Pay & Benefits
Homeland Security scraps plans for personnel system
Stopgap funding measure signed Tuesday prohibits department from moving forward with proposed pay-for-performance system.
Pay & Benefits
Senate passes bill approving locality pay for Alaska and Hawaii
Lawmakers say move will ensure federal retirees in those states receive equal benefits.
Pay & Benefits
Healthy Choices
A look at benefit changes for some of FEHB's most popular plans as premiums rise.
Oversight
Government reform groups unveil transition plan
Strong performance measurements and attention to workforce are called key to the next administration’s agenda.
Pay & Benefits
Salary council discusses 2009 raise, pay gap data
Private sector incentive pay could distort salary differences, which help to determine locality raises.
Defense
Pentagon drops plans to convert union employees to NSPS
Official says current plan is to convert only Defense’s 205,000 non-bargaining unit employees to new pay system.
Oversight
Bailout bill would have given Treasury chief unfettered authority
Legislation would have allowed Henry Paulson to waive acquisition rules and competitive hiring procedures.
Defense
Bush order allows direct hiring of military spouses
Order approving noncompetitive appointments to civil service jobs follows State of the Union pledge to expand benefits for military families.
Pay & Benefits
GAO, union reach interim bargaining agreement
A ratification vote is likely to happen by mid-October.
Pay & Benefits
Senate sends 3.9 percent pay raise to President Bush
Unions and management groups applaud the pay increase, but note the measure will place strain on some agencies by holding funding level.
Defense
Defense finalizes changes to pay system rules
Unions will consider filing suit over the new regulations if the next presidential administration doesn’t repeal the system entirely.
Pay & Benefits
Federal health premiums to rise 7 percent in 2009
Rate hike the highest since 2005; union official calls it discouraging.
Pay & Benefits
TSP Tumult
Investors antsy to make more trades should remember that the federal employee retirement plan isn’t designed for that.
Pay & Benefits
House passes stopgap measure with 3.9 percent pay raise
Figure matches the hike authorized by the House for military members.
Pay & Benefits
OPM opposes domestic partnership benefits bill
Panel witnesses and lawmakers dispute agency’s claim that extending such benefits could lead to insurance fraud.
Oversight
Obama reform plan bears traces of Clinton and Bush efforts
Management specialists applaud what appears to be a continued focus on program performance and results.
Oversight
Senior diplomats in short supply
Top State Department official calls shortage of public diplomacy officers “grim” in testimony before Senate panel.
Pay & Benefits
Agencies spend more money on personnel flexibilities in 2007
Defense, VA make the most of hiring incentives to fill certain jobs and help bridge gap between federal and private sector pay.
Oversight