Measure Contains Other Benefit Improvements

The Defense budget measure also contains several other benefit improvements applying government-wide. One provision authorizes-although it doesn’t require–agencies to pay the cost of professional certification or accrediting that may be required in certain occupational fields, including the cost of any required examinations. Another also authorizes, but doesn’t require, agencies to pay both the employer and employee share of Federal Employees Health Benefits program premiums for federal employee Reservists who are called to active duty for more than 30 days. The measure also: authorizes federal employees to receive hostile fire or imminent danger pay of up to $150 a month under terms similar to the benefit applying to military personnel; changes the way pay comparability studies are performed for blue-collar employees where there are few similar jobs in the local economy in a way that sponsors believe will result in higher pay raises in the future; and changes the cap on premium pay from a biweekly basis to an annual basis in order to allow agencies more flexibility in scheduling overtime.