Pay & Benefits
Lawmakers force a vote on eliminating the windfall elimination provision
Reps. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., and Garrett Graves, R-La., have secured the 218 signatures needed to force a vote on legislation that would kill two controversial tax provisions affecting some feds’ retirement benefits.
Pay & Benefits
Senate advances $3B VA supplemental bill one day before deadline
The chamber approved legislation by voice vote Thursday to provide the Veterans Affairs Department with an extra $3 billion to cover a surge in veterans benefits costs ahead of a potential service disruption.
Pay & Benefits
How did the VA end up with a $3 billion shortfall? Leaders say staff over-delivered
VA officials outlined how a surge in PACT Act claims outpaced initial budget projections in a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing Wednesday, days before a processing deadline affecting the benefit payments of 7 million veterans.
Pay & Benefits
House passes $3B VA supplemental budget ahead of Friday deadline
The chamber advanced the multi-billion-dollar stopgap bill by voice vote Tuesday evening, giving the Senate three days to pass the legislation to cover a budget shortfall.
Pay & Benefits
HHS expands health benefits eligibility for 9/11 responders under new rule
The interim final rule, published on the 23rd anniversary of the terror attack, opens eligibility for the World Trade Center Health Program to resolve coverage gaps for Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, responders.
Pay & Benefits
Are you financially prepared for retirement?
If you haven’t started, consider making a retirement plan. Now.
Workforce
D.C. lawmaker reintroduces measure to grant whistleblower, OSHA protections to congressional workers
The Congress Leads by Example Act would afford employees of the legislative branch whistleblower and OSHA retaliation protections, along with parental bereavement leave benefits.
Pay & Benefits
All TSP portfolios posted modest gains in August
Each of the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program’s investment options gained value for the second straight month.
Pay & Benefits
OPM reminds agencies to grant feds leave to vote
Federal workers are entitled to up to four hours of paid administrative leave to go to the polls, thanks to an executive order signed by President Biden in 2021.
Pay & Benefits
Thank goodness for survivor benefits
Even if you have never had a job where you paid into Social Security, you may still be eligible to receive benefits.
Pay & Benefits
House lawmakers plan to force a vote on bill to kill provision that cuts some feds' retirement pay
The Social Security Fairness Act would abolish two tax provisions that reduce retirement benefits for some federal workers.
Pay & Benefits
Retirement planning issues for women
There are five retirement challenges that many women face when planning for their future.
Pay & Benefits
How to decide if Medicare Part D is right for you
Although most federal annuitants might benefit from keeping Part D, there are three instances where you could benefit from opting out.
Management
Lack of timeframes and follow-ups led Social Security to delay some priority disability applications
An inspector general’s audit found that while the agency identified and processed 96% of the priority cases reviewed, a slice of applications slipped past monitoring, leading to longer wait times.
Pay & Benefits
Soon feds may be able to file health insurance claims online
A new Biden administration initiative to crack down on “unnecessary headaches” for consumers will include plans for employees on the Federal Employees Health Benefits and Postal Service Health Benefits plans to submit out-of-network claims online, alongside other updates.
Pay & Benefits
TSP boasts strong performance in July
Each of the portfolios in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program gained value last month.
Pay & Benefits
Justice employee group provides testimonials on the need for better IVF coverage for feds
Three dozen members of the Department of Justice Gender Equality Network described their experiences trying to conceive in a letter to OPM.
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.
Workforce
Forest Service will partially refund federal firefighters’ rent in government-owned housing
The decision to provide a 50% refund to wildland firefighters at the GS-10 level who reside in government-owned housing will affect roughly 5,500 employees.
Workforce
Republicans block expanded in vitro fertilization coverage for feds in House and Senate
Senate Democrats failed to secure the 60 votes needed to bypass a GOP filibuster, while House Democrats saw a similar provision defanged in appropriations talks.
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