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.

WELFARE TO WORK--President Clinton has ordered federal agencies to hire welfare recipients. In so doing, he said, the government will set an example for employers around the country. The President did not set any numerical goals, but directed every federal agency to do all it could to recruit and hire people on welfare (New York Times, Sunday)...In theory, the government, which employs more than 1.9 million persons and hired more than 58,000 people last year, could make a significant contribution to hiring former welfare recipients (The Washington Post, Sunday)...Federal department and agency heads have 30 days to present him with detailed plans for recruiting and hiring qualified welfare recipients and requested monthly progress reports thereafter (The Washington Times, Sunday)...Welfare recipients, for the most part, require low-skilled entry-level positions. "Current lists of government job openings nationwide typically show few entry-level opportunities" (The New York Times, Monday, Op-Ed, Bob Herbert).

THE FEDERAL DIARY--A GAO reports says that some Department of Energy contract workers got an extra three years of age and service credit to boost their pensions during the government downsizing in the last four years (The Washington Post, Sunday)...Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) will introduce a bill that would bring the IRS, Customs and INS employees under the federal law enforcement retirement system (The Washington Post, Monday).

RETIREMENT ELIGIBILITY--Employees who fall short on time-in-service for retirement eligibility, but fact the loss of their jobs due to downsizing, can apply their accrued annual leave in order to reach the eligibility threshold, under interim rules issued by OPM (Office of Communications News Release, March 7).

MANAGED CARE--Congress has begun a great debate on the proper role of government in regulating health care and seems quite likely to set standards for HMOs (The New York Times).

COLA--Another panel may be appointed to recommend whether to reduce the government's inflation measure and the COLA tied to it (The Federal Times).

FLEXIBLE HOURS--Recently proposed legislation would enable employers to offer workers the choice of taking overtime pay as cash or as time off (The New York Times).