Campaign Launched to Expand Banking Services at USPS Retail Locations
January 27, 2015
You might be able to send mail and do some basic financial transactions at your local post office if a proposal by the American Postal Workers Union comes to fruition. The union is partnering with financial reform and labor organizations to launch a campaign to push the initiative, which would expand banking services beyond money […]
Democratic Lawmakers Propose Pay Increase for Federal Workers
January 23, 2015
If a proposed bill this year becomes law, federal workers could get a break from Congress after suffering through years of wage freezes. Democrats in Congress are rallying around a bill proposed by Virginia lawmaker Gerry Connolly that would give federal workers a 3.8 percent pay increase in fiscal year 2016. This proposal is music […]
The Times They Are a-Changin’ Again in Washington
January 14, 2015
A New Year, a new Congress: what does this mean to you? If we use the past to inform our answer to that question, we’ll see another year of debate about your pay and benefits in Washington and whether they should yet again be put on the chopping block. Analysts are predicting that Republican control […]
Despite Progress, Sharp Increase in Retirement Claims Expected in 2015
January 13, 2015
Soon-to-be retired federal employees can still expect long wait times for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management to process their retirement claims. Despite making tremendous progress and improvements, the OPM is anticipating an influx of retirement claims this month which could create another claim logjam and lengthen the time it takes for retired federal workers […]
Kinks Still to be Worked Out for Federal Hiring and Recruiting Standards
January 6, 2015
U.S. government agencies are continuing to fall short of expectations set by the Obama Administration to improve hiring and recruiting practices. Only 45 percent of hiring managers in the federal workforce said they were “actively and personally” involved in the recruiting process for job vacancies, according to a recent Chief Human Capital Officers survey. That […]
Despite Challenges, USPS Gets a Big Thumps-Up From The Public
December 23, 2014
The United States Postal Service is entering the most challenging period of its history. But fortunately, it has immense public support. According to a recent Gallup poll, the USPS has the “most positive image” among 13 high-profile government agencies. Conducted in November, the poll found that young Americans, in particular, stand behind the agency and […]
White House Taps New Generation of Federal Workforce Leaders
December 18, 2014
In response to the exodus of senior managers and executives in the federal workforce, the White House issued several executive orders this month to help prepare and cultivate the next generation of leadership. Nearly a quarter of senior managers in the federal workforce are expected to retire by 2017. Reacting to that drain of leadership, […]
Is the TSP a Wise Investment
December 15, 2014
The federal government is always boasting about the benefits of the Thrift Savings Plan. But is it truly a worthwhile, long-term investment for federal workers? We’ll turn to federal workers to answer that question for us: nearly 50 percent of federal workers who retired or separated from employment in 2012 withdrew their entire TSP balance […]
TSP Experiences Accross-the-Board Increases
December 12, 2014
Federal workers are seeing positive gains in their Thrift Savings Plan investments. The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) posted across-the-board increases in all funds in November. According to Government Executive, that represents the second consecutive month of positive gains. November also marked the first time since June all TSP funds realized gains, Government Executive reported. Similar […]
Will COLA suffice come retirement?
December 8, 2014
Just because you are guaranteed a pension as a federal worker does not mean it will truly keep up with the cost of living when you retire. Retired federal workers will get a 1.7 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to their civil service annuities in 2015, the government recently announced. This slight rise in COLA will […]
