Benefits
Exercise helps with the balancing act
New findings suggest that exercise can help people feel better about managing their work and home life simultaneously.
Benefits
Union leader: Higher raise still possible
After years of wage freezes followed by this year’s 1 percent pay raise—and with a White House proposal for only an equal boost next year—federal unions continue to press for a greater bump in pay.
Benefits
Federal per diem rates same in FY 2015
Per diem rates for federal employees will not change for federal employees in FY 2015.
Benefits
VA program helps vets get jumbo mortgage loans
The Department of Veterans Affairs offers programs that permits banks to lower loan requirements for home-buying vets—but many vets do not know that those programs often cover so-called “jumbo” home loans, too.
Benefits
VA increases veteran referrals to private-sector care
The new head of the Department of Veterans Affairs told assembled members of a leading veterans service organization that VA has referred more than 838,000 veterans to private-sector sector care over the past two months.
Benefits
VA bill signed into law
Legislation designed to bring much needed reforms to the Department of Veterans Affairs and to increase veterans' access to care was signed into law by President Obama in an Aug. 7 ceremony at Fort Belvoir, Va.
Benefits
VA plans town halls at local facilities
The new head of the Department of Veterans Affairs has directed all VA healthcare and benefits facilities across the country to hold town hall events to improve dialogue with veterans.
Benefits
GAO: DOD should end duplicative health plan
The Government Accountability Office issued a new report recommending that the Defense Department end its US Family Health Plan and transition the plan's beneficiaries into Tricare Prime.
Benefits
Bill would give special leave to disabled vets new to workforce
House lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan bill that would give extra sick leave to new federal employees who are disabled veterans so they can pursue medical treatment during their first year of employment.
Benefits
Proposed rule opens FEHB to some temp, seasonal employees
The Office of Personnel Management is proposing a regulation that would extend Federal Employees Health Benefits coverage to certain temporary and seasonal employees.
Benefits
More mental health choices coming to Tricare
Tricare subscribers now have access to an expanded mental health benefit, the organization announced.
Benefits
OPM makes changes to FEDVIP
Enrollment in dental and vision coverage—under the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program, or FEDVIP—will be opened up in future to some federal employees outside of the normal open period.
Benefits
Postal unions blast closures plan
Postal unions continue to react in protest against the Postal Service’s announcement that it would resume closing “up to 82” network and mail processing facilities—beginning early in 2015.
Benefits
LGBT advocates: Feds' access to sex changes will be slow
Even though the Office of Personnel Management recently issued guidance to Federal Employees Health Benefits insurers on how to extend health coverage for sex-change surgeries, advocates do not expect feds to have immediate access to the surgeries, Politico reports.
Benefits
VA speeds up payment of burial benefits
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced new regulations under which it now can pay burial benefits automatically to most surviving spouses without a written application. The new rule became effective July 7, VA said.
Benefits
VA contacts 140,000 vets
The Department of Veterans Affairs late last week released its latest twice-monthly report on veterans' access to health care at VA facilities, and announced it had increased the number of individual vets it has contacted.
Benefits
CBO says compensation reforms could save DOD billions
The Congressional Budget Office has laid out a range of options for reducing compensation for military service members and retirees as a way to cut the defense budget to meet sequestration-mandated spending levels.
Benefits
VA medical center leaders to meet monthly with local partners
The Department of Veterans Affairs took steps this week to bolster its relationships with community health providers and veterans service organizations.
Benefits
OPM urges agencies to increase mental health awareness
The Office of Personnel Management last week issued a memo to heads of departments and agencies urging them to help raise mental health awareness in the workplace.
Benefits