Pay & Benefits
Lawmakers call on Biden to grant feds a 4.5% raise in 2025, restoring pay parity
President Biden previously came under fire from federal employee groups and some lawmakers for proposing only a 2.0% average pay raise for civilian workers, abandoning a longstanding Democratic priority.
Workforce
Ernst’s report documenting telework ‘abuse’ obscures more than it reveals
The Iowa senator and head of a new caucus related to President-elect Trump’s planned government efficiency commission misrepresented key statistics regarding telework’s usage at federal agencies.
Workforce
SSA, AFGE reach deal to lock in current telework levels until 2029
Union leaders said that for many, the workplace flexibility is the only thing preventing a mass exodus of overworked employees from the embattled agency.
Management
Trump names financial tech CEO to lead Social Security
The appointment would mark Frank Bisignano's first foray into government following a career at banks and financial technology companies.
Management
GSA begins process to reduce government’s footprint by 1.5 million square feet
The agency began the process to offload eight federal facilities across as many states as part of the effort to “right-size” the federal government’s physical footprint following telework’s expansion during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pay & Benefits
Nearly every TSP fund rebounded in November
Only one of the portfolios in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program lost value last month.
Exclusive
Management
O'Malley: SSA’s 2024 progress refutes government doubters
Under the commissioner’s tenure, Social Security has seen marked improvements in its customer service metrics despite continually mounting workloads and dwindling funding.
Pay & Benefits
OPM’s retirement backlog ticked up slightly last month, though other metrics improved
Statistics measuring the federal government HR agency’s performance in processing departing federal workers’ retirement claims remained stable following the backlog’s removal from OPM’s list of top management challenges.
Pay & Benefits
The House finally appears set to repeal the WEP and GPO
Lawmakers in September successfully triggered a discharge petition to force a vote on legislation to get rid of the controversial tax provisions affecting some feds’ retirement benefits.
Workforce
Feds brace for return of Trump personnel policies
Federal employee unions sought to balance reassuring members that they will fight the return of measures undermining feds’ civil service protections with asserting their commitment to nonpartisan service.
Management
What Trump’s win means for the federal workforce
The Republican former president has vowed to remake the civil service in his image with the reinstatement of Schedule F.
Pay & Benefits
GSA issues update to rules governing relocation expense reimbursement following real estate lawsuit
A recent deal to settle multiple lawsuits against the National Association of Realtors has changed how real estate agents are compensating, necessitating a tweak to how agencies reimburse federal workers who must relocate for work.
Pay & Benefits
Most TSP funds took a tumble in October
Only two portfolios in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program ended last month in the black, ending a three-month run of gains.
Workforce
Employee group urges centralized response to increase in doxxing and threats against federal workers
The Department of Justice Gender Equality Network urged department leadership to create a centralized “triage” team to better tackle instances where members of the public doxx or threaten employees online.
Pay & Benefits
An employee group is miffed by the new Postal Service insurance program’s Medicare Part D coverage
OPM said that they were restricted in how they provide prescription drug benefits to Medicare-eligible enrollees in the new Postal Service Health Benefits Program, but at least one employee association disagrees.
Workforce
OPM issues guidance for agencies to implement anti-Schedule F regulations
The effort to insulate the federal civil service from former President Trump’s plan to replace potentially tens of thousands of career employees in “policy-related” position with loyalists could be short lived if the Republican nominee wins the election next month.
Management
OPM announces a program to make it easier for ex-interns to get full-time federal work
A new feature within USAJOBS’ Agency Talent Portal will allow agencies to hire former interns from other agencies into term or permanent federal positions.
Management
Without budget anomaly, SSA hiring is restricted and overtime is at 'historic lows'
Congress’ refusal to provide additional funding for the Social Security Administration in September’s two-month continuing resolution to prevent a government shutdown is kneecapping two tools that are key to combatting the agency’s customer service crisis.
Workforce
Biden says Trump's civil service plans make him unfit for office
The president cited his predecessor’s support for reinstating Schedule F, a controversial plan to make tens of thousand of federal workers at-will employees, as he campaigned for Vice President Harris' White House bid.
Pay & Benefits