MSPB Criticizes Hiring Process
The Merit Systems Protection Board has issued a report criticizing the hiring process the government uses to fill vacancies. For …More
Fedweek
Sign up Now! Free eNewslettersTSP Funds Post Gains
All five Thrift Savings Plan funds posted gains in May, with the small capitalization (S) fund leading the way with …More
Other Restrictions Apply
While some federal employees apparently have been saving up money to make catch-up contributions with a check, the contributions will …More
Eligibility Rules Apply
Catch-up contributions are allowed only for those who are in a pay status (that is, retirees and those on leave …More
Catch-Up Contributions on Horizon
Starting next month, Thrift Savings Plan participants who are age 50 and older this year may make “catch-up” contributions over …More
Actual Enrollments Still Uncertain
Even as the open season winds down, actual enrollments still are not being processed because it still hasn’t been decided …More
FSA Open Season About to End
The initial open season for the government-wide flexible spending account program ends June 20, but for those who decided to …More
Key Provisions of Senate Bill
The bipartisan Senate measure would grant DoD’s request to put its general schedule employees under a pay banding system with …More
Another DoD Reform Approach Raised
A bipartisan group of Senators active in civil service issues has offered legislation (S-1166) to revise many personnel practices affecting …More
Fresh Investments More Evenly Split
Even while shifting previously invested money away from stocks, though, investors have been continuing to put nearly half of their …More
Exodus from Stock Funds Stemmed
Thrift Savings Plan investors in April reversed their pattern of recent months of shifting money away from the three stock-oriented …More
Risk of Forfeitures Bears Watching
Although it has been disclosed since last fall when the FSA program was first announced that money left in an …More
FSA Coverage Not Automatic
Although the two programs are similar in some ways, they have important differences. While premium conversion is automatic unless waived, …More
FSAs Differ from Premium Conversion
As the open season for the new government-wide flexible spending account program continues through June 20, some employees apparently have …More
Other Concerns Raised
The administration also has objected to language in the Senate version that would add limits to DoD’s use of “best …More
White House Opposes Pay Parity Language
The Bush administration has stated its opposition to several features of the DoD authorization bills, including the pay parity language. …More
Many Numbers Floating Around
Although there have been congressional moves toward maintaining pay parity, there still has been no formal determination of what the …More
Pay Picture Still Unclear
While both the House and Senate have addressed the issue of the military pay raise for January 2004, the raise …More
Closer Look at Changes
The Circular A-76 revisions could have a significant impact on the roughly 850,000 federal employees whose jobs are deemed commercial …More
Controversy Over Rules Continues
Although the new A-76 rules address some of the complaints about the traditional process raised by both in-house employees and …More
Contracting-Out Policy Revised
The Office of Management and Budget has published a sweeping revision to Circular A-76, the policy governing conversion of federal …More
Fees Available to the ‘Substantially Innocent’
Federal employees who are found “substantially innocent” of charges brought against them by the Office of Special Counsel are eligible …More
Acquisition Workforce Issues Addressed
The House Government Reform Committee has approved legislation (HR-1837) to reform federal acquisition processes, including initiatives primarily aimed at improving …More
COLA Count Drops Back
The inflation measure used to set the January 2004 federal retiree cost-of-living adjustment fell 0.3 percent in April, the second …More
Update on Homeland Security Agency Issues
The Congressional Research Service recently published a report updating the status of planning for the new personnel system for Department …More
Key Other Features of Senate Bill
Key features of the Senate measure would: exempt certain firefighting positions from the general prohibition on contracting-out of those jobs …More
Key Other Features of House Bill
Key features of the House measure would: create a $500 million government-wide “human capital performance fund” to reward employees with …More
Conference Coming on DoD Personnel Issues
The House and Senate likely will go to conference soon-and may stay there for a long time-after passing their versions …More
Risk of Losing Money a Big Factor
Experts in FSA programs generally say that the major factor dissuading eligible persons from participating in FSAs is the risk …More
Data Suggest Low Participation
Office of Personnel Management officials believe that while enrollment in the current open season for participation July 1-December 31 will …More
