Image: Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffThe House has passed and sent to the White House a bill (HR-3967) containing a number of enhanced salary, bonus and incentive payment authorities for the VA.
The provisions, which were attached to a bill to enhance benefits for veterans who were exposed to toxic chemicals from military burn pits, include: requiring the VA to establish standard qualifications and performance metrics for HR positions and produce a plan for improving hiring for those positions; allowing expedited hiring of recent college graduates for certain positions; enhancing various special pay, bonus and awards authorities department-wide; and raising pay caps on certain positions.
Also: ordering the VA to assess staffing shortages in rural clinics and other health care facilities and produce a national plan to improve recruiting and hiring in rural areas; and allowing VA to pay to buy out contracts of certain health care providers in exchange for commitments to work at rural VA facilities for at least four years.
The House meanwhile passed and sent to the Senate HR-521, to preserve the special retirement benefits of federal first responders who become disabled by allowing them to remain under the special retirement provisions for them if they are placed in another federal position outside of that system after returning to work from a work-related injury or illness.
House to Take Up Bill With 4.6 Percent Federal Raise; Accepts Inflation Pay Add-on for Some
Federal Retirement COLA Count Hits 9 Percent
House Acts to Bar a Future Schedule F, Advances Other Workplace Provisions
‘Best Places to Work’ Rankings Have Familiar Look, but Many Scores Slip
White House Opposes Bid to Give ‘Inflation Bonus Pay’ to Some Federal Employees
Beneficiary Designations Still Valid Even if Not in New System, Says TSP
GAO Review Sought of TSP Customer Service Problems
Lawsuit over OPM Database Breaches Advances; $63M Settlement Fund
See also,
House Republicans Revive Retirement Benefit-Cutting Proposals
Installments vs. Annuity: Using Your TSP for Regular Income
Retiring from a Federal Job – Getting Started
Retiring from a Federal Job: Make Sure Your Agency Gets it Right
Nine Hours on Hold: Pressure Builds on TSP to Improve Customer Service
