With Open Season underway, rising premiums may be top of mind for enrollees in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program. But there are other changes employees and annuitants will want to be aware of — like the plans entering or leaving FEHB, and benefits changes across the government’s insurance programs. We hear more from Kevin Moss, director of marketing and fundraising at Consumer’s Checkbook.Plus, federal employees are experiencing disruptions in the workplace at a rate nearly three times the national average. Close to one-third of federal employees say their workplace has been disrupted “to a very large extent” this year, according to new data from Gallup. We get a breakdown of the latest findings from Camille Lloyd, a director and senior consultant at Gallup.See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.

<description>
 &lt;p&gt;With Open Season underway, rising premiums may be top of mind for enrollees in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program. But there are other changes employees and annuitants will want to be aware of — like the plans entering or leaving FEHB, and benefits changes across the government’s insurance programs. We hear more from Kevin Moss, director of marketing and fundraising at Consumer’s Checkbook.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Plus, federal employees are experiencing disruptions in the workplace at a rate nearly three times the national average. Close to one-third of federal employees say their workplace has been disrupted “to a very large extent” this year, according to new data from Gallup. We get a breakdown of the latest findings from Camille Lloyd, a director and senior consultant at Gallup.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;See Privacy Policy at &lt;a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;https://art19.com/privacy&lt;/a&gt; and California Privacy Notice at &lt;a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
 </description>

In this episode, we cover what enrollees should know heading into Open Season this year. Plus, new data from Gallup shows that federal employees are experiencing disruptions in the workplace at nearly three times the national average.

Your Federal Life -- Nov. 12, 2025

Today we are diving into all things Open Season. Whether you’re enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program, or the Postal Service Health Benefits program — and whether you’re an active employee, or a federal retiree — there’s a lot to know about the upcoming one-month enrollment period that starts Nov. 10.&nbsp;Premium rates are on the rise again with another year of double-digit increases. There are also a number of plans both leaving and entering the government’s health insurance marketplace in 2026. Kevin Moss, director of marketing and fundraising at Consumer’s Checkbook, tells us more.See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.

<description>
 &lt;p&gt;Today we are diving into all things Open Season. Whether you’re enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program, or the Postal Service Health Benefits program — and whether you’re an active employee, or a federal retiree — there’s a lot to know about the upcoming one-month enrollment period that starts Nov. 10.&amp;nbsp;Premium rates are on the rise again with another year of double-digit increases. There are also a number of plans both leaving and entering the government’s health insurance marketplace in 2026. Kevin Moss, director of marketing and fundraising at Consumer’s Checkbook, tells us more.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;See Privacy Policy at &lt;a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;https://art19.com/privacy&lt;/a&gt; and California Privacy Notice at &lt;a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
 </description>

With premium rates on the rise and a number of upcoming changes in the government's health insurance programs, today we dive into all things Open Season. 

Your Federal Life -- Oct. 22, 2025

The deferred resignation program has largely reshaped the federal workforce this year. The new program from the Trump administration asked employees to agree to quit their jobs in exchange for seven months of paid leave. The program ultimately led to more than 154,000 employees officially leaving the government’s rolls on Sept. 30. But even after that deadline passed, many federal employees who took the DRP are still unsure about their status, next steps and legal exposure. We get more from Michael Fallings, a managing partner at Tully Rinckey PLLC.Plus, thousands of IRS employees have left their jobs this year — and even more cuts are on the way. Many of the impacted IRS employees who have officially parted from the agency are now facing an uncertain future. One retired federal employee recently launched a volunteer network to help those individuals find their footing, by offering free career coaching, resume help and emotional support to those navigating life after government service. Perry DiToto, the creator of the network, called “Career Support For You,” shares more.See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.

<description>
 &lt;p&gt;The deferred resignation program has largely reshaped the federal workforce this year. The new program from the Trump administration asked employees to agree to quit their jobs in exchange for seven months of paid leave. The program ultimately led to more than 154,000 employees officially leaving the government’s rolls on Sept. 30. But even after that deadline passed, many federal employees who took the DRP are still unsure about their status, next steps and legal exposure. We get more from Michael Fallings, a managing partner at Tully Rinckey PLLC.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Plus, thousands of IRS employees have left their jobs this year — and even more cuts are on the way. Many of the impacted IRS employees who have officially parted from the agency are now facing an uncertain future. One retired federal employee recently launched a volunteer network to help those individuals find their footing, by offering free career coaching, resume help and emotional support to those navigating life after government service. Perry DiToto, the creator of the network, called “Career Support For You,” shares more.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;See Privacy Policy at &lt;a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;https://art19.com/privacy&lt;/a&gt; and California Privacy Notice at &lt;a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
 </description>

In this week’s episode, we take a look at the aftermath of the deferred resignation program’s deadline, and how those who took the DRP are still being impacted now. Plus, learn about a new volunteer network aiming to support IRS employees who have been affected by this year’s workforce overhauls.

Your Federal Life -- Oct. 15, 2025

After the Office of Personnel Management&nbsp;canceled&nbsp;this year’s Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, competing ideas have emerged on how to approach the requirements for agencies to survey their employees, and what OPM’s role should be in those surveys for the long haul. We get perspectives from Rob Shriver, former OPM acting director and current managing director of the Civil Service Strong initiative at Democracy Forward — as well as Sydney Heimbrock, former executive director of the OPM Innovation Lab, and currently the public sector chief industry advisor at Qualtrics.Plus, a new oral history project from the Volcker Alliance and the Organization of American Historians captures the voices of displaced federal employees, offering an unfiltered look at public service, policy and the personal toll of government downsizing. Jason Chernesky, director of the Federal Employees and Contractors Oral History Project, recently sat down with Federal News Network’s Terry Gerton to share more about the project.See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.

<description>
 &lt;p&gt;After the Office of Personnel Management&amp;nbsp;canceled&amp;nbsp;this year’s Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, competing ideas have emerged on how to approach the requirements for agencies to survey their employees, and what OPM’s role should be in those surveys for the long haul. We get perspectives from Rob Shriver, former OPM acting director and current managing director of the Civil Service Strong initiative at Democracy Forward — as well as Sydney Heimbrock, former executive director of the OPM Innovation Lab, and currently the public sector chief industry advisor at Qualtrics.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Plus, a new oral history project from the Volcker Alliance and the Organization of American Historians captures the voices of displaced federal employees, offering an unfiltered look at public service, policy and the personal toll of government downsizing. Jason Chernesky, director of the Federal Employees and Contractors Oral History Project, recently sat down with Federal News Network’s Terry Gerton to share more about the project.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;See Privacy Policy at &lt;a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;https://art19.com/privacy&lt;/a&gt; and California Privacy Notice at &lt;a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
 </description>

In this week’s episode, we take a deep dive into what the cancellation of the 2025 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey will mean for the federal workforce. Plus, learn more about a new oral history project aiming to capture the unfiltered voices of displaced federal employees.

Your Federal Life -- Sept. 17, 2025

Agencies are facing tons of changing expectations from the Office of Personnel Management this year. In the last few weeks alone, OPM has told agencies how to think differently about awarding employees for good work, as well as how to implement recent changes to the federal probationary period. There’s also new guidance on where agencies should limit, or add more flexibility, on paid administrative leave. Jenny Mattingley, the Partnership for Public Service’s vice president of government affairs, joins us to help make sense of it all.Plus, it’s a busy time for federal retirement. From rising health care costs to the surge in retirement applications, there’s a lot to keep track of.&nbsp;Not to mention, OPM has just launched a new online retirement system.&nbsp;To learn more about what makes a retirement case “clean,” how to avoid common delays, and what federal employees should be thinking about before they hit submit, Federal News Network’s Terry Gerton caught up with a principal at Retire Federal, Tammy Flanagan.See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.

<description>
 &lt;p&gt;Agencies are facing tons of changing expectations from the Office of Personnel Management this year. In the last few weeks alone, OPM has told agencies how to think differently about awarding employees for good work, as well as how to implement recent changes to the federal probationary period. There’s also new guidance on where agencies should limit, or add more flexibility, on paid administrative leave. Jenny Mattingley, the Partnership for Public Service’s vice president of government affairs, joins us to help make sense of it all.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Plus, it’s a busy time for federal retirement. From rising health care costs to the surge in retirement applications, there’s a lot to keep track of.&amp;nbsp;Not to mention, OPM has just launched a new online retirement system.&amp;nbsp;To learn more about what makes a retirement case “clean,” how to avoid common delays, and what federal employees should be thinking about before they hit submit, Federal News Network’s Terry Gerton caught up with a principal at Retire Federal, Tammy Flanagan.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;See Privacy Policy at &lt;a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;https://art19.com/privacy&lt;/a&gt; and California Privacy Notice at &lt;a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
 </description>

In this episode, we cover many of the Office of Personnel Management’s changing expectations for the federal workforce. Plus, some advice for what federal employees should be thinking about before they hit submit on their retirement paperwork.

Your Federal Life -- Aug. 20, 2025

Each week, Drew Friedman and contributors to Federal News Network’s workforce coverage provide listeners with actionable information on the management of their careers and financial lives. Your Federal Life covers topics ranging from federal pay and benefits to retirement and retirement planning, hiring, career planning, and federal personnel policy.

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