x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

The FED Weekly

Welcome to The FED Weekly, the go-to podcast for current and retired U.S. federal employees who need to stay informed on the issues that matter most. In a rapidly changing political landscape, we deliver concise, weekly updates on the legislative, executive, and agency-level actions that have a direct impact on your professional life and financial future.

government

All Episodes

11:18

The FED Weekly 4-10 Jan 2026 (Episode 32)

The FED Weekly ·

2026/01/11

We break down the latest news impacting federal employees and retirees. The big legislative update is the House passing HR 6938, a minibus appropriations bill that protects funding for agencies like NASA and EPA and rejects proposed budget cuts. Pay rates are set for 2026, with most federal workers receiving a modest 1% increase, while law enforcement gets a higher adjustment. Attrition is up across the federal government, with notable losses in the Departments of Education and Treasury

en

16:26

The FED Weekly 28 Dec 2025 - 3 Jan 2026 (Episode31)

The FED Weekly ·

2026/01/05

In this episode of The FED Weekly, we recap key developments for federal employees and retirees from December 28, 2025, to January 3, 2026. Highlights include President Trump’s executive order granting extended holidays, which resulted in forfeited use-or-lose leave for some workers. Federal health benefit premiums have surged again—up 12.3% for most and 11.3% for postal workers—outpacing inflation. Congress faces a looming January 30 funding deadline after a record-breaking shutdown last

en

16:00

The FED Weekly 21-27 Dec (Episode 30)

The FED Weekly ·

2025/12/30

In this episode of The FED Weekly, we recap significant developments for federal employees and retirees for the week of December 21–27, 2025. Key highlights include President Trump’s executive order creating a five-day federal holiday weekend, a finalized 1.0% general pay raise for most federal employees (with federal law enforcement receiving an additional adjustment), and the last steps before the Postal Service Health Benefits program launch. Lawrence also covers the substantial 12.3%

en

21:44

The FED Weekly 14-20 Dec (Episode 29)

The FED Weekly ·

2025/12/22

In this episode of The FED Weekly, we recap significant developments for federal employees and retirees from December 14-20, 2025. Highlights include the signing of the National Defense Authorization Act, impacting the federal workforce and supply chain security, plus executive orders granting federal employees extra holiday leave and finalizing a 1% pay raise for 2026—though locality pay remains frozen. There were significant updates to federal health benefits, with premiums rising about

en

25:54

The FED Weekly 7-13 Dec 2025 (Episode 28)

The FED Weekly ·

2025/12/14

This episode of The FED Weekly covers the critical updates for federal employees and retirees from December 7-13, 2025. Key focus areas include the end of the federal Benefits Open Season and a sharp 12.3% increase in health insurance premiums for 2026, compounding a 25% hike over two years. Budget negotiations resulted in another temporary continuing resolution, extending federal funding through March 2026 but restricting agency operations. There’s concern over minimal pay raises: most

en

14:48

The FED Weekly 30 Nov-6 Dec 2025 (Episode 27)

The FED Weekly ·

2025/12/07

This week on The FED Weekly, we cover the critical news for federal employees and retirees from November 30 to December 6, 2025. The Federal Benefits Open Season ends December 8, and participants must act quickly due to plan changes and increased health costs. Flexible spending account re-enrollment is required, with updated IRS limits. The anticipated 2026 pay raise stands at 1.0% for most employees, except law enforcement, who may see a 3.8% increase. Thrift Savings Plan funds show

en

20:01

The FED Weekly 23-29 Nov 2025 (Episode 26)

The FED Weekly ·

2025/11/30

en

18:26

The FED Weekly 16-22 Nov (Episode 25)

The FED Weekly ·

2025/11/24

In this episode of The FED Weekly, we recap crucial updates for federal employees and retirees for November 16–22, 2025. Key topics include the annual Federal Benefits Open Season, which features essential plan changes and mandatory actions—especially for those with terminating health or dental plans. If enrolled in a plan ending in 2025, participants must choose new coverage or risk automatic enrollment in a high-premium default plan or loss of dental coverage. The episode also spotlights

en

17:15

FED News Weekly 9-15 Nov (Episode 24)

The FED Weekly ·

2025/11/16

In this episode of The FED Weekly, we cover the record-breaking 43-day federal government shutdown, its severe financial impacts on federal employees, and disruptions to public services. Despite the shutdown, the 2025 Federal Benefits Open Season remains scheduled for November 10 – December 8, with some health, dental, and vision plans being discontinued, requiring affected participants to select new coverage. Key updates for retirees include final retroactive payments following the repeal

en

20:00

The FED Weekly 2-8 Nov 2025 (Episode 23)

The FED Weekly ·

2025/11/09

In this episode of The FED Weekly, we deliver a comprehensive update on critical issues affecting federal employees and retirees during the ongoing government shutdown. Highlights include missed paychecks, reliance on emergency resources, and intense financial strain across the federal workforce. Legislative deadlock persists, with debates over healthcare and new bills, such as the Shutdown Fairness Act, aiming to provide immediate relief. Recent judicial interventions upheld SNAP benefits

en

19:42

The FED Weekly 25 Oct - 1 Nov 2025 (Episode 22)

The FED Weekly ·

2025/11/02

We cover the ongoing government shutdown, highlighting the deadlocked budget negotiations that have left 730,000 federal employees working without pay. Primary legislation discussed includes the Shutdown Fairness Act (S. 3012), which aims to secure immediate pay for essential staff, and proposed changes to retroactive pay guarantees, raising uncertainty for furloughed workers. Judicial action prevented a lapse in SNAP benefits and blocked mass federal workforce reductions during the

en

20:10

The FED Weekly 19-25 Oct 2025 (Episode21)

The FED Weekly ·

2025/10/26

This episode of The FED Weekly covers key updates affecting federal employees and retirees from October 19–25, 2025. We discuss steep 2026 health insurance premium hikes—12.3% for Federal Employees Health Benefits participants and 11.3% for Postal Service enrollees—which far outpace the modest cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirees (2.8% for CSRS and 2.0% for FERS). The episode details plan discontinuations ahead of Open Season and highlights partial Medicare claims relief amid the

en

20:21

The FED Weekly 12-18 Oct 2025 (Episode 20)

The FED Weekly ·

2025/10/19

In this episode of The FED Weekly, we cover the critical challenges facing federal employees and retirees for the week of October 12-18, 2025. Key topics include the deepening financial crisis from the ongoing government shutdown, with hundreds of thousands missing paychecks and facing uncertainty over back pay. Military pay was protected through an executive order, heightening workforce tensions. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced a sharp 12.3% increase in 2026 Federal

en

20:02

The FED Weekly 5-11 Oct 2025 (Episode 19)

The FED Weekly ·

2025/10/12

This episode of The FED Weekly covers the significant changes affecting federal employees and retirees for the week of October 5–11, 2025. Key topics include the announcement of the 2026 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) open season, with average premium increases of 12.3%—the second year of double-digit hikes—and notable carrier discontinuations. The episode highlights the financial pressure from missed paychecks due to the ongoing government shutdown, compounded by mass layoff

en

17:36

The FED Weekly 28 Sep - 4 Oct 2025 (Episode 18)

The FED Weekly ·

2025/10/06

This episode of The FED Weekly covers significant developments for federal employees and retirees from September 28 to October 4, 2025. A government shutdown defined the week after the Senate failed to pass a funding bill, with health care subsidies at the center of the dispute. The episode also details the massive culmination of the Trump administration’s deferred resignation program, resulting in over 150,000 federal workers leaving their jobs—historically the largest such event in the

en

16:03

The FED Weekly 21-27 Sep 2025 (Episode 17)

The FED Weekly ·

2025/09/28

In this episode of The FED Weekly, we recap critical issues for federal employees and retirees during the week of September 21-27, 2025. The primary focus is the escalating government shutdown crisis, which has been heightened by the Senate's rejection of a House funding bill and the cancellation of key votes, raising fears of furloughs and disrupted benefits processing. The show highlights the ongoing suspense surrounding the 2026 FEHB premium rate announcements, following this year’s

en

14:58

The FED Weekly 14-20 Sep 2025 (Episode 16)

The FED Weekly ·

2025/09/22

This week’s episode of The FED Weekly covers the escalating threat of a government shutdown as Congress remains deadlocked over funding bills ahead of the September 30 deadline. Lawrence explains how competing short-term funding proposals are fueling uncertainty for federal workers and retirees. President Trump’s 2026 alternative pay plan—offering a 1% raise for most and 3.8% for some law enforcement—raises concerns about future retirement annuities due to its impact on high-3 salary

en

17:40

The FED Weekly 7-13 Sep 2025 (Episode 15)

The FED Weekly ·

2025/09/15

This week on The FED Weekly (7-13 Sep 2025), we cover major updates affecting federal employees and retirees. Congress introduced the Claiming Age Clarity Act to simplify Social Security claiming age terms, aiming to help retirees make more intelligent decisions about when to start benefits. Another bill, the Keep Billionaires out of Social Security Act, aims to prevent Social Security office closures and boost funding for better service, reflecting pushback against digital-only approaches

en

18:40

The FED Weekly 31 Aug - 6 Sep 2025 (Episode 14)

The FED Weekly ·

2025/09/08

This week, the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program announced a historic 13.5% premium hike for 2025—significantly outpacing proposed federal pay raises and eroding purchasing power for employees and retirees. Expanded IVF and anti-obesity drug coverage are driving up costs. In retirement news, the Thrift Savings Plan topped $1 trillion in assets, showcasing strong investment returns despite increased market dependence for future security. The newly enacted One Big Beautiful

en

15:07

The FED Weekly 24-30 Aug 2025 (Episode 13)

The FED Weekly ·

2025/09/01

In this week’s episode of The FED Weekly, Lawrence covers urgent updates for federal employees and retirees. The 2025 Federal Employees Health Benefits Program premiums are set to rise by a historic 13.5%, the most significant increase in almost 20 years, while dental and vision plan hikes are more moderate. With government funding still stalled in Congress and a potential government shutdown looming, federal workers face job uncertainty and possible income disruption, though annuity and

en

32 results

Similar Podcasts

The Fly

Georgetown"s Institute of Politics and...

THE CONSTITUTION STUDY

Paul Engel

The DSR Daily

The DSR Network

The Lawfare Podcast

The Lawfare Institute

Fora do Baralho

Rádio Observador