Reaction Mixed on OPM Health Benefits Expansion
September 16, 2014
Federal employees who are working at least 130 hours a month could be impacted by a recent proposal from the Office of Personnel Management to expand health benefits eligibility. In July, the OPM proposed a rule to expand eligibility for employees to enroll in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP). These would include temporary, […]
Uninspired Workplaces, So Says Survey Regarding Federal Agencies
August 28, 2014
Federal workers are feeling less inclined to innovate on the job because of a lack of encouragement from their bosses and leadership. While nearly 9 out of 10 workers said they are trying to break from the norm and think outside the box to improve their job performance, only slightly more than half of federal […]
Lawmakers Speak Out Against USPS Mail Processing Plant Closures
August 25, 2014
In a rare bipartisan move, 50 members of the U.S. Senate are urging Republican and Democratic leaders to stop the United States Postal Service from closing up to 82 mail processing plants that could result in the loss of nearly 15,000 jobs nationwide in 2015. Republican and Democratic senators said legislation should be passed to […]
Federal Workers Facing Hardships Should Receive Fair Treatment
August 18, 2014
A memo issued by the White House urged that U.S. government agencies should not discriminate against job applicants who are unemployed or facing financial difficulties. As the country’s largest employer, the Obama administration believes the federal government should set an example when it comes to its hiring practices — showing that being laid off or […]
Regulators Unveil Rules Governing Part-Time Work and Part-Time Retirement
August 13, 2014
After a long delay while regulators developed rules for phased retirement, federal workers will finally be able to file their applications in November. The OPM issued its final regulations for phased retirement on August 7, a hulking 129-page document that details how retirement eligible workers can work part-time while drawing on their pensions. The regulations […]
Nobody is Safe in the Federal Workforce from Reductions in Pay and Benefits
August 13, 2014
Nobody is safe in the federal workforce from reductions in pay and benefits these days. Even active duty personnel and retirees with the U.S. military are under the federal cost-cutting microscope. That is why we encourage all federal employees, whether military or civilian, to do a one-on-one consultation with us so that we can take […]
U.S. Government Printing Office Aiming To Reduce Workforce Next Year
August 12, 2014
The U.S. Government Printing Office, a stalwart disciple of print, is following the increasing trend of going digital. The agency responsible for printing and electronically disseminating the government’s vast trove of rules, laws and regulations is trying to cut back on labor costs. Like other companies in the publishing sector, the GPO is looking to […]
Social Security Administration Needs to Keep Up With Technology
August 8, 2014
The Social Security Administration must reinvent itself and embrace technology to meet increasing work demands while contending with a shrinking labor force and other issues, according to a recent report. In a report released in June, the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) provided recommendations as to how the agency can confront and overcome tighter […]
USPS Pitches Early Retirement Offer to Postmasters
August 6, 2014
Struggling to regain solvency, top U.S. Postal Service officials have unveiled another labor cost reduction plan. The USPS is offering a one-time payment of up to $10,000 to 3,097 postal service workers if they exercise an early voluntarily retirement option. The pitch is more than likely an attempt to mitigate the anticipated pain of the […]
Amendment Passed to Maintain Six-Day Delivery by USPS
August 5, 2014
Although the United States Postal Service has been facing some financial difficulties, it appears the agency will maintain six-day delivery. U.S. Rep. Jose E. Serrano, (D-NY), along with U.S. Rep. Tom Latham, (R-IA), sponsored an amendment to the fiscal year 2015 Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill, which adds language to the bill requiring […]
