Pay & Benefits

OPM wants agencies to tally their senior executive needs

The federal government’s HR agency has requested biennial projections for the number of SES and scientific professionals that agencies will likely need through 2027.

Pay & Benefits

Administrative law judge union to push for expanded annual carryover leave

Officials with a union that represents administrative law judges at the Social Security Administration said their jobs are more akin to those of senior-level federal jobs than General Schedule positions.

Pay & Benefits

The importance of a federal employee 'love letter'

COMMENTARY | This gesture of love and care for your beneficiaries can be a great resource after you are gone.

Pay & Benefits

A House funding bill would make recent federal firefighter pay raises permanent

The House Appropriations Committee is set to advance a spending package Tuesday that would codify recent temporary pay raises for federal wildland firefighters into law and fund them to the tune of $330 million.

Pay & Benefits

OPM’s backlog of pending retirement claims ticked back up in June

The federal government’s dedicated HR agency processed around 1,300 fewer claims than it received last month, bringing its retirement backlog back above 15,000.

Pay & Benefits

TSP funds posted a mixed bag in June

Only three of the five core investment offerings of the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program ended the month in the black.

Pay & Benefits

How to use the ‘Bucket Strategy’ to optimize your retirement savings

COMMENTARY | There are ways to strategically withdraw money in retirement to make your funds last longer.

Pay & Benefits

Federal whistleblowers are entitled to damages for missed future pay, court rules

Employees can receive compensatory payments if their firings caused harm that prevented future earnings.

Pay & Benefits

Biden’s 2% raise more likely upon advancement of Senate defense policy bill

The Senate Armed Services Committee last week advanced its version of the fiscal 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, endorsing a 2% average pay raise for civilian federal workers alongside a 4.5% increase for military service members.

Pay & Benefits

Feds are still slated for a 2% average pay raise in 2025 per House appropriations bill

The House Appropriations Committee advanced legislation Thursday that failed to override President Biden’s 2025 pay plan.

Pay & Benefits

FBI agents say they need more money to stay in the bureau

Agents in high-cost cities say they cannot support their elevated expenses on their current salaries.

Pay & Benefits

OPM’s retirement backlog hit an 8-year low last month

Efforts to streamline the processing of departing federal workers’ retirement applications continue to pay dividends, as the inventory of pending claims hit the lowest point since 2016.

Pay & Benefits

The State of Civil Service Retirement: CSRS and FERS

How optimistic are you about your retirement? Small steps can help allay your fears of the future.

Pay & Benefits

Senate plans swift action on IVF bill containing new requirements for FEHBP

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday that he had already begun the process of bringing a legislative package aimed at protecting Americans’ access to assistive reproductive technology to the floor for a vote.

Pay & Benefits

OPM’s unfulfilled recommendations include health insurance benefits changes, IG says

The agency is making progress on implementing IG recommendations, but three of its top yet-to-be-completed recommendations included changes that would prevent improper and inaccurate payments within the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.  

Pay & Benefits

Lawmakers blast VA over executive bonus scandal, but secretary declines to offer any heads

Many Republicans called for VA to fire top officials after it improperly approved $11M in bonuses for senior executives.