News Briefs

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--"Years of groundwork by groups and unions representing federal workers and retirees and concentrations of federal workers and retirees in many states--have given feds one of the best networks on Capitol Hill. The proof is in what hasn't happened to them during the last 30 years!" (The Washington Post, B1).

NPC MEETING--The National Partnership Council will convene during the first day of the Federal Managers Association's annual convention. NPC Chair and OPM Director Jim King will open the convention on Friday, March 21 at 9 a.m. at the Sheraton Premiere at Tyson's Corner in Vienna, VA (Office of Communications Press Release).

E-MAIL--Employees typically assume E-mail messages are private and will be seen only by the recipient. But messages are routinely saved by companies and might end up in the hands of someone for whom they were not intended. If the messages say something inappropriate, they could cause big trouble for the employees and the company. Some recent "jokes" have opened employers to discrimination suits (The Washington Post, A1).

ELDERCARE--Caregivers want to help their aging relatives or they wouldn't be making frequent sacrifices. But sometimes, the demands are just too much for the 22.4 million families involved in long-term home care (USA TODAY).

THE FEDERAL TIMES--Some in Congress still are pushing for an independent board to set COLA adjustments, but President Clinton reportedly is against the idea for now...Survivor benefits explained...How to find the balance between work and family (The Federal Times, March 24).

OTHER VIEWS--Civil Service Retirement is taxed (West Plains Daily Quill, West Plans, MO, Feb. 13)...DC workers led workplace giving (Fund Raising Management, Garden City, NY, Feb.).