Pay & Benefits

FAA suspends controller after child's air traffic transmissions

Action comes after tapes surface of New York controller allowing his son to issue instructions to pilots.

Oversight

Postal Service outlines plan to stay afloat

Increased flexibility and eliminating Saturday delivery are critical to long-term financial viability, officials say.

Defense

Agriculture chief says black farmer discrimination settlement needs $1.15B

Obama administration wants Congress to provide the money by March 31, says Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Pay & Benefits

Burning Question: Should federal employees take a pay cut?

When a salary freeze just isn't good enough.

Pay & Benefits

TSP funds flourish in February

All 10 offerings in the plan made a comeback last month.

Oversight

Congressional inaction forces Transportation to furlough 2,000

Department sends home inspectors after lawmaker blocks short-term Highway Trust Fund extension.

Oversight

Trust issues raised at first meeting of labor-management council

As group seeks to set standards for future efforts, union leaders accuse agency labor relations officials of past “obstruction.”

Pay & Benefits

Web site helps nuclear security agency employees find role models

Mentorship program targets all experience levels, not just senior managers.

Pay & Benefits

Avoiding Annuities

Why so many people say no to the opportunity to get a Thrift Savings Plan annuity.

Defense

GOP seeks to cut DHS personnel funding

Republicans want budget increases in 2011 proposal for staffing and other administrative resources to go toward mission operations.

Oversight

Uncle Sam kicks off new federal employee survey

OPM expects to poll 100,000 more government workers this year than in 2008.

Pay & Benefits

Burning Question: Do agencies make new employees do busywork?

New acquisition workers at one agency report their days are filled with drudgery and downtime.

Pay & Benefits

Life or Death

The government provides a range of benefits to families of federal employees who die on the job.

Pay & Benefits

Watchdog says FDA should fine-tune processes for handing out bonuses

Report follows OPM memo calling for more scrutiny of incentive payments governmentwide.

Oversight

Union calls for expanding definition of law enforcement officers

Changes would make more federal workers eligible for special retirement benefits and help agencies meet workforce challenges, officials say.

Pay & Benefits

Officials question need for bill to boost prescription drug oversight

OPM already has taken steps to ensure pharmacy benefit managers are not contributing to cost hikes, official testifies.

Defense

National labor leaders back AFGE in effort to organize screeners

Largest federal employee union is vying with NTEU for 40,000 potential new members.

Defense

Army resists immediate end to gay ban

In congressional testimony, officials recommended against a moratorium on discharging known homosexual service members until a review of "don't ask, don't tell" is completed.

Pay & Benefits

Most NSPS workers will return to the General Schedule by October

Defense still is determining how to handle employees who came in from non-GS pay systems.

Pay & Benefits

Obama issues health care compromise

Proposal would ease cost limits that dictate excise tax on pricier health care plans.