Senate DoD Bill Includes Buyout, Other Provisions

In addition to the raise language, the Senate measure would: extend by another three years DoD’s authority to pay its civilian employees buyout separation incentive payments, an authority currently due to expire September 30, 2003; similarly extend DoD’s authority to pay severance pay for involuntarily separated employees in a lump-sum rather than in biweekly installments, as is standard; allow “non-appropriated fund” employees (who work in self-funding operations such as officer’s clubs) to participate in the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program; allow DoD to require that employees in professional accounting positions be certified public accounts, although exempting those already on board from that requirement.