Benefits
FMLA to cover feds with same-sex spouses
The Office of Personnel Management directed agency and department heads to make policy changes that will allow federal employees to use Family and Medical Leave Act leave to care for same-sex spouses.
Pay
OPM issues post-shutdown guidance on pay and benefits
The Office of Personnel Management in released new guidance to agencies to help them resolve pay and benefits questions in the wake of the government shutdown.
Benefits
Informed Investor: What is an 'insurable interest' for life insurance or survivor annuity purposes?
A life insurance company allows an “insurable interest” to be named as a life insurance policy beneficiary. The Office of Personnel Management also permits an insurable interest to be named as a CSRS or FERS survivor annuitant. This week’s column discusses who is a legitimate insurable interest for life insurance beneficiary and survivor annuity purposes.
Benefits
Pitfalls lurk in postal health proposal
A bill that would remove postal workers from the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program could offer advantages as well as pose disadvantages, according to a new Government Accountability Office report.
Benefits
Informed Investor: Are there viable alternatives to long-term care insurance?
Many employees have been advised by their financial advisors to buy long-term care (LTC) insurance in order to have a financially stable retirement. But LTC insurance may not be appropriate for some individuals. This week’s column presents some alternatives to buying LTC insurance, including a home equity line of credit, a refinanced mortgage, life insurance and annuities.
Benefits
Informed Investor: Evaluating life insurance coverage and needs, Part IV: Viatical settlements
This last of four columns during September discussing life insurance to mark “Life Insurance Awareness Month” examines what policyholders should know about viatical settlements. Rather than terminating a life insurance policy and losing all premiums previously paid, with a viatical settlement the policyholder receives a cash settlement.
Benefits
Informed Investor: Evaluating life insurance coverage and needs, Part III: Accelerated death benefit
This third of four columns during September discussing life insurance to mark “Life Insurance Awareness Month” examines the accelerated death benefit (ADB) rider—including what the ADB rider is, which policy owners qualify for it, what it can be used for, and how its use will affect policy beneficiaries.
Benefits
Bill gives domestic partners same benefits as same-sex spouses
A Senate bill, the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2013, would give same-sex domestic partners of federal employees the same benefits as legally married same-sex spouses.
Benefits
Informed Investor: Evaluating life insurance coverage and needs, Part II: Term insurance
This second of four columns on life insurance during “Life Insurance Awareness Month” examines term insurance—including the purpose of term insurance, the variation in term policies, and a comparison in premium amounts between some individual term policies and FEGLI, the group term policy available to federal employees.
Benefits
Army offers fix for those who exceeded furlough time
The Army will offer back pay to civilian workers who took more than six furlough days, provided an employee gives up the same amount of paid annual leave.
Benefits
Informed Investor: Deciding on survivor annuity benefits, Part V: Death in service (FERS)
This fifth of six columns discussing survivor annuity elections examines death benefits for a deceased FERS employee’s spouse, including the FERS survivor annuity and the basic employee death benefit. The column also looks at the effect on the spousal survivor annuity of the deceased employee’s deposit for non-deduction (temporary) and military service, and a redeposit.
Benefits
Informed Investor: Time to consider health insurance for college-bound children
Employees who have children attending colleges or universities this fall will have to decide on health insurance coverage for their children. This week’s column discusses health insurance choices for college students, including college-sponsored student health plans, individual health plans and FEHB coverage. It also examines the effect of the Affordable Care Act on student health plans.
Benefits
OPM expands slate of FEDVIP carriers
OPM has announced the list of insurance companies that will offer dental and vision benefits under the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) in 2014.
Benefits
Leave transfer program for Okla. storm victims
Feds affected by the storms and tornadoes in Oklahoma will be able to tap donated leave thanks to an emergency leave transfer program.
Benefits
Bill would provide paid parental leave to federal employees
Three Democratic lawmakers introduced a bill that would provide federal employees with four weeks of paid parental leave upon the birth or adoption of a child.
Pay & Benefits
Obama gives feds Christmas Eve off
Federal employees receive extra paid holiday and a four-day weekend.
Pay & Benefits
A less popular fed petition: Actually, don't give us Christmas Eve off
Signatories say they are happy just to have jobs over the holidays.
Pay & Benefits
Feds force Obama to respond to Christmas Eve petition
Online petition to get an extra day off on Dec. 24 reaches 25,000 signatures.
Pay & Benefits
Feds petition to get Christmas Eve off
If the movement gains 25,000 signatures, the White House will issue a response.
Pay & Benefits