Pay & Benefits

Career Prosecutors Continue Push for Pay Equity

According to Justice Department statistics, only 65% of assistant U.S. attorneys are paid equivalent to a GS-15 or above, while the attorney corps at several other subcomponents are over 90% GS-15s.

Management

OPM Sees Eye-to-Eye With Outside Experts on Its Future Role in Governmentwide Personnel Policy

The federal government’s human resources agency said it is incorporating many of the ideas proposed by the National Academy of Public Administration in its upcoming strategic plan, but some will require funding increases and congressional action.

Workforce

Lawmaker Opinion on Federal Employee Vaccine Mandate Breaks Along Party Lines

As President Biden announced an executive order requiring all federal employees and contractors to get vaccinated against COVID-19, he accused some Republican officials of sabotaging efforts to end the pandemic.

Workforce

Biden Mandates COVID-19 Vaccinations for All Feds

The executive order, removes exceptions that allowed federal workers and contractors to remain unvaccinated if they agreed to regular testing for COVID-19.

Pay & Benefits

OPM Announces Leave Transfer Program for Feds in Four States Following Hurricane Ida

Feds in Louisiana, Mississippi, New York and New Jersey could be able to take extra time off to recover from the storm.

Pay & Benefits

Provisions Easing Firefighter Shift Trades and Equalizing Locality Pay Make It Into Major Defense Bill

The odds of two key priorities of federal employee unions becoming law shot up as they were attached to the fiscal 2022 National Defense Authorization Act.

Workforce

OPM Issues Guidance on Weather Leave in Age of Telework, Disasters

As the remnants of Hurricane Ida created disruptions throughout the eastern United States, the Office of Personnel Management highlighted how workplace flexibilities can mesh with the federal government’s current maximum telework posture.

Workforce

Justice Dept. Continues to Insist Immigration Judges Union is ‘Defunct,’ Despite Moving to Nullify Decertification Decision

Although the Biden administration has asked to withdraw the prior administration’s petition to classify immigration judges as management officials, it has continued to aggressively defend against litigation over the union’s decertification.

Workforce

Annual Defense Policy Bill Includes Repeal of Two-Year Probationary Period for Pentagon Hires

The reduction of the probationary period to one year is among several provisions in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act that will affect civilian personnel.

Pay & Benefits

Biden Formalizes Plan for Average 2.7% Raise for Civilian Feds in 2022

The White House published an alternative pay plan for the federal workforce providing a 2.2% across the board raise along with an average increase of 0.5% to locality pay.

Pay & Benefits

Feds to Receive Administrative Leave for Vaccinations

New guidance from the White House Safer Federal Workforce Task Force simplifies the process for federal employees to receive leave to get themselves or family members vaccinated.

Management

Republicans Demand Answers on Ouster of Social Security Commissioner

GOP lawmakers call the firing of Andrew Saul “unlawful” and ask the comptroller general to outline how acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi’s powers may be constrained by the Vacancies Act.

Workforce

More Stringent Vaccine Mandates On the Way for Some Feds

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that with full FDA authorization of the Pfizer vaccine, more agencies could announce more stringent mandates than President Biden’s governmentwide policy.

Workforce

Biden Names New Impasses Panel Members

The Federal Service Impasses Panel, whose members do not require Senate confirmation, has sat vacant since President Biden ousted all 10 members in February.

Pay & Benefits

What Still Needs to Happen for Feds to Get a Pay Raise Next Year

President Biden has until the end of this month to formally announce his plan to give federal workers an average 2.7% pay raise in 2022.