Pay & Benefits
Biden Administration Makes Student Loan Forgiveness Program Easier to Use
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
Workforce
White House: Some Feds With Valid Vaccine Exemption Requests Could Still Be Fired
Task force says that for some jobs where no other safety protocols are adequate, federal agencies may require all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, without exception.
Workforce
Students Can Now Earn up to $72,000 Annually, Federal HR Director Says
OPM Director Kiran Ahuja said the federal government is looking to overhaul internships, telling students “we need more of you and your colleagues coming into the federal government.”
Pay & Benefits
TSP Portfolios Fall for First Time Since January
After an extended period of steady growth, nearly every fund in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program ended September in the red.
Workforce
Biden Administration Outlines Process for Disciplining, Removing Unvaccinated Feds
Refusal to comply with the president’s vaccine mandate will be treated as violating “a lawful order,” according to guidance from the White House Safer Federal Workforce Taskforce and OPM.
Management
Lawmakers Introduce Smattering of Bills to Avoid Future Shutdowns
The last-minute action to keep federal agencies open past Sept. 30 has spurred a flurry of legislation aimed at automatically funding federal programs in the face of congressional inaction.
Pay & Benefits
Employee Groups React to Health Insurance Open Season Announcement
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
Pay & Benefits
Feds Will Pay 3.8% More Toward Health Care Premiums Next Year
Cost growth stems largely from specialty drugs, treatments for chronic illnesses and the COVID-19 pandemic, insurers said, although federal workers will be impacted less than employees of other large organizations.
Workforce
TSA, Merit Board Reach Deal to Provide Appeal Rights to Airport Screeners
As the Biden administration moves to provide full civil service protections to the TSA workforce, lawmakers say Congress must codify screeners’ rights.
Workforce
Judges to Labor Authority: When Does a Contract End, Anyway?
Federal employee union's effort to challenge a controversial FLRA decision allowing agencies to unilaterally implement regulations may hinge on centuries-old common contract law.
Workforce
OPM Finalizes Rule to Boost Agency Hiring of Military Spouses
Regulations removing obstacles to hiring spouses of active duty service members outside of the competitive process will go into effect next month.
Pay & Benefits
What's Known So Far About the Vaccine Mandate for Feds, and More
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
Pay & Benefits
Career Prosecutors Continue Push for Pay Equity
According to Justice Department statistics, only 65% of assistant U.S. attorneys are paid equivalent to a GS-15 or above, while the attorney corps at several other subcomponents are over 90% GS-15s.
Management
OPM Sees Eye-to-Eye With Outside Experts on Its Future Role in Governmentwide Personnel Policy
The federal government’s human resources agency said it is incorporating many of the ideas proposed by the National Academy of Public Administration in its upcoming strategic plan, but some will require funding increases and congressional action.
Workforce
Lawmaker Opinion on Federal Employee Vaccine Mandate Breaks Along Party Lines
As President Biden announced an executive order requiring all federal employees and contractors to get vaccinated against COVID-19, he accused some Republican officials of sabotaging efforts to end the pandemic.
Workforce
Biden Mandates COVID-19 Vaccinations for All Feds
The executive order, removes exceptions that allowed federal workers and contractors to remain unvaccinated if they agreed to regular testing for COVID-19.
Pay & Benefits
OPM Adds Tribal School Workers to FEHBP, and More
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
Pay & Benefits
OPM Announces Leave Transfer Program for Feds in Four States Following Hurricane Ida
Feds in Louisiana, Mississippi, New York and New Jersey could be able to take extra time off to recover from the storm.
Pay & Benefits
Provisions Easing Firefighter Shift Trades and Equalizing Locality Pay Make It Into Major Defense Bill
The odds of two key priorities of federal employee unions becoming law shot up as they were attached to the fiscal 2022 National Defense Authorization Act.
Workforce