Pay & Benefits

Legislation modifying federal retirement rules advances

Provisions would make it easier for retirees to cash out unused sick leave and return to government service.

Pay & Benefits

OPM authorizes streamlined hiring for stimulus efforts

Agencies will be able to use excepted service appointments to bring on new employees temporarily for economic recovery projects.

Oversight

Union lawyer appointed OPM general counsel

Elaine Kaplan also is a former special counsel.

Oversight

Obama charts path on food safety

President announces interagency working group and says funds will go toward increasing the number of food inspectors.

Pay & Benefits

Pentagon suspends NSPS conversions

Defense and OPM will conduct a joint review of the pay-for-performance system.

Pay & Benefits

Obama team looks to federal employee health program as a model

Senior adviser says FEHBP flexibility and efficiency are laudable.

Pay & Benefits

TSP participation holds steady amid economic downturn

Rate of participation stands at 84 percent, say plan officials.

Pay & Benefits

Efforts to grant feds domestic partner benefits gain momentum

Upcoming legislation and recent court orders could force OPM to change its policies.

Pay & Benefits

Spousal Provision

A different take on the debate over life insurance vs. the federal survivor benefit.

Pay & Benefits

Virginia lawmaker calls for pay parity

Rep. Gerry Connolly personally delivers a letter to President Obama supporting equal pay raises for service members and civilian employees.

Pay & Benefits

Report touts intelligence personnel reforms as a model

Spy agencies have reconciled their individual needs with those of the community.

Oversight

House lawmakers reintroduce bill to protect federal whistleblowers

Legislation is necessary as the government seeks to ensure proper oversight of economic stimulus funds, representatives say.

Pay & Benefits

Playing Favorites

All’s fair in love and war, but not always in pay and benefits.

Pay & Benefits

TARP staffing continues to increase

But Treasury has no long-term workforce plan for the financial bailout, GAO says.

Pay & Benefits

Union continues campaign against career intern program

The hiring authority undermines veterans preference and limits opportunities for promotions, NTEU President Colleen Kelley argues.

Pay & Benefits

OPM offers training to agencies involved in stimulus efforts

Initiative aims to help government boost hiring without sacrificing merit principles.

Pay & Benefits

Freefalling FERS?

A response to reader concerns about looming retirements under the Federal Employees Retirement System.

Oversight

Advocates say DHS managers, rank-and-file are dissatisfied with personnel policies

Senior executives are leaving Homeland Security because of inequities in the pay-for-performance system and few opportunities for advancement, say witnesses at a House hearing.

Pay & Benefits

OPM delays implementing new promotion rules

Regulations that would expedite promotions for feds now will take effect on May 18.

Pay & Benefits

Low-Hanging Benefits

Congressional analysts have again examined federal employee benefits that are ripe for cuts.