Pay & Benefits
Biden Has Issued an Executive Order Finalizing an Average 4.6% Pay Raise for Feds
The move locks in the largest pay increase for federal employees in two decades, although in a year with record inflation, it still fell short of some employee groups’ hopes.
Workforce
FLRA Moves to Undo a Controversial Trump-era Union Dues Policy
The Federal Labor Relations Authority, now under Democratic control, said prior leadership ignored the Civil Service Reform Act’s legislative history.
Pay & Benefits
The President’s Pay Agent Has Approved Four New Locality Pay Areas
The annual report from the leaders of OMB, OPM and the Labor Department also authorized a number of tweaks to the criteria that govern which regions are eligible to be added to the map of locality pay areas.
Management
House Democrats Look to Bolster the Biden Administration’s Equity Push
A pair of bills would establish a series of councils focused on breaking down racial equity barriers to federal service delivery and would require agencies to set goals upon which to measure their progress.
Workforce
The House Passes a Bill to Give VA Medical Employees Greater Union Rights
The VA Employee Fairness Act would grant medical professionals the right to bargain over scheduling and official time, and to file grievances over pay disputes.
Pay & Benefits
Locality Pay Area Tweaks Set for 2023 Pay Raise, and More
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
Management
Recent Hiring Reforms Are Already Working, Federal HR Leaders Say
At the annual public meeting of the Chief Human Capital Officers Council, officials said innovations like shared certifications and skills-based hiring are paying dividends.
Workforce
FLRA Restores Pre-Trump Doctrine on When It Can Intervene in Ongoing Arbitration
A decision by the then-Republican controlled FLRA in 2018 led to a tripling of some cases on the agency’s docket.
Management
OPM to Agencies: Set Up ‘Success Metrics’ to Show How You're Building Stronger Workforces
The federal government’s HR agency is taking a data-driven approach to advancing the workforce portions of the Biden administration’s management agenda.
Workforce
Here’s the Workforce Provisions that Did and Didn’t Make It Into the Final Defense Policy Bill
Did TSA employees get access to the General Schedule pay scale? No.
Workforce
Lawmakers Left Anti-Schedule F Legislation Out of the Compromise Defense Policy Bill
Prospects for it look grim after it wasn’t included in the piece of must-pass legislation.
Pay & Benefits
OPM Will Suspend Long Term Care Insurance Applications as a Sizeable Premium Increase Looms
The deadline to apply for the program before a two-year suspension is Dec. 19, but officials want applicants to go in with “eyes wide open” that rates will likely increase substantially.
Workforce
A Union and the EEOC Have Reached a Settlement Over the Agency’s Failure to Negotiate Office Reentry
The deal requires health and safety inspections of all EEOC work sites, reduces the number of days employees must report to their offices to three per pay period, and opens the door to negotiating a remote work policy for employees.
Workforce
These Are the Agencies that Saw the Biggest Losses in Employee Satisfaction in 2022, and the Few that Saw Gains
Only 10 agencies with at least 100 employees saw improvements to their job satisfaction score in the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, and no agencies with at least 10,000 workers gained ground.
Workforce
Lagging Pay and Back to the Office Transitions Likely Caused Feds' Morale Drop This Year, OPM Says
The lack of pay increases to match inflation and the federal government’s implementation of return to office initiatives could be responsible for dips in employee satisfaction as measured in the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.
Pay & Benefits
Here’s What Still Needs to Happen for Feds to Get Their 2023 Pay Raise
Although there’s only a month left in the year, there are still a number of things that must be done to finalize an average 4.6% pay hike for civilian federal workers in January.
Management
Social Security Warns Public of Declining Service if Congress Doesn’t Increase Funding
The agency that administers Americans’ retirement and disability benefits employed an unusual tactic in its effort to lobby lawmakers to approve President Biden’s proposed $14.8 billion budget for the Social Security Administration.
Pay & Benefits
Low Pay Remains the Largest Barrier to Federal Wildland Firefighter Recruitment, GAO Says
Although the Biden administration has taken multiple steps to boost compensation for federal firefighters, the government watchdog agency reports those measures are both not enough to compete with state and local governments and only temporary.
Workforce
Education Dept. and AFGE Reach a Settlement on Dozens of Complaints Stemming From 2018 Management Edict
A draconian collective bargaining agreement imposed without negotiating with the union, ended official time, removed workplace protections and implemented a scheme designed to cut off the union's dues collection.
Workforce