Why are more and more people choosing the Consumer Driven Health Plan?
They want to cut costs, not corners. CUT COSTS Some of the lowest premiums available to Federal employees. No premium …More
Fedweek
Sign up Now! Free eNewslettersRaise, Other Issues Await Lame Duck
Congress returns next week for a post-election lame duck session that has among its chief orders of business completing a …More
OPM’s Guidance on Developing Leaders
OPM recently issued guidelines to agencies on leadership development, noting survey data showing a need for improvements in that area. …More
Hearing Set in NSPS Case
The federal appeals court for the District of Columbia Circuit has set December 11 to hear oral arguments in a …More
FEHB Underserved Areas Redefined
OPM has revised the list of medically underserved areas for FEHB program purposes. States on that list are deemed to …More
Expert’s View: CSRS vs. FERS
Federal employees often wonder if they are in the best retirement system, writes benefits expert Reg Jones. “As with most …More
Several Other Bills Signed
Also signed were: P.L. 109-313, a GSA reorganization act that includes a provision allowing agencies to rehire federal annuitants into …More
DoD Authorization Bill Signed
President Bush has signed into law, P.L. 109-364, the 2007 DoD authorization measure which: requires DoD to produce by March …More
Payments Also Concentrated by Occupation, Grade
Recruitment incentive payments were concentrated in engineering, architecture, health care and intelligence occupations, while retention payments were concentrated in health …More
Incentive Payments Concentrated at a Few Agencies
DoD was by far the largest user of recruitment, retention and relocation incentives in the government in calendar year 2005, …More
Court Retains Oversight of DHS Case
A federal judge who issued an injunction against the labor relations, disciplinary and appeals rights parts of the alternative personnel …More
Expert’s View: MRA Plus 10
One of the most interesting provisions in the act establishing the FERS retirement system was the one allowing employees to …More
Social Security Figures Also Affected
Meanwhile, several figures important in the Social Security program also are being adjusted for 2007. Earnings subject to the 6.2 …More
COLA, Raise Are Two Separate Things
The annual COLA announcement always sets off a round of confusion in the federal community involving raises and COLAs. The …More
Differences for CSRS, FERS Retirees
While about two-thirds of active federal employees are covered by the FERS system, the large majority of retirees are drawing …More
3.3 Percent COLA on High Side
The 3.3 percent COLA that most federal retirees will receive starting with their January payments is down from the 4.1 …More
TSP Investment Limit Rising in 2007
The maximum amount that actively employed TSP participants can invest in the savings program will rise to $15,500 in calendar …More
Other Features Differ, Too
Among other special features of FEDVIP described in the guidance are the requirements for the differing types of enrollment, how …More
Pre-Tax Payment of Premiums Mandatory
As in FEHB, premiums for FEDVIP plans will be deducted from pay for active employees on a pre-tax basis, but …More
OPM Issues Guidance on FEDVIP
OPM has put out guidance on the upcoming Federal and Dental Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP), which will have its initial …More
VC Program Is Not an Urban Myth
Voluntary contribution accounts are available only to CSRS and CSRS-Offset employees; those employees may invest an amount equal to up …More
VC Program Is Not an Urban Myth
Voluntary contribution accounts are available only to CSRS and CSRS-Offset employees; those employees may invest an amount equal to up …More
Key Interest Rate Set
The interest rate the government uses for various purposes related to federal retirement programs—including the rate of return on “voluntary …More
Controversies Likely to Continue
The administration’s defenses of its management initiatives are not likely to end the debate over them, since opposition to certain …More
Contracting Out, Other Programs Also Defended
The statement further defended the administration’s A-76 contracting-out initiative—what it calls competitive sourcing—by saying it is not “a scheme to …More
Administration Defends Personnel Initiatives
The Bush administration has issued a statement regarding its management agenda, designed to answer common criticisms from federal unions and …More
Locality Areas Left Alone
In other action, the salary council decided to leave alone for 2008 the current structure of GS localities, including the …More
Different Way of Dividing Raise Suggested
The council considered, but made no recommendation on, an alternative way of dividing up the money among localities that would …More
Raise Looks Like 1.7 Plus Locality Amount
Meanwhile, the salary council—made up of agency and union representatives and pay experts—is working on the assumption that the January …More
Gap Varies Significantly among Localities
The latest pay gap data show that there are significant differences among localities for purposes of locality pay. Under the …More
