Management
Who Said It, Obama or Nixon?
The answer will be both when Obama delivers a State of the Union speech that uses language of past presidents.
Management
Creative Minds: Can Microbes Influence Mental Health?
Gut bacteria could be affecting your thought process.
Industry Insights
3 Ways Virtualization Can Help Agencies Comply With PortfolioStat 2.0
Virtualization provides opportunities for agencies working to consolidate government’s $80 billion IT portfolio and meet federal mandates.
Defense
U.S. Lacks Specific Plan to Evacuate Americans from Sochi
Officials stress general action plans are in place.
Oversight
Senate GOP Leader Sets Up Another Debt Ceiling Fight
Mitch McConnell makes it clear he'll seek policy riders on measure to hike debt limit.
Employee Policy
USPS postpones facility closures
The U.S. Postal Service has put off a slated second round of mail processing center closures.
Benefits
Postal unions pan revised reform bill
The unions that represent rank-and-file postal employees urged members of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to reject an amended version of a postal reform bill when it comes up for consideration by the committee this week.
Employee Policy
NWS says hiring freeze 'dangerous'
The National Weather Service Employees Organization said that financial data the group obtained during arbitration this month over unfilled vacancies shows that a hiring freeze implemented in March 2013 was not necessary.
Pay
Insight by Mike Causey: On the money
What's the connection between the first man on the Moon and what some would say is the astronomical pay gap between people who work for the government and those who don't? And why is it that many ordinary Americans seem to believe federal workers are riding the ultimate gravy train?
Employee Policy
Legal Matters: Federal government pushes for, against service members
While the administration is strongly pushing for veterans to join the federal government, agencies seem to be pushing for them much less once they get in it.
Retirement
Informed Investor: Employees retiring in 2014 should be aware of Social Security 'earnings test'
Employees retiring during 2014 and who plan to immediately start receiving their Social Security retirement benefits need to be aware of the Social Security “earnings test.” This week’s column discusses how the earnings test affects Social Security recipients younger than full retirement age and who have “earned income,” which includes salary and self-employment income.
Employee Policy
Military recruiting looks tougher in years ahead
Defense Department officials told a House lawmakers last week that the military services are making their recruiting goals for now, but that challenges lie ahead.
Pay
FEW publishes annual 'report card' for Congress
A federal employee group that grades members of Congress on how consistently they support the interests of federal employees—women feds in particular—said its voting scorecard for the first session of the 113th Congress shows a rising number of perfect and high scores—but also a soaring number of "zero" scores.
Retirement
Federal Benefits Q&A
Question: I am a retired FERS Law Enforcement Officer who retired at age 56. I reviewed my Social Security statement online and it states that I will receive X dollars monthly if I draw at age 62. Since I retired at age 56 and do not plan on earning income in retirement, how will that affect my SS monthly payment at age 62?
Employee Policy
Public-private effort pools resources to measure telework gains
Federal employees who telework are saving the government money—and new a white paper co-sponsored by a leading telework advocacy group aims to help agencies more accurately measure those financial benefits as they design and implement telework programs.
Employee Policy
Federal employment declines
December numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that federal employment receded by nearly 80,000 positions between December 2012 and December 2013.
Financial Planning
Special Feature: Informed Investor celebrates 500th column
This week, FEND published the 500th installment of Edward A. Zurndorfer's Informed Investor column. Since 2004, Informed Investor has been educating FEND readers on a wide range of subjects related to federal employee benefits and financial planning. On this anniversary, we took the opportunity to ask Ed some questions about himself and about the changes he's observed in the federal workplace over the past 10 years.
Management