Pay Gap Widens a Bit
Meanwhile, the Federal Salary Council has concluded that federal employees on average earn 35.4 percent less than their private sector …More
Fedweek
Sign up Now! Free eNewslettersBudget Accounts to Remain Tight
Agencies are starting to assess their budgetary situations in light of the deal, in particular whether they might need to …More
Unusable Leave Can Be Donated
OPM has suggested that employees who will be unable to use all their “use or lose” annual leave by the …More
Reminder about FSA Grace Period
Toward the end of the year, many federal employees become concerned about losing money in a health care flexible spending …More
Cost Savings of Alternate Workplaces Unproven
GAO recently examined the impact of alternative working arrangements including telework and “hoteling” and found that in general, the programs …More
Budget Deal Hits Future Employees
The agreement between House and Senate budget leaders would spare current federal employees from an increase in their required contributions …More
Pay Raise Allowed, Sequestration Pressure Relieved
The deal also allows a 1 percent federal employee pay raise to take effect in 2014, which will be payable …More
FEHB Change Also Included
Among the many provisions of the budget deal would be to allow creation of a self-plus-one option in the FEHB …More
Mileage Rate Announcement Pending
Around the turn of the year, GSA typically announces mileage reimbursement for federal employees who use their personal vehicles on …More
Weather Policy Revised
OPM has released its annual update of agency operating procedures in severe weather conditions in the nation’s capital area, guidance …More
Unfinished Business Remains on Several Fronts
With a deadline of next Friday (December 13) for House-Senate budget conferees to produce a spending outline for the remainder …More
FEHB ‘Underserved’ Areas Changing
The list of “medically underserved” areas for FEHB program purposes is changing slightly in 2014, potentially affecting enrollment decisions for …More
FSA Enrollment Requirement Reminder
The open season is also the annual opportunity to enroll in the flexible spending account program, in which employees (but …More
GAO Examines Building Safety Compliance
GAO recently examined security of buildings owned or leased by GSA, finding that building managers largely are complying with the …More
Holiday Speculation Begins
As commonly happens at this time of year, federal employees are raising questions about the prospects of additional time off …More
Time Running Short for Budget Action
Congress plans to work only two more weeks after returning to work from its recess this week, likely leaving much …More
Benefit Issues Remain on the Table
Congressional budget negotiations continue with a goal of producing an agreement for the remainder of the current fiscal yearby December …More
Administration Again Seeks Base Closings
The White House has again called on Congress to authorize a new round of DoD base closings, which like prior …More
Many Health Proposals Still on Back Burner
The ongoing benefits open season serves as a reminder that several proposed changes in the FEHB program that would require …More
Expert’s View: Open Season Elections
Making elections in FEHB, FEDVIP and FSAs in the open season requires using specific forms to carry out those decisions, …More
Confusion Continues on Health Eligibility
There seems to be some continued confusion regarding the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision in the Defense of Marriage …More
Retirement Survivor Enrollments Continuing
Although a special benefits enrollment opportunity related to the Defense of Marriage Act case ended August 26, enrollment elections in …More
Guidance Issued on Charge Card Limits
OMB has issued guidance on legislation passed last year seeking to crack down on misuse of charge cards used by …More
Early Marker Set for 2015 Raise
An early marker has been set for the January 2015 –not 2014–general schedule pay raise, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics …More
ECI Has Remained an Important Indicator
Although the raise-setting law has largely broken down, the ECI figure has remained an important number indicating the raises that …More
Budget-Cutting Options Laid Out
The Congressional Budget Office has issued the latest in a series of reports on deficit-cutting options, including several involving federal …More
Many Rejected Before, but Don’t Discount Them
Many of the same ideas have been raised many times before, in similar CBO reports and in various budget plans, …More
One More Time on Affordable Care Act
With the annual benefits open season affecting FEHB under way, a misunderstanding seems to be continuing in the federal workforce …More
OPM’s Guidance on ACA and FEHB
OPM has issued a fact sheet explaining the relationship between the FEHB program and the Affordable Care Act requirements taking …More
Expert’s View: Open Season Opportunities
Open season is your annual opportunity to exercise your right to change or elect coverage that you usually can’t do …More
