Pay & Benefits

Fight the Long-Running FEHBP Abortion Ban, Gender Equity Group Urges House Democrats

The Department of Justice Gender Equality Network said the Hyde amendment unfairly makes women’s health care decisions more costly and traumatic, even when covered by exceptions in cases of rape, incest or the health of the mother.

Workforce

Anti-Telework Bill Makes Its Way to the Senate

The SHOW UP Act, which narrowly passed the House in February, requires federal agencies to revert to their telework policies prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pay & Benefits

Federal Prison Employees Ask the Supreme Court to Review COVID Hazard Pay Case

Attorneys for nearly 200 U.S. Bureau of Prisons workers in Connecticut said a federal appellate court effectively made it impossible for any federal worker to qualify for hazard pay related to “virulent biologicals” with its interpretation of federal regulations.

Workforce

Feds Could Be Fired at Any Time for Any Reason, Under a Bill That Was Just Reintroduced

The bill also would abolish the Merit Systems Protection Board and threatens to reduce former federal employees’ retirement benefits if they file “frivolous” appeals of adverse personnel actions.

Management

What Will -- and Won’t -- Change for Federal Agencies With the End of the COVID Health Emergency

A look at how we got here and what’s ahead for federal agencies and workers now that the pandemic emergency is over.

Pay & Benefits

Congressional Dems Reintroduce Bill to Revamp Federal Firefighter Pay and Benefits

The Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Classification and Pay Parity Act would ensure federal wildland firefighters make at least $20 per hour, among other things.

Pay & Benefits

Ditch Salary History When Setting Job Applicants’ Pay, OPM Proposes

Aimed at reducing gender- and ethnicity-based pay gaps, the initiative would also apply tighter guard rails in cases when an applicant has a competing and higher-paying job offer.

Oversight

OSC: ATF Wasted At Least $10 Million Misclassifying Administrative Jobs as Law Enforcement

Although OPM and ATF investigations found around 100 positions within the agency’s HR department were improperly provided enhanced law enforcement pay and benefits, the whistleblowers who prompted the probe said the problem is more widespread than that.

Workforce

OPM Highlights Mental Health Resources for Feds

The federal government is setting up a new listserv to provide federal employees with mental health information, events and tools to boost mindfulness.

Workforce

Conservative Think Tanks Are Preparing a List of 20K Potential Political Appointees in Hopes of Reviving Schedule F

A coalition led by the Heritage Foundation has launched a massive recruitment effort that would grow the ranks of federal political appointees from 4,000 to 20,000 in the next Republican presidential administration.

Management

Agencies Would Suffer 'Egregious Harm' Under GOP Debt Ceiling Proposal, Federal Employee Union Says

House Republicans’ plan to raise the debt ceiling in conjunction with a 20% cut in discretionary spending would hurt public services, AFGE says.

Workforce

OPM Will End Agencies’ Maximum Telework Status Next Month

The move follows White House guidance last week instructing federal agencies to reduce the use of workplace flexibilities following the end of the COVID-19 national emergency.

Pay & Benefits

Feds Could Soon See Better Child Care Options Under a New Executive Order

A plan to revamp federal employees’ access to child care came Tuesday as part of a broad effort by President Biden to improve the affordability of care services for children and adult family members, as well as boost care workers’ compensation.

Workforce

The Biden Administration Tells Agencies to Scale Back Telework

Federal employee unions and career agency HR leaders reportedly were left out of the development of a new Office of Management and Budget memo that instructs agencies to “substantially increase meaningful in-person work at federal offices.”

Workforce

Merit Board: Agencies Must Tell Employees to Pick One Place to File Personnel Action Appeals, and Stick With It

An Air Force civilian worker was never informed that she could not both file a union grievance and have the Merit Systems Protection Board hear her case.

Workforce

Union Warns Social Security Service Will Spiral Without Major Changes

More than half of surveyed Social Security Administration employees reported that they are considering leaving the agency and have begun looking for new jobs due to burnout.

Pay & Benefits

Spanberger Touts Feds’ Support for Repeal of Controversial Tax Rule Affecting Retirees

More than 2,500 people responded to an informal survey about the windfall elimination provision and government pension offset conducted by the lawmaker’s office within the first 48 hours of its posting.

Workforce

AFGE and VA Reach a Tentative Deal on a New Contract

The agreement comes just weeks after an arbitrator found that the Veterans Affairs Department engaged in bad faith bargaining with the federal employee union.

Workforce

Union Accuses Defense Management of Imposing an Illegal Contract

Officials with the American Federation of Government Employees said the Defense Department unilaterally imposed a new contract on employees at an Illinois facility after refusing to bargain over issues made negotiable by a Biden executive order.

Pay & Benefits

Most TSP Funds Recover From February Slump

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