Pay & Benefits
Dueling plans to pay feds on-time fail in Senate, though a bipartisan path forward appears
Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., appeared to agree to negotiations Thursday afternoon on a plan to pay federal employees and potentially contractors amid the ongoing government shutdown.
Shutdown or not, there are things to do
The government shutdown has raised lots of questions about the retirement process, and retirement benefits, for federal employees while agencies remain closed. Here are some of the most pressing answers.
House Dems urge utilities to keep lights on for feds amid shutdown
With the prospect of their first full missed paycheck just days away, federal workers already are seeking outside support, whether via food banks or side jobs.
How part-time work affects your FERS pension
Federal employees considering a shift to part-time hours have several factors to consider when it comes to their retirement benefits.
What FEHB changes mean for your 2026 health coverage
Premiums are shifting, and the government contribution varies. Here’s what to know to avoid surprises and save where you can.
What to know when your child ages out of federal health coverage
Children can stay on a parent’s FEHB or PSHB plan until 26, but understanding the 31-day extension, conversion options and Temporary Continuation of Coverage is key to avoiding gaps.
Dems, Murkowski demand White House guarantee backpay for furloughed feds
The White House continues to insist that the 2019 Government Employees Fair Treatment Act does not guarantee backpay to furloughed federal workers after every shutdown.
Reintroduced bill would shield federal employees from shutdown-related foreclosures and evictions
Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, has reintroduced a bill that would let federal employees and contractors defer financial problems caused by a government shutdown, a proposal he has introduced multiple times since 2019.
Democrats float immediately paying feds working through shutdown as Congress again rejects bill to reopen government
In addition to the military, some senators say air traffic controllers and other civil servants should get their paychecks on time even as shutdown drags on.
Federal and postal workers to see double-digit health care premium increases again next year
Federal employee groups decried the second consecutive year of premium increases eclipsing 10 percent amid a government shutdown and a proposed 1% pay raise for non-law enforcement personnel.
IRS walks back retroactive pay guarantee for furloughed feds one day after making it
The agency has deleted the original email from employees' inboxes.
What to expect while you’re expecting (your retirement benefit, that is)
The OPM director uses his weekly updates to detail efforts to replace paper applications, guide employees through the Online Retirement Application system, and address delays and data issues in retirement processing.
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Revived bill aims to ease financial strain on federal employees during shutdown
Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., has reintroduced legislation by former Rep. Jennifer Wexton, D-Va., that would require regulators to issue new guidance to help prevent financial hardship for federal employees and contractors caused by budget impasse.
Trump administration’s claims against automatic furloughed worker backpay lack legal, historical basis
Experts say the White House’s new theory that the 2019 Government Employee Fair Treatment Act does not guarantee feds backpay following a shutdown fails a basic tenet of legal analysis.
Trump says he can pick and choose which feds get back pay. Republicans in Congress mostly disagree
Asked if furloughed workers will get retroactively paid, Trump say “it depends.”
Updated
OMB deletes reference to law guaranteeing backpay to furloughed feds from shutdown guidance
An Office of Management and Budget FAQ document now states that only excepted employees forced to work without pay are guaranteed backpay at the conclusion of a lapse in appropriations.
Democrats introduce bill to ease TSP withdrawals, loans during shutdowns
The Emergency Relief for Federal Workers Act would clarify that lapses in appropriations qualify federal workers to take a hardship withdrawal from the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program and eliminate the associated 10% penalty in those instances.
Some good news for federal employees: TSP shows steady growth and healthy fund performance
The Thrift Savings Plan has surpassed $1 trillion in assets, providing steady returns in 2025.
TSP funds continue to tick upward in September
For a second consecutive month, all of the funds in the Thrift Savings Plan increased in value.
Maryland Dems float unemployment insurance for federal workers during shutdown
Congressional Democrats aim to provide benefits to federal employees forced to work during the shutdown, and other pay and benefits news you may have missed this week.
Lawmakers propose elevating POW benefit eligibility and offering a citizenship path for immigrant service members
One House bill aims to change the veterans’ health care benefits priority for former prisoners of war, while another tries again to offer an immigration path to noncitizens in the Armed Forces.
