Pay & Benefits

OPM to Offer Same-Sex Spouses Another Chance at Survivor Benefits

A new notice this week announced that the federal government’s HR agency is waiving the requirement that a widow or widower be married to a federal worker for nine months to be eligible for survivor benefits in some cases.

Pay & Benefits

Lawmakers Introduce Another Bill to Repeal Controversial Tax Rule Affecting Federal Retirees

Bipartisan legislation would replace a provision that reduces Social Security benefits for federal, state and local agency employees who spent time in the private sector with a new formula that accounts for their time outside of government, and provide rebates for current retirees.

Pay & Benefits

Health, Taxes and Savings

Why high deductible health plans are growing in popularity.

Pay & Benefits

An Alphabetical Health Insurance Option

A choice all federal retirees should at least consider this open season. 

Pay & Benefits

TSP Funds Bounce Back After Rough September

Only one offering in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program ended October in the red.

Pay & Benefits

An End to Surprise Medical Bills

A new law prevents a trip to the emergency from becoming shockingly expensive.

Workforce

GovExec Daily: The Pay Raise Moves Forward Again

Erich Wagner joins the podcast to discuss pay and benefits news.

Pay & Benefits

Senators Urge TSP to Include Diverse Managers in Mutual Fund Window

Group of Democratic lawmakers cites multiple studies that found that women- and minority-run asset managers were more likely to outperform financial markets.

Pay & Benefits

House Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Overhaul Federal Firefighter Pay, Benefits

Under a new bipartisan bill, federal wildland firefighters would make at least $20 per hour.

Pay & Benefits

Feds, Funding, Furloughs and the Fiscal Rollercoaster

How we got to where we are in the annual budget mess, and where we’re headed.

Pay & Benefits

Senate Appropriators Endorse Biden’s 2.7% Pay Raise for Feds in 2022

Spending bills unveiled by Senate Democrats Monday were silent on the issue of federal employee compensation, potentially clearing the way for President Biden’s plan.

Pay & Benefits

OPM to Propose Expanding Dental and Vision Benefits to More Federal Workers

In a new proposed rule, OPM would extend eligibility to temporary and part-time workers, as well as federal firefighters and other “intermittent” first responders.

Pay & Benefits

Open Season To-Do List

Don’t let health insurance decisions and deadlines sneak up on you.

Pay & Benefits

Federal Retirees to See Largest Cost-of-Living Adjustment in Decades in 2022

While CSRS retirees will receive a 5.9% boost to their defined benefit annuity payments next year, enrollees in FERS will only see a 4.9% increase, renewing calls to change the law.

Pay & Benefits

Bill to Provide Paid Family Leave for Feds Could Cost $20 Billion By 2027

Officials with the Congressional Budget Office warned that the actual price tag of providing feds with up to 12 weeks of paid family leave could vary widely from their estimate, depending on how much the new benefit is used.