Focus on Contracting Out Coming
The Commercial Activities Panel, a special commission overseen by the General Accounting Office that has been examining the government’s contracting-out …More
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Sign up Now! Free eNewslettersSome Restrictions Remain
The GSA policy also imposes certain restriction on personal use of frequent traveler benefits. It states that employees may not …More
Final Guidance on Frequent Traveler Benefits Issued
The General Services Administration has issued final guidance on use of frequent traveler benefits by federal employees, formally putting into …More
COLA Count Turns Upward
The inflation index used to set the January 2003 retiree cost-of-living adjustment increased by 0.6 percent in March, bringing the …More
More Such Maneuvers May be Ahead
The Treasury letter to Congress indicated that there may be more financial maneuvering ahead for the G fund unless Congress …More
TSP Funds Restored
The Treasury Department has announced that it has stopped using financial maneuvers involving the Thrift Savings Plan’s government securities (G) …More
Letter Starts Annual Negotiation Process
The call letter kicks off a process of negotiation between OPM and the insurance carriers that typically concludes in late …More
Drug Costs, Care Management to Get Particular Attention
OPM’s letter to the insurers told them that they should “remain committed to managing prescription drug costs” through steps such …More
OPM Issues 2003 FEHB Call Letter
The Office of Personnel Management, saying the forces that have been driving up Federal Employees Health Benefits program premiums in …More
House Approves IT Employee Exchange Program
The House has passed legislation (HR-3925) to establish a federal-private sector exchange program in which information technology employees at the …More
VA RIF Rights Clarified
Health care professionals working at the Veterans Affairs department’s Veterans Health Administration are covered by the reduction in force protections …More
Senate Signal on Raise Still Pending
The Senate has yet to schedule a vote on a fiscal year 2003 budget resolution that will stake out the …More
Repeat of GPO Bill’s Experience Shaping Up?
The garnering of a House majority in favor of revising the windfall penalty is an accomplishment for employee and retiree …More
‘Windfall’ Bill Passes Milestone
A bill to ease the impact of the windfall elimination provision has passed an important milestone in the House, garnering …More
GAO’s Views on Civil Service Reform
The General Accounting Office put the term “human capital crisis” in the federal workplace vocabulary in early 2001 by deeming …More
James Orders Hiring Policy Changes
Federal agencies have been ordered to improve several aspects of their hiring procedures in order to better cope with the …More
‘Deadly Sins’ Reform Fails Vote
The House has failed to pass a bill (HR-3991) that among other things would amend the “10 Deadly Sins,” provision …More
‘Full’ Underwriting Requirements Apply to Some
Retirees, their spouses and other eligible family members will be subject to “full” underwriting under the LTC program. In addition …More
LTC Underwriting Requirements Set
With the start of the early enrollment period for the federal long-term care program comes the long-awaited definition of exactly …More
Rules for Law Officers Loosened
The changes in the pay cap policy, authorized by the fiscal 2002 Defense Department authorization act (P.L. 107-107), also liberalize …More
Premium Pay Policy Changes Coming
Effective April 27, several changes will be made regarding limitations on overtime and other types of premium pay such as …More
Mediation Program Launched
In a move that could set a precedent for executive branch agencies, the U.S. Postal Service and the Equal Employment …More
Air Force Also Offers Insights
At the same Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, the Air Force said historical trends show that about a third of …More
Army Finds Employees Retiring Sooner
The Army, which if considered an independent agency is the largest employer of federal workers in the executive branch, has …More
Final Firefighter Pay Rules Issued
The Office of Personnel Management has issued final rules to carry out a 1998 law that reformed various pay policies …More
Treasury Taps G Fund
As expected, the Treasury Department has started using accounting maneuvers involving the TSP’s G fund in order to prevent the …More
C Fund Moves into Positive Territory
For the first time in many months, the common stock (C) fund of the Thrift Savings Plan has posted a …More
‘Deadly Sins’ Targeted
The House Ways and Means Committee has passed legislation (HR-3991) that includes partial relief from the “10 Deadly Sins,” a …More
Questions and Answers on LTC Early Enrollment
There are several special considerations for those considering early enrollment. For a look at issues commonly arising, go to https://www.fedweek.com/HotFreeNews/default.asp …More
Premium Costs Vary Considerably
Premium rates in the LTC program depend on factors including the enrollee’s age at the time of application, the waiting …More
