Employee Policy
April 28: Workers Memorial Day
Workers Memorial Day honors those who have lost their lives on the job, while recognizing the evolving successes of workplace safety efforts—in the federal government, led by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), now pressing for improvements for five decades. Government and unions are marking the day.
Financial Planning
Inflation spurs retirement concerns, but adjusting investments can help
The spike in prices, and forecasts for more inflation to come, is bringing worry to those planning for retirement. But a raft of advisories and expert sources in the media offer new strategies to protect and strengthen your savings plans.
Employee Policy
Union wants continued maximum telework—but OPM is pushing back
AFGE says the agency has rejected—often without due consideration—at least 80 proposals the union has made to retain the expanded remote work pioneered during the COVID pandemic.
Benefits
Join the Feds in Motion Challenge!
The event is aimed at helping feds stay healthy, in a myriad of ways—while raising money for the key nonprofit that helps government employees with tuition aid and emergency assistance.
Employee Policy
Watchdog: 10,000+ employees endured sexual harassment at DHS
A government watchdog cites an unreleased draft DHS OIG audit revealing one-third of employees suffered workplace sexual harassment over a seven-year period, most of it never formally reported. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas responded, stating he is "aware" of such unpublished material, and that it underscores "the need for immediate action."
Benefits
GOP Senators want TSP to stay clear of Chinese investments
The group is pressing pending nominees to the board governing the Thrift Savings Plan to keep feds' retirement money out of investments in "China-based" companies.
Benefits
Report: Student loan forgiveness program improves
Student loan forgiveness is accelerating, under a revamped program for public service workers.
Pay
Feds: 4.6% pay boost good, but 5.1% better
Fed unions generally applaud the Biden budget proposing a 4.6% pay bump for FY 2023. But, considering inflation and the many effectively raise-less years in the past decade, they are still pressing for 5.1%.
Retirement
TSP: Hold on tight through inflation and war, experts advise
Experts on financial markets and federal retirement advise those invested in the TSP to hang tight, and not try to time the market or stuff every dollar into absolutely "safe" parts of the funds.
Benefits
Bill offers short-term disability insurance for feds
A bill just re-introduced in Congress, if passed, would let feds purchase short-term disability insurance at reasonable rates.
Pay
Hit by inflation, feds say higher pay bump needed
Inflation—at least for now—is not backing down. Some concerned federal employee unions say the next pay boost needs to go higher than even the current fed-friendly White House's proposal.
Pay
States sue WH, resisting $15 min. wage for fed contractors
Three states are suing the Biden administration, attempting to roll back its executive order that federal contractors get paid a minimum of $15 per hour.
Employee Policy
Court: WH vaccine mandate for feds remains on hold
The Biden administration's vaccine or test mandate, placed on feds since last fall, remains blocked--after a federal appeals court decided this week that no immediate action on the matter is required.
Employee Policy
POGO report finds agencies aren’t following disclosure law
A report from a government watchdog group finds most federal agencies to be not in compliance with a landmark disclosure bill.
Retirement
NARFE lobbies for Social Security 2100
NARFE is marking the Social Security Administration’s birthday by pressing for passage of landmark improvements to how the agency handles federal employee retirement.
Employee Policy
Feds mark Jan. 6 with sorrow, condemnation
Federal employees and their union representatives remembered last year's violent riot that tried to stop the constitutionally mandated congressional certification of electoral votes.
Employee Policy
Workplace COVID safety weakened, just as omicron hits
An interim health care workplace coronavirus protection standard has been allowed to expire, and employees and their representatives want protection reinstated—now.
Employee Policy
Union: Some wins, some compromises in NDAA
The National Federation of Federal Employees is taking a victory lap for changing a much-derided two-year probationary period for some new employees back to one year.
Retirement
Debt-ceiling deal averts steep losses for retirees
Had Congress not acted to lift the federal government’s debt ceiling limit, it would potentially threaten the retirement savings of millions of Americans, according to the National Association of Plan Advisors.
Employee Policy