House Panel Considers Benefit Reforms

The House civil service subcommittee plans hearings this week on legislation (S-129) passed by the Senate last year that includes provisions: allowing compensatory time off for time spent on official travel that is not otherwise compensated; redefining retention allowances as retention bonuses and making them contingent on service agreements of up to four years; allowing “critical pay” above normal limits for up to 800 positions government-wide; changing CSRS annuity calculations to end the reduction in benefits affecting some employees who switch to part-time work late in their careers; and requiring agencies to put greater emphasis on training and succession planning. Also to be considered is a bill (HR-3737) to improve pay for administrative law judges.