Defense

Bush team hopes April appeal will revive personnel reforms

But officials must convince appellate court in Homeland Security case to dismiss the logic of two district court judges.

Pay & Benefits

Long-Term Leaders

Lawmakers are intrigued by government’s success in convincing federal employees to sign up for long-term care insurance.

Pay & Benefits

Panel weighs proposal to digitize federal employee health records

Effort would be funded through an OPM account and eventual savings from technology; premiums would not rise.

Pay & Benefits

Labor relations ruling threatens Pentagon’s personnel reforms

While not directly addressing pay reforms, decision complicates rollout of National Security Personnel System.

Pay & Benefits

OPM director pushes part-time work in lieu of retirement

Linda Springer says OPM is devising policy changes to ease transition to part-time.

Management

OPM sets personnel management goals through 2010

Simplified plan focuses on decreasing wait-time for agency services.

Pay & Benefits

Less Is More

The Employee Thrift Advisory Council passed a resolution this week opposing the addition of a real estate investment option to the TSP.

Management

Pentagon to civilians: get departmentwide experience

Under new initiative, managers and executives will need to work in various organizations to compete for high-level jobs.

Pay & Benefits

Panel backs military pay-for-performance

Switch would help civilians joining the military later in their careers to earn salaries on par with those of their longtime military counterparts.

Pay & Benefits

Federal employee reservists eligible for back pay dating to 1980

Reservists also granted subpoena power to obtain military records more easily when filing claims.

Pay & Benefits

Pay with Plastic

Some federal employees with flexible spending accounts will be able to use specially issued debit cards to pay for health care.

Pay & Benefits

February a cold month for the TSP

The increasingly popular international fund lost ground while the reliable government securities fund was the highest earner.

Pay & Benefits

OPM unveils retirement education prototype

Online system designed to help employees identify holes in retirement planning.

Management

Pentagon likely to appeal ruling blocking labor relations reforms

Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England says he anticipated decision overturning parts of the department’s new personnel system.

Management

Judge overturns Defense labor relations reforms

Decision echoes August ruling in case involving challenge to Homeland Security system.

Pay & Benefits

Marine Corps awards contract to assist in personnel reforms

Contractor will help revise position descriptions and prepare workforce statistics.

Pay & Benefits

Indebted

TSP earnings again are being tapped to hold the federal debt within legal limits.

News

Hispanics still underrepresented in federal jobs

They account for 7.4 percent of the federal workforce, compared with 12.6 percent of the general labor force.

Pay & Benefits

International stocks gain in popularity among TSP investors

Trading costs for the fund rise as employees buy into an “up-market.”

Pay & Benefits

Administration seeks Foreign Service pay-for-performance

Proposal would grant Washington, D.C., area locality pay to employees working abroad.