THE DAILY FED
News Briefs
The following news summaries are from OPM AM, the daily newsletter of the Office of Personnel Management. OPM AM is available on OPM Mainstreet, the agency's electronic bulletin board, at 202-606-4800.
THE FEDERAL DIARY--"Health insurance premiums for federal workers, retirees and survivors will go up an average 2.4 percent next year, the Office of Personnel Management announced yesterday. Plans covering most workers and retirees will hold the premium line or decrease rates next year" (The Washington Post).
FEDERAL ISSUES--While only parts of the budget for the FY '97 are in place, congressional leaders say they don't want or expect a repeat of the partial government shutdowns that resulted from funding lapses last fall and winter...OPM is reviewing central and agency personnel files in a search for federal employees who took buyouts and then returned to federal employment without repaying the full pre-tax amount, as law requires (Federal Employees News Digest)...NPR honors several partnerships to receive the 1996 National Partnership Award...OPM and Blue Cross defend prescription drug charges (Federal Human Resources Week).
OF INTEREST--Rule number one when networking for a job: Just let everyone know (The Washington Times, Careers)...A recent study shows women executives to be superior, in many ways, to their male counterparts (The Wall Street Journal, Work Week)...Organization and trust can bridge the distance for couples who practice long-distance commuting (The Wall Street Journal, Work & Family).
OTHER VIEWS--There is a growing recognition by society that employee' ability to juggle work and family responsibilities may affect their productivity and well being (AAOHN Journal) ...Some want to allow military retirees to join the FEHBP (Standard-Examiner, Ogden, UT, August 19)...GAO report criticizes federal pharmacy plan (Chain Drug Review, NY, NY, August 26)...Investigations privatized (Spotlight, Washington, DC, September 2)...Health plan receives high-ranking in national consumer guidebook (Daily Commercial Record, Dallas, TX, August 22)...Elections monitored (Birmingham Post-Herald, Birmingham, AL, August 27).
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