Author Archive
Management
Biden Signs Executive Order Killing Schedule F, Restoring Collective Bargaining Rights
The president also named Federal Labor Relations Authority Member Ernest DuBester to serve as the agency’s chairman.
Management
Social Security Boss’ Job Status Unclear Following Inauguration
The White House named Commissioner Andrew Saul among its list of “acting” agency officials, despite the fact that he has five years remaining in his term.
Pay & Benefits
Lawmakers Propose 3.2% Raise for Feds in 2022
Democrats in both chambers of Congress have reintroduced legislation to boost basic pay by 2.2% across the board next year, along with an average 1% increase in locality pay.
Management
Biden Order Rescinds Diversity Training Restrictions, Requires Review of Agency Equity
An executive order instructs all federal agencies to “root out” systemic racism from programs and institutions and rescinds Trump's controversial effort to excise so-called “divisive” diversity training programs from agencies and federal contractors.
Pay & Benefits
Bill Would Standardize Federal Retiree Annual Increases, and More
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
Management
Don’t Expect Trump’s Workforce Policies to Be Reversed Overnight
With the Biden team focused on issues like COVID response and immigration reform, significant action to rescind the Trump administration’s harmful federal workforce policies could take a back seat.
Pay & Benefits
Biden COVID-Relief Plan Offers More Leave for Frontline Feds
Although the plan calls for private sector employers to provide hazard pay to essential workers, it is unclear whether the president-elect would call on federal agencies to do the same.
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Management
Bipartisan Bill Would Block Schedule F, Similar Future Efforts
The Preventing a Patronage System Act would require congressional action before transferring competitive service employees to a new job classification.
Pay & Benefits
Agencies Outline How Feds Will Repay Payroll Taxes That Have Been Deferred
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
Management
Social Security Unions Urge Biden to Oust Agency Leadership on Day One
Although most political appointees are expected to resign ahead of the president-elect’s inauguration next week, the two top employees at the Social Security Administration have terms that run until 2025.
Management
OPM Issues Post-Election SES Hiring Freeze Weeks Later than Previous Administrations
The moratorium on senior executive appointments comes more than a month later than it did when Obama was leaving office.
Management
EEOC Cancels Official Time for Union Reps Across Government
In a party-line vote, commission members issued a final rule stripping union officials from access to official time to work on colleagues’ discrimination complaints and tried to exempt the regulation from the Congressional Review Act.
Pay & Benefits
Travel Mileage Reimbursement Rates Fall, and More
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
Management
OPM Failed to Issue Guidance for D.C. Federal Workers During Insurrection
There was substantial warning ahead of the arrival of the group that violently stormed the U.S. Capitol seeking to overturn the results of the presidential election.
Featured eBooks
Pay & Benefits
OPM Issues Guidance on Law Allowing Feds to Temporarily Carry Over More Annual Leave
The 2021 National Defense Authorization Act allows all federal employees to carry over an additional 25% of unused leave due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pay & Benefits
TSP Portfolios End 2020 on a High Note
Each of the funds in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program posted gains last month.
Management
Trump Vetoes Defense Policy Bill Over Base Names, Unrelated Internet Law
The House has already scheduled a vote after Christmas to override the president’s long-threatened rejection of the annual Defense authorization act, which also includes an expansion of federal employee leave benefits.
Pay & Benefits
No New Locality Pay Areas in 2022
The president’s pay agent declined to authorize a number of recommended changes to existing locality pay areas, overruling a federal advisory board.
Pay & Benefits
Spending Agreement Would Allow 1% Pay Raise, Fails to Ban Schedule F
Provision in the fiscal 2021 omnibus appropriations bill would give feds until the end of next year to repay payroll taxes deferred by the Trump administration from September through December.
Management