Pay & Benefits
Obama is first president to freeze locality pay
Employee groups say proposal will strain federal workforce.
Pay & Benefits
Obama sets 2 percent civilian pay hike for 2010
Citing economic and national security emergencies, the president says Americans “would not understand or accept” higher raises.
Pay & Benefits
Job seekers continue to value face-to-face interaction
To recruit young feds, agencies have to reach beyond Facebook and YouTube.
Defense
White House breach raises questions about Secret Service pay and oversight
Homeland Security requested money for more staff in its fiscal 2010 budget.
Pay & Benefits
High health premiums could force some employees to shop around
Benefits specialists advise taking both out-of-pocket costs and premiums into account when comparing plans.
Pay & Benefits
Agencies authorized to dismiss employees early for Thanksgiving
OPM chief says a little extra time off would be “mark of gratitude” for workers’ service.
Defense
Personnel system under scrutiny in Fort Hood review
Task force will examine alleged shooter’s promotion and whether his patients received adequate care.
Oversight
Postal Service employees will receive pay raise in December
Agency’s financial woes have no effect on 2006 union agreement, officials say.
Pay & Benefits
Paid parental leave touted as a way to improve retention
Family groups say stingy leave policies force federal employees to make difficult financial choices.
Pay & Benefits
Most TSA employees are in line for performance-based payouts
Unions say the system is arbitrary, however, because the quality of work required for a given raise fluctuates.
Pay & Benefits
Mental and physical health conditions get equal out-of-network coverage
Starting in 2010, insurers will eliminate differences in co-payments and lift a restriction on number of visits.
Defense
GAO: Defense lost track of 72,000 combat medical records
Missing post-deployment health questionnaires help identify issues that emerge over time.
Oversight
Rule could slow Pentagon’s revolving door
Senior officials now will need approval from an agency ethics officer before taking a Defense contractor job.
Oversight
Impending federal retirements could spur agencies to reassess needs
Supervisors require new skills in a changing workforce, report says.
Pay & Benefits
House panel approves domestic partner benefits
Bill extends health care and other employment benefits to partners of gay and lesbian federal employees.
Oversight
Employees raise concerns about USDA reorganization
Headquarters human resources workers ordered to take new jobs elsewhere in the agency.
Oversight