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
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Sign up Now! Free eNewslettersGuidance 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
Social Security Figures Rising
The annual earnings test threshold applying to Social Security beneficiaries aged 62 through "full retirement age"—in 2014, remaining 66–is increasing …More
Employee Viewpoints Trending Downward
Results of the latest annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey trended downward almost unanimously, which OPM called concerning but not surprising …More
Some Indicators Not Budget-Related, Though
While many of those issues can be tied directly to the budgetary situation, employees also are increasingly sour on several …More
OMB Assesses Impact of Shutdown
OMB has said that the partial government shutdown last month cost the government 6.6 million lost work days whose value, …More
Watch Insurance Eligibility Changes
During the ongoing benefits open season, one notable change to note is that employees in same-sex marriages (performed in jurisdictions …More
Annual Leave Scheduling Reminder
While the current federal leave year doesn’t end until January 11, the last date for scheduling "use or lose" annual …More
Different Ceilings Apply to Some
Although the 240 hour leave carryover limit applies to most federal employees, there are special rules in certain categories. For …More
Pay Indicators Delayed
Several annual announcements regarding federal pay have been delayed, at a time when both Congress and the White House seem …More
Benefits Open Season Coming Up
The annual federal benefits open season will start November 11 and run through December 9. During that time, FEHB-eligible persons …More
Watch for Coverage, Premium, Plan Changes
While the large majority of insurance enrollees make no change each year, experts advise that enrollees at least review the …More
Limits on Awards Continued
OPM and OMB have issued a joint memo telling agencies to limit for the rest of this fiscal year various …More
New OPM Director Confirmed
Katherine Archuleta, a former Obama campaign national political director and a former senior official in the Labor, Energy and Transportation …More
More Security Clearance Checking Proposed
A bipartisan bill offered in the Senate would require an automated search of public records and databases for information on …More
Training of Guards at Buildings Examined
GAO recently examined training of guards at federal buildings and other security-related issues, finding for example that many have not …More
TSP Limits Unchanging; October Returns Posted
The IRS has announced that investment limits on tax-favored retirement savings plans including the TSP will be unchanged in 2014. …More
Expert’s View: Voluntary and Discontinued Service Retirement
The difference between voluntary and discontinued service retirement is something that seems to confuse most employees, writes benefits expert Reg …More
Social Security Affected, Too
The COLA increase also applies to Social Security benefits, which are paid to FERS retirees but not to most CSRS …More
Proposal to Open FEHB Doors Offered
An idea that has circulated for many years has been offered as proposed legislation in the House (HR-3319), to allow …More
Impact of Change Would Be Uncertain
Employee organizations traditionally have opposed opening the FEHB doors, and have done so again in regard to the new bill, …More
FEHB, FEDVIP Children’s Eligibility Expanded
Children of same-sex domestic partners who meet certain standards and are living in a state that does not recognize same-sex …More
Guidance Issued on Military Deployments
OPM recently sent guidance to agencies on reinstating federal employees who are deployed for active military duty, covering issues that …More
