Author Archive
Pay
One-week CR passes House, likely warding off shutdown—for now
House lawmakers pass a very temporary continuing resolution.
Benefits
Open Season: Don’t assume your FEHB plan stays about the same for 2023!
FEHB plan premium price rises will average 8.7% for 2023, so it is important to shop around—not least because "average" means yours could rise a lot, a little, or even drop.
Benefits
Open Season: FEDVIP and related options for 2023 …
Feds, go beyond FEHBP and take a good look at your FEDVIP options, too.
Employee Policy
Union settles multiple cases with Dept. of Education
The settlement clears the way to the future at the agency.
Benefits
Open Season: Check out the FEHB Plan Comparison Tool …
Over the next several weeks, Open Season 2023 offers many ways for you to save money. And the comparison tool is one of them. Try it...
Employee Policy
Report: BOP wants tougher punishment for guards who engage in sex abuse
Leadership at the Bureau of Prisons is calling for harsher punishment for employees who sexually abuse female prisoners, in addition to other measures to improve security for inmates.
Retirement
Feature: Retirement, and the search for meaning in it …
Retirement feels a lot better when you find meaningful things to do with it.
Pay
Social Security employees rally for reformed policies, more staffing—and better pay
Employees of the Social Security Administration, members of American Federation of Government Employees, press for crucial improvements in pay and staffing. Click on this article to livestream the union's latest event, a rally in Baltimore at noon today (Wednesday, Oct. 26.)
Employee Policy
Reports: Sensitive intel on Iran and China among Mar-a-Lago documents
More information is emerging about documents the FBI recovered for NARA at Mar-a-Lago in August—and about the secrets within them that, if leaked, are potentially dangerous to U.S. intelligence assets abroad and national security at home.
Employee Policy
After Hurricane Ian, union criticizes weather and safety leave limitations …
Hurricane Ian brought death, destruction and chaos to Florida and along other parts of its long path. Federal managers already have adequate authority over leave decisions, a major union says, but they should use it more effectively in weather crises.
Employee Policy
Women feds: Mentoring program seeks applicants
Those aiming higher should check out this opportunity.
Employee Policy
Report unearths new concerns about DHS IG Cuffari’s past
A new investigative report explores some recently discovered potholes along the Department of Homeland Security IG's career path—questionable actions that occurred long before his failure to explain or rectify the disappearance of Jan. 6 2021 Secret Service texts.
Retirement
COLAs: Insurance analyst touts 'chained CPI'—but unions, workers orgs remain opposed
There are many ways to calculate a consumer price index, which in turn guide COLAs and raises. The various routes continue to spark controversy.
Employee Policy
Labor Day: Employee orgs celebrate record popularity
This holiday weekend—with its beginnings staked out to recognize working people over a century ago—the federal employee unions that have been integral to improved working conditions and organization are touting their rising popularity across society and agencies—and encouraging more feds to become full members.
Employee Policy
Report: Archives staff endure former president’s wrath
A recent piece covers some of the many trouble spots NARA employees have encountered in retrieving and managing records from the former Trump WH.
Employee Policy
Employee and vet orgs slam VA, citing dismal survey results
In recent survey, VA healthcare providers and their patients are both sharply critical of agency's staffing decisions.
Employee Policy
RTO: The Biden administration’s mixed signals
A recent report looks at the many considerations in play in the "return-to-office" process facing federal agencies, with different forces pushing and pulling on management and employees.
Employee Policy
Report: Former Trump appointee proposes punishing federal workforce bill
Running for Congress, partly by promising to penalize the federal workforce.
Employee Policy
More than 800 USDA employees join AFGE
The huge wave joining the union had suffered as geographically scattered remote IT workers, and hope to benefit from the organization's representation.
Employee Policy
Report: If Trump returns, so too could Schedule F
For feds, the danger of a far less advantageous system for public service jobs looms.
