Pay & Benefits

Shelter from the Storm

Federal managers and employees fought their way through rough conditions this year. And next year's forecast isn't great, either.

Pay & Benefits

OPM issues guidance on workforce restructuring

Buyouts, early outs, layoffs and other management tools addressed in memo from Director John Berry.

Defense

Sequester fight is on the horizon

Republicans are talking about rewriting the rules for across-the-board cuts to soften the blow for Defense; Obama has suggested he could veto such attempts.

Oversight

Super committee failure helps feds in short term

But automatic spending cuts governmentwide ultimately will hurt agencies and workers.

Oversight

Aides: Kerry deficit proposal on table; failure announcement still expected

Prewritten news releases announcing the super committee's failure are on hold pending a GOP review of the Democratic offer.

Pay & Benefits

USPS, unions still negotiating over pay and benefits

Postmaster general is optimistic that labor and management will agree on new contracts.

Pay & Benefits

Hispanic hiring efforts buoyed by broader diversity initiatives

Council plans to take advantage of August executive order and veterans’ programs.

Oversight

Financially ailing Postal Service gets a reprieve

Measure keeping government open also allows USPS to defer multibillion-dollar retiree health benefit payment.

Pay & Benefits

NASA employee wins cost-cutting competition

Idea to create a lending library for specialized tools will be incorporated in President Obamas fiscal 2013 budget request.

Pay & Benefits

Ten Tips for Open Season

A handy guide to making decisions about health insurance and retirement.

Pay & Benefits

HUD secretary focuses on employee morale

Shaun Donovan aims to pull up a department that has ranked low in worker satisfaction.

Pay & Benefits

Super Committee Countdown

Will federal pay and benefits take a hit in the panel’s deficit reduction plan?

Oversight

Council moves forward on performance management plan

Labor-management group recommends better training for supervisors and more feedback between employees and their bosses.

Oversight

Postal Service will resume FERS retirement contributions next month

USPS lost $5.1 billion in fiscal 2011 and expects to run out of money in fiscal 2012.

Pay & Benefits

Thrift Savings Plan staff gears up to launch Roth option

Program allowing employees to invest income that already has been taxed will be operational in spring 2012.

Pay & Benefits

Lawmakers lambast OPM for jobs site glitches, slow retirement processing

Agency chief John Berry again defends decision to bring USAJobs in-house and promises a business plan for speedier handling of retirement claims.

Defense

Survey: Military families report concern over potential TRICARE fee hike

Fifty-two percent of respondents said they plan to save more for health care expenses during retirement.

Pay & Benefits

USPS proposal to leave federal health benefits program questioned

Agency could save money by contributing less to premium costs, according to consultant.

Pay & Benefits

Analysis: Searching for honest performance ratings

The key to evaluating employees is managing expectations.