News Briefs

THE DAILY FED

News Briefs

Third Annual Performance Management Conference, May 13-14, McLean, VA

Plan now for the Third Annual Performance Management Conference, May 13-14, 1997, in McLean, VA, at the McLean Hilton Hotel. This conference is designed to provide practical, cutting-edge information on a wide variety of topics related to performance appraisal and awards. To receive a brochure, call (202) 606-2720, or fax a request to (202) 606-2395. For additional conference information, call Digna Carballosa at (202) 606-1778 or E-Mail dmcarbal@opm.gov.

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--"The president of the National Association of Government Employees union has called upon vice President gore to resign for using government-owned telephones in his White House office to solicit campaign contributions'" (The Washington Post).

WELFARE TO WORK--Efforts to move poor from welfare to work is going slowly in the area. What employers are discovering is what social policy experts have been saying for years: Preparing the unskilled, dependent poor can be done, but it is rarely easy (The Washington Post).

AROUND GOVERNMENT--Internal control weaknesses cited in INS problems (The Washington Post)...Head of GSA called to account for $680 shortfall on government rent collection (The Washington Post)...IRS admits it wasted about $400 million attempting to modernize its computer and telecommunications systems over the past decade (The Washington Post)...Federal managers are finding new ways to use contingent workers (Government Executive).

OTHER VIEWS--Making informed health care choices (Healthplan, Washington, DC, Jan-Feb)...FEHBP referenced in AMA Medicare repair proposal (AAO-HNS Bulletin, Alexandria, VA, Feb.)...Extend FEHB coverage to retired military (Lawton Constitution, Lawton, OK, Jan. 27)...Retiree questions Medicare coverage while under FEHBP (Staten Island Advance, Feb. 17)...FEHB mentioned in settlement with California lab (CAP Today, Northfield, IL, Feb.)