Pay & Benefits
Lawmakers revive bill to let ex-temps make catch-up retirement contributions
Currently, Federal Employees Retirement System employees who began their careers as temporary or seasonal workers must work longer to receive their full retirement benefits.
Workforce
Impasses panel preserves telework levels for FEC bargaining unit workers
FEC officials had argued that employees need more “water cooler discussions,” despite the agency’s own assessment of a pilot program finding that increased telework improved agency operations.
Management
Senate lawmakers float plan to revamp agencies’ customer service
The Improving Government Services Act would require agencies to develop plans to implement private-sector customer experience best practices into how they interact with members of the public.
Oversight
GAO: Army Corps’ cleanup of Manhattan Project-era sites suffers from management, cost uncertainties
Although the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ cost estimate of contaminated sites associated with the early decades of nuclear weapons manufacturing sat at $2.6 billion at the end of fiscal 2022, that number could easily grow substantially over time.
Workforce
Senate bill would codify remote work, increase telework reporting
The Telework Reform Act also would authorize noncompetitive hiring of military and law enforcement spouses into remote work positions.
Pay & Benefits
COLA adjustments will slim for federal retirees in 2024
The annual announcement that some retired federal workers will receive a 3.2% increase in their annuity payments, while others will get only a 2.2% boost, has revived calls to standardize annual adjustments across retirement systems.
Pay & Benefits
President’s Pay Agent OKs another tweak to locality pay areas
The counties of Clallam and Jefferson in Washington state could be included in the Seattle-Tacoma locality pay area as early as 2025.
Pay & Benefits
The federal retirement backlog just hit another recent record low
The Office of Personnel Management’s inventory of pending retirement claims from former federal workers reached its lowest level since 2017 for the second time this year.
Management
OPM reminds agencies of new telework reporting requirements
As agencies prep to increase in-person work this fall, the federal government’s HR agency is calling on officials to collect better data on telework and remote work usage in their workplaces.
Management
OPM announces expansion of ‘continuous vetting’ security clearance process for current feds
After a successful pilot, the federal government’s HR agency and the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency set a goal of enrolling all employees in non-sensitive public trust positions in the new process for reviewing existing security clearances by the end of fiscal 2024.
Workforce
OPM extends flexible hiring of military spouses
Interim regulations will allow federal agencies to hire the spouses of military service members outside of the traditional competitive hiring process through 2028.
Pay & Benefits
The federal firefighter ‘pay cliff’ has been averted, for now
The 45-day continuing resolution preventing a government shutdown also includes language ensuring federal firefighters don’t lose access to recent pay increases whose funding was expected to run out this month.
Pay & Benefits
TSP funds continued to fall in September
For the second straight month, the vast majority of the portfolios in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program declined in value.
Pay & Benefits
Federal payroll processor: Oct. 11 is deadline to avert feds’ getting incomplete paychecks
If Congress fails to restore funding to federal agencies, most federal workers will only receive a partial paycheck on Oct. 13.
Management
Sen. Kaine eyes another measure to make shutdowns less frequent
The Modernizing the Federal Calendar Act would shift the federal government’s fiscal year to align with the traditional calendar year.
Pay & Benefits
Federal workers will pay 7.7% more towards health insurance premiums in 2024
Next year, the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program will feature new coverage of anti-obesity medication, as well as expanded access to mental health, assistive reproductive technology and gender-affirming care.
Management
Senate to advance short-term funding measure as shutdown deadline nears
But the House is continuing to pursue deep cuts to spending that stand no chance across Capitol Hill or in the White House.
Pay & Benefits
Odds of a fix for impending wildland firefighter ‘pay cliff’ improve, but complications remain
Union officials say they’ve received assurances from leadership in both the House and Senate that Congress will work to avert massive pay cuts that could kick in next month.
Workforce
Science group threatens lawsuit over OPM’s failure to implement limiting involuntary leave for feds accused of misconduct
Although Congress passed a law aimed at preventing federal workers accused of misconduct from being stuck in limbo in 2016, the federal government’s HR agency never issued regulations to implement the measure.
Management
OPM advances skills-based hiring initiative with common competencies update for federal jobs
The federal government’s HR agency said it surveyed more than 90,000 federal workers to update its list of common skillsets needed in federal employment.
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