Management
With Snow on the Way, OPM Says Feds ‘Must Depart’ No Later Than 1 p.m.
The federal government’s HR agency instructed D.C.-area federal workers to leave work four hours early or by 1 p.m., whichever is earlier.
Pay & Benefits
Pay Agent Approves New Locality Pay Area, Calls for Legislative Changes to All Federal Pay
Federal workers Des Moines, Iowa, and Imperial County, California, will be the next in line to receive raises in the form of locality pay, likely beginning in 2021.
Management
The New Year Brings Good News for Federal Worker Compensation
While health care costs are rising and telework took a hit, everyone will see a decent raise and new parents will soon get paid parental leave.
Management
OPM Proposes Making It Easier to Rehire Former Feds
Under a new plan from the Office of Personnel Management, federal agencies would be able to rehire former federal workers at a higher pay grade than their previous job, provided they were high performers.
Oversight
Watchdog: OPM is At Risk of Not Being Able to Restore IT Systems Post-Disaster
The massive 2015 data breaches that exposed personal information of current and former federal employees are the subject of an ongoing lawsuit.
Management
Congress Moves to Block OPM-GSA Merger
A provision in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act would first require an independent study of the challenges facing the Office of Personnel Management.
Management
Watchdog: Proposed OPM-GSA Merger Continues to 'Evolve' Despite Lack of Legislation
Officials have continued to examine moving portions of OPM to GSA piecemeal, and still lack documentation for the legal authority and cost benefit analyses, the inspector general said.
Pay & Benefits
Most Feds Won't Reap the Benefits of Local Minimum Wage Laws
OPM last week announced that it will not raise the lower levels of the federal pay scales to comply with state and local laws increasing the minimum wage.
Management
OPM: Agencies Can Implement Workforce EOs at Some Agencies Without Bargaining
The Office of Personnel Management said agencies may unilaterally implement the provisions of three controversial executive orders, provided workers are operating under a contract that has been automatically renewed.
Management
'You Spoke, We Listened': How HHS Rapidly Improved Employee Viewpoint Survey Participation
Top HR officials made a year-round effort to highlight how the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey shapes the department.
Management
Top Federal HR Officials Stress Hiring for Military Spouses, Ex-Prisoners
At their annual meeting, chief human capital officers talk best practices for implementing initiatives intended to boost diversity in hiring.
Pay & Benefits
Making Sense of FEHBP's New 'Indemnity' Plans
The plans are not much different than the health insurance program's fee-for-service offerings, despite the name.
Pay & Benefits
With Winter Approaching, OPM Reminds Agencies of Closure and Leave Policies
The 2018 decision that employees who can work remotely usually cannot take leave due to a weather event has created a complicated web of rules and exceptions.
Pay & Benefits
Federal Retirement Applications, Processing Both Down in October
The backlog of pending requests crept to nearly 18,000 last month, although the number of applications is significantly down from the same period in 2018.
Management
The Agencies that Saw the Biggest Gains—and Losses—in Employee Happiness in 2019
Smaller agencies saw the widest swings in employee morale this year, as measured by the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.
Management
Employee Engagement 'Stable' Across Federal Government
The Office of Personnel Management’s annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey saw a modest uptick in participation in its second year of a census model, but engagement scores did not improve.
Management
OPM Makes It Easier for Feds to Shop for the Best Health Plan During Open Season
New plan comparison tool is more accessible and works better for employees overseas and on Medicare.
Management
OPM Proposes Ditching 'Clerk-Typist' and Other Occupational Classifications That Are Rarely Used Anymore
As many as 28 white collar job titles and 19 trade and craft occupations could be eliminated or rolled into other classifications following an administrative review.
Pay & Benefits