U.S. Marines arrive in Darwin, Australia, in April to begin preparation for exercises and training with the Australian Defense Forces. Australian Defense Force photo by ABIS Kayla Hayes
More Money for Defense Buyouts, Troop Pay Raise, and More
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
Defense civilian employees could get a bigger buyout package under a provision in the Senate fiscal 2017 Defense authorization bill.
The bill would nearly double the current amount department employees could receive under a buyout, from $25,000 to $40,000. Buyouts, or Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments, are cash incentives for eligible employees and can be offered along with an early out, or separately.
The bump would adjust for inflation from when Congress first authorized buyouts for Defense back in 1993. “The maximum payable amount has not been adjusted since VSIP was first authorized,” the Senate Armed Services Committee said in its report on the fiscal 2017 NDAA.
The Pentagon has to cut 25 percent of its headquarters staff over the next few years, and has said it will try to do so mainly through relocating employees and attrition, according to a May 26 story from Eric Katz:
“The Office of the Secretary of Defense will shed more than 300 jobs, though about 20 percent of those are already vacant. The rest of the reductions will come from defense agencies and field activities, according to David Tillotson, the Pentagon’s assistant deputy chief management officer. Civilian positions in individual branches or in the commands of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are not affected by the cuts.”
About 4 percent though could be forced out voluntarily, Tillotson said.
Military families received some attention from Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton this week. The former secretary of state released her plan to help military families better balance work and home by providing more resources for spouses and increasing flexibility related to duty assignments and leave for service members. Check out the story here, and the policy proposal here.
In other Defense pay and benefits news, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., introduced an amendment to the bill last week that would give troops a 2.1 percent pay raise next year. That matches the number the House approved, but is different from the 1.6 percent pay increase that is currently in the Senate version. The Senate Armed Services Committee approved the bill with the 1.6 percent bump, which is what President Obama supports. If the amendment is approved, then troops are on track for a 2.1 percent raise next year. The Senate, which has been out most of this week, will resume its floor debate on the NDAA when it returns.
Staff levels and more flexible workforce management are also on the minds of lawmakers and government officials dealing with problems at the Transportation Security Administration. Frequent turnover in TSA staff and other personnel management issues have resulted in long screening lines at airports across the country, causing passengers to miss flights, and infuriating everyone. As Eric Katz reported on May 31:
“A proposed measure would allow TSA to use employees not typically deployed to screen airport passengers, such as the controversial behavior detection officers, to help expedite the long security checkpoint lines that have resulted from staffing cuts and a spike in airline passengers.”
The bipartisan legislation would create a personnel advisory committee of private stakeholders, airports and government regulators to coordinate the response to current staffing issues.
Speaking of workforce management, Beth Cobert, acting director of the Office of Personnel Management, is urging feds to provide feedback about their job and agency satisfaction in the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, which closes on June 14.
“We want your opinions regarding your job, your agency, and your workplace as a whole,” Cobert wrote in a May 31 blog post on OPM’s site. “Each employee’s voice can inspire change. Everyone’s responses help agencies identify areas that need attention. The more responses we receive, the better we understand your opinions and needs.”
Cobert emphasized that the survey is confidential, voluntary, and can be completed in about 25 minutes at work. She also reminded federal employees that the feedback from 2015 resulted in some changes, including a relaunch of OPM’s mentoring program and more informal opportunities for employees to get to know senior leaders.