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- House appropriators advance 2020 federal pay raise, reject OPM-GSA merger- June 12, 2019
By Nicole Ogrysko, Federal News Network
A 3.1% federal pay raise is another step closer to reality.
The House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday cleared the raise as part of the 2020 financial services and general government spending bill. The measure, either on its own or as part of a package of other appropriations bills, now heads to the full House for a vote.
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- TSP Adds Details to New Withdrawal Policies - June 11, 2019
- Rule changes allow for greater flexibilityFEDweekThe TSP has proposed rules to carry out the upcoming changes in withdrawal options for both current and separated participants, adding some new details to the changes set to take effect September 15.
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- Lawmakers Want Government to Help Workers Prepare for Automation- June 7, 2019
- By Jack Corrigan, NextgovA bipartisan pair of lawmakers wants the government to do a better job helping U.S. workers navigate the job market as automation becomes more widespread.
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- Labor Authority Chairwoman Defends Decisions to Decertify Union, Close Regional Offices - June 4, 2019
- By Erich Wagner, Government ExecutiveFederal Labor Relations Authority Chairwoman Colleen Duffy Kiko on Tuesday sought to justify two recent controversial decisions before a House panel, but Democratic lawmakers were less than receptive.
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- HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE PUSHES FOR 3.1% RAISE FOR 2020 - JUNE 2, 2019
- House Appropriators Propose 3.1% Civilian Pay Raise for 2020, Reject OPM-GSA MergerBy Amelia Gruber, Government ExecutiveThe House Appropriations Committee on Sunday evening unveiled a draft spending bill that would grant civilian federal employees a 3.1 percent pay raise in 2020, ignoring President Trump’s request for a pay freeze.The pay raise is part of the broader fiscal 2020 Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill, which contains a total of $24.6 billion in discretionary spending for the Treasury Department, Judiciary and several other independent agencies including the Office of Personnel Management and Small Business Administration. That represents a $1.4 billion increase over the enacted level of funding for this year and $355.5 million over Trump’s fiscal 2020 budget request, the committee said in a summary of the bill.
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- Retirement Decisions - Separating Fact and Opinion - MAY 31, 2019
- Tammy Flanagan, Government ExecutiveIt seems that everyone has an opinion when it comes to retirement decisions. And many of these opinions are stated as though they’re facts.
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- Senators Renew Bipartisan Efforts to Protect Federal Retirees from Benefits Fraud - May 24, 2019
- Amelia Gruber, Government ExecutiveSenators are again working across the aisle to prevent financial representatives from taking advantage of federal retirees.
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- Government Operations Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Proposed OPM merge - May 22, 2019
- Congress not yet convinced of Trump administration’s proposed OPM-GSA mergerBy Nicole Ogrysko, Federal News NetworkLawmakers on Tuesday afternoon expressed bipartisan concern and skepticism for the Trump administration’s proposed merger of the Office of Personnel Management with the General Services Administration.And they weren’t alone.
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- ADMINISTRATION SENDS OPM MERGE LANGUAGE TO CONGRESS - MAY 16, 2019
- White House's OPM-GSA Merger Bill Gives an Unconfirmed Appointee Authority Over Personnel RulesBy Erich Wagner, Government ExecutiveThe Trump administration on Thursday formally proposed to reorganize the Office of Personnel Management into the General Services Administration, sending legislative language to Congress that would move existing authorities from the OPM director to a non-Senate confirmed position within the White House Office of Management and Budget.In a May 16 letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi obtained by Government Executive, acting OMB Director Russell Vought said the move would allow OPM to serve federal agencies more effectively. The document includes language for a proposed bill, entitled the Administrative Services Merger Act, and explains it section by section.
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- A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PROPOSED OPM/GSA MERGER - May 15, 2019
- An OPM split could cause problems, but is its ‘greatest risk’ already here?By Jessie Bur, Federal TimesThe Trump administration has doubled down on its recommendation that the Office of Personnel Management be dismantled and its pieces placed among other executive agencies.“I firmly believe that the greatest risk we have is doing nothing,” OPM acting-Director Margaret Weichert said at a May 14 press roundtable.The proposal, first introduced in the White House’s June 2018 reorganization plan, would move OPM’s National Background Investigation Bureau to the Department of Defense; retirement, the agency’s health insurance and human resources services into the General Services Administration; and its legislative policy under the Executive Office of the President.
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- What Federal Employees Need to Know About FEHB and Medicare – Part 2 - May 14, 2019
- Edward A. Zurndorfer, CFP, My Federal RetirementWhile most federal employees continue to be covered by the FEHB program once they retire from federal service and throughout their retirement years, all federal employees are eligible for Medicare once they become age 65.
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- ADMINISTRATION CLAIMS OPM CANNOT FUNCTION PROPERLY WITHOUT BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION REVENUE - May 14, 2019
- Administration Claims OPM Cannot Function Properly Without Background Investigation RevenueBy Erich Wagner, Government ExecutiveNearly a year after announcing its proposal to send the bulk of the Office of Personnel Management’s functions to the General Services Administration, the Trump administration on Tuesday released new details that it argues support the merger.The government’s HR agency lacks sufficient resources or technological capabilities to handle its duties alone, the the document provided to Government Executive stated. The administration cited the 2015 OPM data breach as an example of structural vulnerabilities within the agency.
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- LAWMAKERS WORRY CURRENT SQUABBLES BODE POORLY FOR LOOMING SEQUESTER, SHUTDOWN FIGHTS - MAY 9, 2019
- Lawmakers Worry Current Squabbles Bode Poorly for Looming Sequester, Shutdown FightsBy Eric Katz, Government ExecutiveAs lawmakers stare down yet another series of deadlines for avoiding major spending disruptions at federal agencies, some are starting to express concern that a lack of progress on more immediate issues is a sign of an inevitable clash later this year.Congress and the White House are currently butting heads over a disaster spending package, which would provide billions of dollars in aid to states and territories devastated by flooding, wildfires and hurricanes. The Trump administration has repeatedly disrupted negotiations, lawmakers in both parties have said, lodging concerns particularly about spending in Puerto Rico.
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- TOP GOP LAWMAKER IMPLORES COLLEAGUES TO PUBLICLY PRAISE FEDS - MAY 7, 2019
- Top GOP Lawmaker Implores Colleagues to Publicly Praise FedsBy Eric Katz, Government ExecutiveA key Republican lawmaker is pushing his colleagues to honor federal employees during Public Service Recognition Week, calling it critical to recognize their commitment and offer them thanks just as the nation does for military personnel.
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- OPM Nominee Defends Tenure at Labor Authority, Commits to Working with Lawmakers on GSA Merger - May 7, 2019
- OPM Nominee Defends Tenure at Labor Authority, Commits to Working with Lawmakers on GSA MergerBy Erich Wagner, Government ExecutiveAt her Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday, Office of Personnel Management Director nominee Dale Cabaniss defended herself from criticism of her tenure as chairwoman of an agency tasked with resolving labor-management disputes, arguing low morale during her time there was the result of disgruntled employees.
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- PRESIDENT TRUMP ISSUES PROCLAMATION AT PSRW KICK-OFF - May 5, 2019
- Trump Lauds Government Employees in Kickoff to Public Service Recognition WeekBy Tom Shoop, Government ExecutiveAt the beginning of the annual Public Service Recognition Week, President Trump on Saturday issued a proclamation praising government employees and the work they do on behalf of the country."Each day, millions of government employees serve their fellow citizens, and we as a Nation recognize the valuable role they play in our communities," the president's proclamation stated. "From the law enforcement officers and border patrol agents who keep our country safe and secure to those who work in education, healthcare, transportation, and other public service careers, civil servants ensure government works for the American people. "
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- TSP GAINS IN APRIL - MAY 1, 2019
- All TSP Funds Grow in April, and MoreBy Erich Wagner, Government ExecutiveAll of the portfolios in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program made gains last month, continuing a positive trend.Leading the way were the common stocks of the Thrift Savings Plan’s C Fund, which grew 4.05 percent in April. So far this year, the C Fund has increased 18.25 percent. The S Fund, which is made up of small- and mid-size businesses, increased 3.69 percent last month, bringing its 2019 gains to 20.27 percent.
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- A PATH FORWARD FOR THE MSPB - MAY 1, 2019
- Federal Employee Appeals Board Poised to Finally Have MembersBy Eric Katz, Government ExecutivePresident Trump this week nominated a third individual to serve at the quasi-judicial agency that determines federal employees’ challenges to adverse actions, paving a path for it to finally regain a quorum on its central board after two years without one.B. Chad Bungard is Trump’s third appointee to fill the three slots on the Merit Systems Protection Board’s central panel, all of which are currently vacant. The agency is now without any Senate-confirmed leadership for the first time in its 40-year history. MSPB’s administrative judges have continued to issue decisions, but all appeals have been added to a 2,000-case backlog that has accumulated since early 2017.
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- THE WORKFORCE IMPACT OF SENDING CLEARANCE CHECKS TO DEFENSE - April 30
- How Sending Security Clearance Checks to Defense Will Affect the WorkforceBy Erich Wagner, Government ExecutiveNow that President Trump has signed a long-awaited executive order authorizing the transfer of the National Background Investigations Bureau from the Office of Personnel Management to the Defense Department, what does that mean for OPM?In short, the details are not clear yet.
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- OPM Issues Guidance on New Religious Compensatory Time Off Rule - April 30
- OPM Issues Guidance on New Religious Compensatory Time Off RuleBy Ian Smith, FedSmithThe Office of Personnel Management recently issued a final rule that creates a new benefit for federal employees who wish to take time off of work for religious reasons.The final rule was published in the Federal Register and goes into effect on May 29, 2019.Under the new rule, federal employees who request time off of work for religious reasons will have 13 pay periods before or after the scheduled date(s) of absence to make up the missed time.
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- Some May Face Long Wait for Back Pay - April 23, 2019
- FEDweekSome federal employees may face a long additional wait before receiving the back pay from the retroactive raise, even as some already have received it and some have been promised they will see it in the next distribution.
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- What OPM’s Retirement Services Site Can Do for You - April 18
- Retirement & Financial Planning Report, FEDweekFor federal retirees, OPM handles many of the same types of transactions that agency personnel offices handle for active employees. Like personnel offices, OPM has increasingly automated those services in recent years.
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- 10 Must-Do Action Items to Prepare to Retire from Federal Service - April 18, 2019
- By Chris Kowalik, My Federal RetirementAs you begin getting serious about retiring from federal service, you may be concerned that you’ll miss some critical steps in the preparation process. Follow these 10 must-do action items to ensure you’re on track to living the retirement you’ve imagined.
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- IRS SEEKS HIRING AUTHORITY FOR SWIFT TALENT ACQUISITION - April 9, 2019
- IRS commissioner looks for hiring authority to onboard IT talent in weeks, not monthsBy Jory Hickman, Federal News NetworkIRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig has urged members of a House Appropriations subcommittee to give the agency the authority to hire short-term cyber and IT talent more quickly and pay them at a rate beyond the pay scale for career employees.Rettig said critical pay authority, which he previously advocated for during his confirmation hearing last summer, would enable him to hire promising new recruits at a rate closer to what he was able to achieve during his 36-year career as a tax attorney.
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- LATEST INFORMATION ON FEDERAL RETIREMENT CLAIMS AND BACKLOG - April 8, 2019
- Federal Retirement Claims Continue to Surge in March, But Backlog Is DownBy Erich Wagner, Government ExecutiveThe Office of Personnel Management reported last week that the annual surge in retirements, traditionally reserved for January and February, crept into March this year, although the agency has managed to reduce the backlog of claims.
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- THE SHUTDOWN'S TOLL ON IRS WORK DURING TAX SEASON - April 5, 2019
- Watchdog Details Shutdown’s Damage to IRS Work During Tax SeasonBy Charles S. Clark, Government ExecutiveAn inspector general’s routine update on how the Internal Revenue Service is faring during tax filing season provides grim numbers on the waste and delayed service to taxpayers inflicted by this winter’s 35-day partial government shutdown.Examples from a Thursday report from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration show that from Dec. 22, 2018, to Jan. 21, 2019:
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- KEY AREAS TO WATCH REGARDING PROPOSED CUTS TO BENEFITS - April 3, 2019
- The path forward for Trump’s proposed federal retirement cuts in 2020By Nicole Ogrysko, Federal News NetworkNews of the Trump administration’s latest proposals to cut retirement benefits in 2020 likely elicited a tired eye roll from federal employees this year.The reaction is justified, considering it’s the third consecutive year the administration made such proposals in the president’s annual budget request. Even before that, Congress had made similar attempts during the Obama administration.
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- WHEELER DISCUSSES ADMINISTRATION'S CALL FOR 31% BUDGET REDUCTION AT EPA - April 3, 2019
- EPA Chief Admits That Brain Drain Puts Agency at 'Critical Juncture'By Charles S. Clark, Government ExecutivePresident Trump’s proposal for a 31 percent cut in the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget is justified as part of a “bold agenda” that combines public health with economic growth, EPA Chief Andrew Wheeler told House appropriators on Tuesday.But when grilled on the agency’s failure to fill vacancies left by a “recent exodus” of experts and enforcement personnel, Wheeler said, “We are trying to hire up but are losing people at a very fast rate. We’re hiring them as fast as we’re losing them.”
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- FEDERAL NEWS NETWORK EXPLORES LOCALITY PAY DESIGNATIONS - APRIL 1, 2019
- Is securing a new federal locality pay area worth it?By Nicole Ogrysko, Federal News NetworkThe payout for federal employees who have been waiting — for years in some cases — to secure their own locality pay areas and separate rates may be getting a little less sweet.Some 72,000 federal employees in Birmingham, Alabama; Burlington, Vermont; Corpus Christi, Texas; Omaha, Nebraska; San Antonio, Texas; and Virginia Beach/Norfolk, Virginia, broke free this year of the “rest of U.S.” designation. Employees in these areas now have their own, separate locality pay rates starting in 2019.
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- PAY RAISE FOR 2019 FINALIZED; READY TO BE IMPLEMENTED - MARCH 28, 2019
- White House Finalizes 1.9 Percent Pay Raise for Civilian FedsBy Erich Wagner, Government ExecutivePresident Trump on Thursday signed an executive order authorizing a 1.9 percent pay increase for federal employees this year, retroactive to January, ending six weeks of waiting and speculation about when the measure would be implemented.
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- THE CONSEQUENCES OF A HOLLOWED-OUT IRS WORKFORCE - MARCH 27, 2019
- A Hollowed-Out IRS Workforce Has Led to a 91 Percent Drop in Investigations of Non-Filing BusinessesBy Eric Katz, Government ExecutiveNearly a decade of budget and workforce cuts has led to the Internal Revenue Service leaving billions of dollars in revenue uncollected each year, a new report has found.
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- AGENCY REORGANIZATION PLANS IS LIGHT ON DETAILS - February 13, 2017
- Transferring Responsibilities and Consolidating Offices Highlight Trump Reorganization PlanBy Eric Katz, Government ExecutiveMore than one year after President Trump issued an executive order calling on all federal agencies to submit a comprehensive plan to reorganize and reform themselves, the administration has proposed what it is now calling a “first step” toward submitting those changes.The proposals were laid out in Trump’s fiscal 2019 budget, often focusing on consolidating administrative functions or merging various programs with similar functions, but not every agency detailed its plans. Some agencies put forward more specific ideas, such as shifting bureaus to new locations or transferring responsibilities to other agencies. The administration said more details would be forthcoming, pledging to create concrete goals and trackable metrics with “senior accountable officials” to oversee them.
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- BOTH STAFF CUTS AND BUDGET INCREASES FOR FY 2019 - July 13, 2017
Staff Cuts and Budget Increases Are Both on Tap for 2019
By Eric Katz, Government Executive
The Trump administration has provided federal agencies with the latitude to request up to a 5 percent funding boost in fiscal 2019, saying the White House may accommodate a “limited number” of programmatic increases in its final blueprint.
Generally, Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney said in a memorandum to department and agency heads, agencies should keep their 2019 spending requests in line with what the White House spelled out in the fiscal 2018 budget submission. They should also, however, “identify additional investments in effective programs that further support their mission and fill a clear federal role.”
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