Medicare Part B Costs Increasing–By More for Some
The 2017 Medicare Part B (physicians and related services) premium is $109 a month for most enrollees, an increase of …More
Fedweek
Sign up Now! Free eNewslettersTSP Investment Limits Stay Flat
The investment limit on tax-favored retirement savings plans such as the TSP will remain $18,000. That’s the cap on regular …More
Social Security Figures Rise
The Social Security withholding “FICA” tax of 6.2 percent will to apply to salary up to $127,200, up from the …More
Key Interest Rate Falls
The interest paid in the voluntary contribution retirement savings program available to CSRS (but not FERS) employees will fall to …More
Open Season Choices Take Effect
Insurance elections made during the recent benefits open season also take effect in January–as of the first of the month …More
No Word on Extra Time Off; Raise Order Still Pending
There have been no developments through this morning (Thursday) on two issues federal employees have been watching closely. One is …More
CBO ‘Budget Options’ Report Provides Starting Point for Cuts
The Congressional Budget Office has issued one of its occasional reports on potential budget cuts, once again mentioning several involving …More
CBO Lays Out Pros, Cons of Hiring Freeze
The latest CBO report on deficit-cutting options lays out, without taking sides, arguments for and against a partial federal hiring …More
CBO Lists Potential Cuts to FEHB Premium Sharing, COLAs, Other Ideas
In its latest budget options report, the CBO once again mentions the concept of changing the formula for setting the …More
OMB Nominee Has Supported Hiring Freeze, Tight Budgets
President-elect Trump’s choice for OMB director, Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., has a record of supporting spending cuts similar to those …More
No Word Yet on New OPM Leader
With the Trump transition team now moving its focus from Cabinet-level departments to the larger independent agencies, there still has …More
Donations an Option for Unusable Annual Leave
Employees who will be unable to use all their “use or lose” annual leave by the time the current federal …More
Agencies Funded Through April; Much Else Kicked Down the Road
Congress’s adjournment ends a year in which it changed several important federal employment-related policies but left much on the table …More
One Last Action Needed to Finalize Pay Raise
One more formal action is needed to finalize the federal employee raise in January, an executive order containing detailed pay …More
DoD Bill Creates New Leave Policies, but Not Right Away
Language in the DoD authorization bill (S-2943) passed by Congress creates a new “investigative leave” as a carve-out of administrative …More
More Focus on Accountability Ahead
The government-wide restriction on administrative leave in disciplinary situations that was enacted just as Congress prepared to adjourn was one …More
Pressure on Your Benefits Expected
In 2016 there was more than the usual amount of activity regarding federal insurance benefits and less than usual regarding …More
Groups Back Improved Death Benefits
A coalition of unions and professional groups representing federal employees and retirees is supporting legislation to boost death benefits for …More
FEDVIP Open Season Extended Through Wednesday
OPM has extended the open season for enrolling in the FEDVIP vision-dental insurance program or for changing coverage through midnight …More
Pay Raise Increase: Obama Orders Boost in Average from 1.6 to 2.1 Percent
President Obama has issued a decision boosting the average federal pay raise in January to 2.1 percent from the 1.6 …More
Deadline Approaches for Bill to Keep Agencies Funded
In what has become a common scenario, Congress is continuing to work on a temporary budget measure to keep agencies …More
DoD Budget Measure Impacts Buyouts, Administrative Leave, More
The compromise version of the annual DoD authorization bill (S-2943)—passed last week by the House and pending a final vote …More
Congress Signals Willingness to Change Veterans Preference Rights
As earlier announced, the DoD authorization bill doesn’t contain an original Senate provision to limit veterans preference in competitive service …More
Benefits Open Season About to End
Next Monday (December 12) is the last day of the current open season for electing or changing coverage in the …More
Remember, FSAs Require Re-Enrollment
The open season ending December 12 represents the annual opportunity to enroll in the flexible spending account program, in which …More
FEHB Family Coverage Rules Changes Proposed
OPM has proposed rules allowing removal of eligible family members from FEHB coverage in certain circumstances, a change it says …More
Limited Exception Made to Children’s FEHB, FEDVIP Eligibility
OPM has issued interim rules effective immediately allowing the children of a same-sex domestic partner to be covered under FEHB …More
Trump Transition Team Brings On Familiar Faces; Changes Coming on Capitol Hill
The transition team for the incoming Trump administration has assigned several familiar persons to key roles. Linda Springer, OPM director …More
Long-Term Care Premium Hike Getting Scrutiny
Hearings in the House are to be held today (November 30) on the sharp increases in Federal Long-Term Care Insurance …More
Last Train for Budget, Other Issues to Ride Is About to Leave the Station
Ambitions for moving legislation in the post-election session are waning, leaving as the two main remaining pieces of business the …More
