Workforce
An Appeals Court Seems Skeptical of Both Sides in Immigration Judges Union Case
A three-judge panel questioned attorneys for the National Association of Immigration Judges on whether their appeal was premature, and grilled FLRA lawyers on whether the union can seek redress through administrative channels.
Workforce
Trump, Who Tried to Weaken Feds' Civil Service Protections, Announces 2024 Run
Prior to Tuesday’s announcement, the former president endorsed plans to reimplement Schedule F if he returned to the White House.
Pay & Benefits
A Federal Employee Group is Again Urging OPM to Ban All Use of Salary History in the Federal Hiring Process
An organization focused on improving gender equity at the Justice Department warned that anything short of completely banning federal agencies from considering job applicants’ salary histories could continue to perpetuate historic pay gaps in government.
Management
OPM Finalizes Rules Rescinding Provisions of Trump’s Firing Executive Order
The new regulations follow through on a 2021 executive order signed by President Biden rescinding several of the Trump administration’s personnel policies.
Pay & Benefits
Supporters of Better Pay and Benefits for Feds Win Re-election
A roundup of pay and benefits news.
Workforce
A Union Has Filed a Complaint Against a Defense Agency Over Failure to Implement Biden's Voting Leave Policy
Officials with the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ inaction is emblematic of the Defense Department’s propensity to “slow walk” workforce policies that benefit employees.
Management
Here's What OPM Is Doing to Change Its Approach to Federal Personnel Issues
Kiran Ahuja said the Office of Personnel Management is working to implement the National Academy of Public Administration’s recommendations to transform the agency.
Pay & Benefits
House Lawmakers Have Proposed Restructuring Public Service Loan Forgiveness
A new bill would provide partial forgiveness for every year’s worth of loan repayments and expands what loans and repayment plans would qualify for the program.
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Workforce
Sen. Kaine is ‘Optimistic’ an Anti-Schedule F Bill Will Get a Floor Vote This Year
The Democratic senator described Republican arguments that the Trump administration’s abortive effort to make thousands of federal workers effectively at-will employees was aimed at dealing with poor performers as “not honest.”
Pay & Benefits
New Data Suggests the Federal Pay Gap With the Private Sector Is Widening
Union officials called on the Biden administration to provide a more generous raise than the 4.6% average increase slated for next year, while a group representing executives urged officials to explore broader pay reform efforts.
Pay & Benefits
Education Department Issues More Rules to Simplify Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Rules set to take effect next July expand which past loan repayments will apply for the program as well as simplify the employment certification process for some applicants.
Workforce
Federal Employee Advocates and Scholars All Are Urging Congress to Enact Anti-Schedule F Legislation
With the window to pass a bill preventing presidents from unilaterally creating new job classifications closing at the end of the year, good government and federal employee advocates warn of potential grave consequences for inaction.
Pay & Benefits
The Education Department Announces More Tweaks to Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Although temporary measures making the program easier to access will be unavailable from November until next July, officials said they are prepping a new one-time adjustment for applicants involved in income-driven repayment plans.
Workforce
Social Security Union Rallies Outside the Agency's Headquarters for Funding, Bargaining and Training
An internal survey conducted by the American Federation of Government Employees found that 4 in 10 field office respondents are considering leaving the agency within the next year.
Pay & Benefits
OPM Authorized a New Way Agencies Can Help Feds with Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Federal agencies can now certify a Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program applicant’s past service elsewhere in the government.
Pay & Benefits
TSP’s Recordkeeper Transition Created an Opportunity for Hackers to Steal Accounts, a Victim Says
Over the summer, a hacker was able to claim a VA psychologist’s TSP online account access and filed a nearly $100,000 hardship withdrawal.
Oversight
Agencies Must Do More to Protect Their Canine Workforce from Abuse and Neglect, GAO Says
Although federal agencies and contractors have policies covering most elements of ensuring working dogs are employed and cared for humanely, they fall short on several issues, including identifying signs of abuse and neglect.
Workforce
Social Security’s Union Is Calling for $16.5 Billion in Funding and Cooperation from Management
Labor leaders say the only way out of the agency’s staffing crisis is more money and the abandonment of cutthroat collective bargaining tactics by the agency’s Office of Labor-Management and Employee Relations.
Workforce
OPM: Federal Employees’ Engagement ‘Stabilized’ in 2022, but Morale Continues to Fall
The Office of Personnel Management has released preliminary data from the 2022 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.
Workforce