Pay & Benefits

TSP to restrict interfund transfers

Thrift Savings Plan board votes to allow only two transfers between investment funds per month starting next spring.

Pay & Benefits

High court extends deadline for appeal of Defense personnel system

A federal labor union now has until Jan. 7 to determine whether to appeal ruling that implementation of National Security Personnel System can go forward.

Pay & Benefits

Federal agencies called unprepared for future wave of retirements

More than 60 percent of managers said their agencies don’t have knowledge management policies, a new survey shows.

Pay & Benefits

Employees urged to weigh a switch in health plans

Analyst says that with changing premiums and options, participants risk leaving money on the table if they stand pat.

Pay & Benefits

Sick Leave Saga

FERS employees want credit for their unused sick leave in retirement. Lawmakers may be listening.

Management

Rising Expectations

The start of a new union at GAO could change the labor landscape for white-collar feds.

Pay & Benefits

Senators urged to overturn Social Security provisions affecting federal retirees

But as always, the stumbling block is the price tag of repealing the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision.

Defense

DHS touts success in senior-level hiring

Amid criticism from lawmakers, Homeland Security met all its hiring targets for fiscal 2007, the agency’s top personnel official says.

News And Analysis

Rising Expectations

The start of a new union at GAO could change the labor landscape for white-collar feds.

Defense

Pilot project on handling veterans’ employment complaints called inconclusive

Issue of which agency should be in charge of investigating federal sector complaints needs further review, Senate committee members say.

Pay & Benefits

TSP funds boast strong gains in October

International stocks are the top performers, with 4.49 percent in gains last month and 25.70 percent over the past year.

Pay & Benefits

Likely 2009 raise figure comes in at 3.4 percent

Change in Employment Cost Index has become the de facto baseline for recommended average federal salary increase.

Defense

Pentagon to add 75,000 employees to new personnel system

Latest installment will bring the total number of civilians working under the performance-based pay system to 184,000.

Pay & Benefits

Union, law firm partner to pursue reservists' benefit claims

The labor group and New York firm will co-represent 10,000 union members who claim they were improperly charged leave for reserve duties.

Magazine

E-mail, campus visits found to be effective in recruiting

Such tactics can help educate students about government work, but ultimately reforms to the hiring process may be needed as well, report says.

Pay & Benefits

Consumer-Driven Care

The upcoming open season for federal benefits will feature more high-deductible health plan options. Are they right for you?

Pay & Benefits

Panelists suggest reducing reliance on political appointees

Replacing appointees with career employees would improve continuity and help address leadership and workforce challenges, officials say.

Pay & Benefits

Rigid pay systems listed among top workforce challenges

Panelists cite pay for performance and solid leadership as key to offsetting a potential talent drain over the next decade.

Pay & Benefits

Lawmakers probe health care staffing shortages at VA

Scholarships and student loan repayments are among the incentives the agency is using to attract and keep quality health professionals.

Defense

House panel questions benefits for deployed civilians

Hardship pay and other benefits are sufficient to attract qualified civilian employees to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan, agency representatives say.