Contracting Provisions a Mixed Bag
Also as part of the DoD appropriations bill, conferees dropped language that had been added in the Senate that would …More
Fedweek
Sign up Now! Free eNewslettersAcquisition Employee Rehiring Provision Advances
Congress has cleared for President Bush’s signature a bill (HR-2066) that would allow agencies to reemploy federal retirees without an …More
Benefits Vary By Plan
Varying by plan, dental benefits include: (1) Preventive and diagnostic services are covered in full, or with a $10 copay, …More
Dental/Vision Program Detailed
OPM has released further information regarding the benefits and premium structure of the upcoming Federal Dental and Vision Insurance Program. …More
Court Case a Complicating Factor
At the hearing, deputy Secretary Gordon England, the Pentagon’s point man on NSPS, said that if DoD loses again in …More
NSPS Schedule Sketched
DoD says it has begun to work on how to apply its national security personnel system to employees under the …More
DHS Doesn’t Appeal Court Ruling
The Bush administration has decided not to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court an appeals court ruling that held invalid …More
COLA Count Comes Down to Wire
With one month left in the counting period for the January 2007 federal retiree COLA, the figure stands at 3.6 …More
Call for More Leave Donation Issued
OPM has put out a call to agencies for more donations by federal employees of annual leave to the emergency …More
MSPB Looks at Hiring Improvement Efforts
MSPB has issued a report examining what agencies have done to improve the much-criticized process that agencies use for hiring—both …More
Developments Coming at DoD, Too
Meanwhile, certain components of the Defense Department can move into its new national security personnel system as early as October …More
Case Involves Key Issues
According to a Congressional Research Service analysis of the case, the key points at stake include whether the absence of …More
MaxHR Developments Pending
The Bush administration has gone down almost to the wire—a September 25 deadline—for filing an appeal at the U.S. Supreme …More
OPM Guidance on Health Care Order
Meanwhile, OPM has put out guidance on how it will carry out a recent executive order requiring greater use of …More
Panel Approves FEHB Records Measure
The House federal workforce subcommittee has approved a measure (HR-4859) to set certain standards for electronic health records for people …More
Expert’s View: FEHB and Medicare
Retirees often ask whether they should take Medicare Part B when they already are carrying FEHB coverage, writes benefits expert …More
Other Rates Increasing, Too
Meanwhile, Medicare increased several other rates. The Part B annual deductible will be $131, up from the current $124, and …More
Medicare Costs Increasing—Sharply for Some
Part B premiums under the Medicare program—which generally cover physicians’ services and related services—will increase to $93.50 per month in …More
Guidance Underscores Differences Among Plans
OPM added that in past years some agencies have invited outside dental and/or vision plans to open season events, but …More
Agencies Urged to Talk Up FEDVIP
OPM has encouraged agencies to publicize the upcoming Federal Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) by inviting carriers to make …More
Contracting Restriction Added
The Senate in floor voting adopted an amendment to expand restrictions on contracting out at DoD, the department that does …More
Authorization Bill Could Be Last Chance
The last chance for boosting the military raise to 2.7 percent—and thus setting the higher figure as the target for …More
2.7 Percent Raise Suffers Another Setback
In another setback for prospects for setting the January 2007 federal pay raise at 2.7 percent, the Senate has joined …More
Expert’s View: Should You Elect a Survivor Annuity?
If you are married one of the first things you’ll have to decide after you decide to retire is whether …More
Minor Changes Made in Sick Leave Policy
OPM in the August 17 Federal Register published final rules making several minor changes in sick leave policy. It eliminated …More
OPM Memo on Emergency Situations
OPM has released a memo describing personnel authorities that agencies may use to help employees, and help maintain operations, in …More
Pay Rules in Pandemic Outlined
Interim rules published by OPM in the August 17 Federal Register outline pay actions for employees affected by a pandemic …More
Court Reads Whistleblower Protections Broadly
Whistleblower anti-retaliation law applies to situations in which an agency refuses to hire someone for a posted vacancy, even if …More
More Surveys Coming
OPM has issued final rules carrying out a 2004 law requiring agencies to conduct an annual survey of employees. The …More
Language Too Broad, DoD Says
The Pentagon also argues that the restrictive language on NSPS would bar work on parts of the NSPS even if …More
