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
Fedweek
Sign up Now! Free eNewslettersOMB 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
Document Largely Silent Otherwise
Apart from the assumption about raising retirement contributions and the savings order, the House budget plan contains little of direct …More
Budget Process Could Revert to Past
The movement on the budget resolutions by both the House and Senate would return the congressional budget process to practices …More
Tax Delinquency Getting Attention
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has started hearings that could lead to action on a proposal generally requiring …More
Bills Target Awards, Pay, Conduct
Legislation (S-742) has been reintroduced in the Senate to prohibit an agency from paying a performance award to an employee …More
TSP Used in Debt Ceiling Maneuver
The Treasury has used a familiar financial maneuver involving the TSP’s government securities G fund now that a temporary suspension …More
No Good Count of Contractors Exists, CBO Says
The Congressional Budget Office has said that there is no good count of how many private sector employees work for …More
Hiring, Engagement Initiative Begins
OPM has formally launched the Recruitment, Engagement, Diversity and Inclusion, or REDI, Roadmap, with an initial step being revisions to …More
FEHB Guidance Upcoming
OPM is expected to soon issue its annual “call letter,” in which it outlines the coverage features it wants in …More
Largest Likely Change Coming Separately
What likely will be the largest change in the program for the 2016 plan year already has been determined: addition …More
Self Plus One’s Impact Could Be Wide
In its recent guidance, OPM said that it estimates that about 30 percent of FEHB enrollments are family enrollments that …More
Revised Policies on Disclosure Forms Described
The Office of Government Ethics has sent guidance on a new government-wide electronic filing system for federal employees who file …More
Several Bills Offered, Advance
A newly introduced House bill, HR-1230, would require that federal annuities that begin in 2017 and after be based on …More
DHS Standoff Ends, More Budget Battles Ahead
The end of a standoff that threatened a partial shutdown of DHS means that budgets are set for all agencies …More
VA Bonus Recoupment Bill Advances
The House has passed HR-280, which would allow the VA secretary to order that employees repay all or part of …More
Several Other Bills Advancing
Newly hired employees with a veterans’ disability rating of 30 percent or more would be allowed to use a full …More
Veterans Preference, Per Diem, Appeals Bills Offered
A new Senate bill (S-594) would provide veterans’ preference to certain National Guard and Reserve members who currently don’t qualify, …More
Smallest Month Yields Big Returns in TSP
After struggling in January, the stock-focused TSP funds posted major gains in February that in turn pulled up the lifecycle …More
OPM to Roll Out Workforce Initiative
OPM is set to launch a new initiative on recruitment, engagement, diversity and inclusiveness called the REDI Roadmap, following a …More
OPM Sets Strategy on Engaging Federal Employees
In a recent report to Congress, OPM outlined its plans for getting federal employees to feel more engaged in their …More
DHS Budget Still Unsettled
Just two days are left before DHS budgetary authority runs out at midnight Friday (February 27), leaving the prospect of …More
