Guidance Issued on Ethical Restrictions and Social Media
The Office of Government Ethics has issued guidance regarding how use of social media relates to ethical conduct restrictions on …More
Fedweek
Sign up Now! Free eNewslettersGroundwork Being Laid for Postal Reform
The leading advocate of postal reform in Congress, Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., has started laying the groundwork for another attempt …More
Proposals Could Require Federal Employees to Pay More
Congress is back at work from a two-week recess, but key issues involving federal employee benefits addressed in budget plans …More
House Set to Consider Requiring Firing for Tax Delinquency
The House has scheduled a vote for as soon as today (April 15) on HR-1563, to generally make those with …More
Mandatory Discipline for Retaliating Also Considered
The House Veterans Affairs Committee has held a hearing at which members pushed a separate plan to mandate disciplinary actions …More
Guidance Issued on Customer Service Awards
OMB has issued guidance on the Federal Customer Service Awards Program that the administration announced several months ago, saying that …More
No Money, But Recognition in Several Forms
The guidance stresses that the Customer Service Awards will not carry a cash component, although adding that agencies “have discretion …More
No Automatic Enrollment in Self Plus One
Those interested in the new self plus one option in the FEHB program that will be available for the 2016 …More
GSA Alters Reimbursement Policies
Rules published by GSA in the April 10 Federal Register restrict eligibility previously granted for certain domestic partners for many …More
Many Blanks Left to Fill On Retirement Contributions Proposal
Congress returns from a recess next week with one of the first orders of business being to resolve differences between …More
Changes to Retirement Supplement, Other Provisions Need to Be Defined
The House version of the measure contains various other assumptions and “illustrative policy options” such as targeting the special retirement …More
Cutting G Fund Return Among the Options
Among the assumptions in the House version of the bill is changing the formula for calculating returns of the TSP’s …More
G Fund May Be Victim of Own Success
The G fund’s return formula often has been cited as a very valuable benefit—the other is the TSP’s very low …More
TSP March Returns a Mixed Bag
The core TSP funds turned in a mixed performance in March, although drops in two of the stock-oriented funds dragged …More
DoD Seeks Extension of Several Special Policies
The Pentagon has sent Congress its annual proposals for changes in policies affecting civilian employees—as well as on other matters—in …More
DoD Renews Pitch for Base Closings
The Defense Department has presented Congress with information to support its request for another round of base realignments and closings, …More
Budget Votes Set Stage for More Disputes
Both the House and Senate have approved budget plans that could have major implications for federal pay, benefits and job …More
Postal Reform Issue Stirs
Among the provisions of the House committee report on its version are recommendations for changes to the Postal Service that …More
Several Bills Advance
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has approved bills including: HR-901, to require OMB to issue guidelines, presumably including …More
EEO Policy Changes Sought
The House oversight committee also approved what would be the most significant changes in federal equal employment opportunity policies in …More
Several VA-Related Bills Set to Move
The House Veterans Affairs Committee has held a hearing on HR-571, under which a VA employee who retaliates against a …More
OMB Orders Squeeze in Office Space
OMB has ordered agencies to reduce their “footprint” in office space and other space they own or lease, saying that …More
Votes Set on Budget Plans
Both the House and Senate plan votes this week on spending outlines that say little but assume a lot regarding …More
Much Still Up in Air
The Senate budget measure itself contains no such provisions and no comparable report on that measure has been issued. However, …More
Wellness, Drug Costs Among Top FEHB Priorities
Encouraging enrollees to participate in wellness programs and holding down spending on prescription drugs will remain areas of emphasis for …More
Better Medicare Coordination Also Sought
The call letter also revisits another running issue, coordination of FEHB and Medicare benefits for those who have both. In …More
Few Details on Self Plus One
The major change in the program for 2016 will be the addition of self plus one coverage options. OPM said, …More
OPM Outlines 2016 FEHB Features
OPM also said that in general, the policy that any improvements in benefits must be cost-neutral will continue, although there …More
Furlough Threat at IRS Resolved
The IRS, which earlier this year threatened two unpaid furlough days for virtually all employees as a budget-saving measure, will …More
Budget Plans Being Released
All federal employees would be subject to paying higher contributions toward their FERS or CSRS retirement benefits under a plan …More
