California federal court that found the cuts while the government was closed were likely illegal.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/pentagon-moves-to-fire-civilian-personnel-with-speed-and-conviction/ar-AA1Pn8Ri

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Of course that nonsense violates the Civil Service Act(s).

[Lovie777]

1. I've read that the bigly companies/corporations are laying off workers ....................

that goes into the thousand because of cost and AI.

Greedy CEOs need to watch Forbidden Planet 1956.

[Norrrm]

2. 'acceptable' performance reviews

Civil Service exams under Trump.

[slightlv]

3. I've been watching for the last few days for a notice about when my

November DoD retirement annuity check will be posted, and sweating it out anxiously. But I've still got several friends, including my closest ones who are DoD civilians. So far, they've been able to handle the furlough issues because they began putting money into a special account when the last furlough ended. I mean, these furloughs are becoming a yearly thing, it seems to us. My other best friend works as a private contractor on a DoD contract, and that muddies the water where he's concerned. My coworkers husband works for a special section of the IRS and just found out during the No Kings weekend that he *should* be retaining his position... at least for a while.

No man should have so much power over people's lives like this. He needs to be taken out back of the woodshed, as my Dad used to say.

[Bluejeans]

5. Federal Employee Retirement System monthly annuity checks come from a trust fund; not annual appropriations

FYI --

Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) payments are funded through a trust fund, not annual appropriations.

I ran this query through Microsoft's co-pilot and it gave me that summary sentence and a bunch of details on the mechanics plus links back to congress.gov where the data originated:

Are federal employees retirement system payments paid out of a trust fund or out of annual appropriations?

If you're a FERS retiree like me, your check should be in your bank account on the first business day of November (Nov 3).

[slightlv]

9. Maybe that's why the notification is late coming to me. I was basing it on a 1 Nov date,

hadn't even looked at what DAY the date fell on. I honestly don't know right now if mine is under FERS or not... I know I was not under the old way. But I did believe my annuity was separate and a part from anything else.

Thank you, Bluejeans... I think you just made sleeping tonight a little easier on me. You have no idea how grateful I am to you!

[BumRushDaShow]

6. If you haven't already, create a "Login.gov" account

so that you can use that (I think it may be required now) to get to your OPM account and annuity statements. They don't usually send out a notice (in the past they would mail out a statement at the beginning of the year with any changes/COLAs/10999-Rs, etc).

Otherwise the check shows up in your account.

But I know that feeling of "the wait" and whether it will arrive on time, let alone arrive! Also as a note, the first couple of monthly amounts may change a few times depending on adjustments to your health insurance deductions, COLAs, etc.

[slightlv]

10. My credit union has let me know about a week in advance they have the check and will

disburse it to my account on the first of the month. I figure that's the leeway that these banks have that give you access to an "early payday"... If so, I think my CU uses it to gain some interest on the money for themselves. (shrug) Used to drive me bonkers each month, but now I'm just happy to know its gonna hit my bank account!

I've got a login.gov account... I haven't been up there in over a year or so, tho... had forgotten about them completely. I swear, trying to keep my hubby steady and his questions answered and find things he's misplaced, as well as just trying to keep our money straight is getting harder and harder on me. I was congratulating myself on retaining as memory marbles as I have. I was so proud to have brought up our Credit Score by 165 points these last few months. But on some days, like these lately, I worry some of my marbles may be slipping a little quicker on me than I'd thought. It's a downright scary feeling - like it's all on your shoulders to keep everything steady and above board, and what's gonna happen if and when my memory does slip down the rabbit hole. (sigh)

[BumRushDaShow]

15. My bank has been crediting my annuity, usually a day or two before the first of the month

So when I check my account to see whether it was deposited, I'll notice that it happened "early".

So since Nov. 1 is on a Saturday, I expect the check will be deposited either Thursday or Friday.

Normally when it comes to this time of year with all the upcoming amount changes and ahead of the issuance of 1099-Rs, I will pop in to OPM around December to get the last statement. I don't know what DOGEshit may have done to the site but I'll see soon. I know the health insurance deduction amount changes & COLA (where the annuity uses the SS COLA %) don't get reflected until the February check as the January check was for December.

[Hugin]

4. I'm guessing Tata was selected for the position in July 2025, because...

He had been on Fox News and Trump thought his name is funny.

[IronLionZion]

8. His resume is full of kookiness

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Tata

[Hugin]

12. Yeah, I breezed through there.

:smdh:

Flynn wasn't alone, not by a long shot.

[Puppyjive]

7. A good time to attack the US

This is making the US much more vulnerable for an attack. Some of my veteran friends work in these jobs. They are all trumpers. I guess they are in the FAFO stage

[slightlv]

11. I'm so concerned for my former coworkers... we've all stayed

good friends, even if we don't see each other as often as we once did. Some are in a better position to weather the storms than others, as is normal on all things... but it hurts not being in a position any longer to help out if and when they need it.

[pfitz59]

13. Unacceptable performance.

"We saw your FB post making fun of Dear Leader." I foresee many lawsuits.

[COL Mustard]

14. My office is packed

And I’m ready to go, if it comes to that. I’ve had a good 35 year career, although I’m not really ready to retire yet. We’ll see what happens with this.